Ocean Liner President Lincoln. This model named „President“ most likely represents the „President Lincoln“ in 1:200 scale. It is on display in our exhibition on the history of modern passenger shipping on deck 6 of the museum.
We have often reported on the many merchant ships that have been put into naval service, usually in conflict. But there are also examples where the fate of a ship was exactly the opposite. This is the story of the US turbine steamers „Hoosier State“ and „Empire State“.
Both sisters belonged to a class designated 535 – this designation derived from their length in feet. The U.S. Bureau of Shipping had designed both ships as troop carriers during World War I and ordered a total of 16 units. After the war ended, most of these ships were completed for commercial service. „Hoosier State“ and „Empire State“ were built by the New York Shipbuilding Co. in Camden, New Jersey, and entered service in 1921 for the Pacific Mail Steamship Co. They proved to be excellent mid-size passenger ships and were in service on the trans-Pacific route and on voyages around the world. In 1925, they were purchased by the Dollar Line and renamed „President Lincoln“ and „President Wilson.“ In 1938, the Dollar Line came under government management and became part of the American President Line. In 1940, other conflicts decided the fate of the ships. Given the pre-war situation in the Pacific, they were sold to Spanish owners. In Spain, the Civil War (1936-1939) had just ended, and the disastrous economic and political situation in the country triggered a massive wave of exile and emigration to the American countries that had been Spanish colonies in the past. Both ships were now sailing as „Cabo de Buena Esperanza“ and „Cabo de Hornos“ for the Ybarra shipping company on the South Atlantic route. They were well employed in Spanish service, especially during World War II. In the late 1950s, the Ybarra company began modernizing its fleet. Both ships were scrapped in Spain in 1959.
This model named „President“ most likely represents the „President Lincoln“ in 1:200 scale. It came into the collection of Peter Tamm in the mid 1970s and its exact origin is unknown. It is on display in our exhibition on the history of modern passenger shipping on deck 6 of the museum.