Hanford Submarine Reactor Compartment Boneyard
Ever wonder where the sealed-up Reactor Compartments go when a boat gets decommissioned and razor-bladed? It appears that they go to Trench 94 in Hanford, WA. Here's a picture with the several dozen RCs labeled (no idea if the labeling is accurate or not):
Did you find your old boat? (You can click on the picture for a bigger version.) Another picture is here, and some official government information on Trench 94 is here.What's the most outlandish thing you're ever done in an RC? (Note that I said "in an RC", not "to an RPCP", so this isn't the thread to say "I removed the Port RCLIV switch handle and cover and wrote 'If you had a Fast Leak right now, you'd be in big trouble' on the back".)
posted by Bubblehead at 1:51 PM
30 Comments:
Was in the RC re-lamping on day after duty. It was hot as Hell and I was mad as Hell. I took off my belt and used it to drape my TLD over a screaming hot spot. I was out of the RC and on my way to the BEQ in just a few minutes. Ahhhhhhhh.
BTW, comparing the old poster shot to the other linked pics, it looks like they've added almost two dozen more compartments.
6/16/2011 3:35 PM
If the Russians or Chinese ever landed an ICBM on that location, would it cause the western US and Canada to glow in the dark for the next 10,000 years? (Assuming, of course, the whole world wasn't already going thermonuclear?)
6/16/2011 3:37 PM
That was TLD and the ancient SRPD.
6/16/2011 3:37 PM
In overhaul and did routine tour of RC. Heavy radcon job being done on the pressurizer. Looked into the full containment enclosure and saw an empty 6-pack of Rainier beer and about half a dozen butts on the deck! Don't know if PSNSY every nailed someone for the job, but NR was on their ass for ages!
6/16/2011 4:03 PM
NR = Gestapo
6/16/2011 4:21 PM
@zinchuk
Yes, but only because of the instigating ICBM. There is no nuclear fuel in the RCs at Hanford. The RCs contain low level radiation from neutron/gamma activation of the metal structures.
6/16/2011 4:36 PM
Three emergency at sea entries to tweak the degas throttle valve position. The heat was incredible (limited air conditioning due to diesel line-up and no steam for the LiBr machine). Anti-Cs soaked through with sweat in less than a few minutes. No way to properly vent and remove valve cap. Thank goodness for oven mitts and terry cloth. The RC is not a friendly place at sea and on the surface.
6/16/2011 5:35 PM
The main picture posted is at least ten years old Joel, since it doesn't include any of the CGN RCs. The linked photo does include more SSN and SSBN RCs, plus a dozen CGN RC packages.
6/16/2011 5:36 PM
I reported to the PCU Omaha before initial crit, and we were allowed in and out of the RC without controls, TLDs, or any rad-con stuff. It felt *really* strange to be able to wander around freely and not worry about getting zapped...
Of course, as soon as the core came up all the standard controls were in place.
6/16/2011 6:20 PM
I had the "pleasure" of being on a SSN during a refueling overhaul in the early 1970's and then being on the decomm crew for the same ship/core in the late 1980's. I guess that would be Deja Vu all over again.
But times had changed and we were much more focused in the 1970's-after all a core that was short of zoomies was nothing to worry about-despite what NR was preaching!
Right...BTW the deomm experience had its own special events-
Submairnes once...
6/16/2011 6:53 PM
Well, I guess I shouldn't even say it but I pissed in the PCU RHODE ISLAND's RX vessel. Long time ago, walking through and had to go...
6/16/2011 7:44 PM
This could or couldn't have happened, but a jig may or may not have been danced on the top of the vessel during decom. You get bored on those midnight tours of the RC. Decom also had issues with coffee and a water source, but suffice it to say that the ADM is on the only sailor that may or may not have consumed a certain type of water.
6/16/2011 8:07 PM
When I first reported aboard PCU Oly, one of the three entrances to the boat was a hull cut over the RC, with a wooden ladder leading down to the deck. (The other two entrances were hull cuts over the CO's stateroom and the still.)
Whilst on the tender I did a year and a half in R-10 (Nuc Repair) - which included working on freeze seals for two jobs inside boomer RCs. I think being an RM operating a wrench inside an RC qualifies as truly outlandish....
6/16/2011 8:51 PM
Truly outlandish indeed. Like an A-ganger and an SK escorting spent fuel all the way across the country...
6/16/2011 10:58 PM
Noticed Seawolf's reactor shell is askew from the others. Perhaps its elongated shape makes it is a misfit or might it be the she is something – SPECIAL.
6/16/2011 11:07 PM
Are the CGN parts kept in their RCs? I would think those were too large and too frail (odd shape, bulkhead thickness) to transport.
6/17/2011 3:48 AM
PCU Wyoming caught a nuke "whacking" in the RC before the core went in. Forgot his name, but he did get caught and went to mast.
6/17/2011 6:28 AM
When I was a YN2(SS) in 1981 on PCU Florida the XO, ENG, and I went into the RC (before it was fueled) for an inspection. It was very exciting to see that boat built from the keel up.
6/17/2011 9:33 AM
While on the Drum (SSN677) during our 1980-1981 Westpac, we used the RC tunnel as the Royal Barber's station. We had to line up with only our skivvies on backwards, starting in AMR II going aft, waiting their turn with the Barber. He didn't really cut our hair though.
RM2(SS)
6/17/2011 3:12 PM
A couple of noteworthy events
While greasing the steam generators we were pretty much filthy with whatever that grease was. We each (three of us) dropped trou and put a greasy handprint on each others ass. We then showed everyone in crew's mess during lunch.
My friend Koj, beat off onto the inside of the lower level RC viewing window (Philly). You can not imagine how many times someone asked what it was that was on the inside of the window.
All for now!
6/17/2011 4:43 PM
And the funny thing is, some poor sap is still standing SRO on these things ; )
6/17/2011 5:25 PM
Greasing S/Gs? WTF? The submarine RC packages include a few feet forward and aft of the RC bulkheads to capture certain tanks and piping. The CGN packages include the CRC and several feet of the aux rooms for similar reasons. The CGN RC package construction is definitely more complex than a sub's, involving more SY manufactured components...
6/17/2011 7:39 PM
Steam generator - yup. There was a big hinge that helped support them. The grease would dry out and you to take out the zircs, dig the dried grease out and then put new grease in. It was a suck job.
6/17/2011 8:39 PM
Reminds me of greasing deck clips on 637's. Dumbest PM ever. The worst offenders were unreachable. So squirt squirt into the outboard and if you got some grease close you called it good. I saw my first 2 boats on that photo btw...I feel old.
6/17/2011 8:51 PM
Don't know if this counts or was even unusual, but I used to fart everytime I had to pass through the RC tunnel on the SSBN 610. I hated going aft.
6/19/2011 6:21 AM
I miss the EM-Log... Where have you gone? It's been almost a year!
6/20/2011 9:11 AM
What kind of two bit operation is that, can't even spell the name of my sub right...GP Lipscomb ssn 685
6/20/2011 8:44 PM
Nice to know some piece of the "Floating Palace" will live on forever.
6/21/2011 11:19 PM
Where the Hell is Tautog's RC???
Subsunk
7/04/2011 10:17 PM
I was a nuc EM reported to USS ROBERT E Lee August 75, the boat pulls into Pearl Harbor with a hole in the drain header, port side upper level, there is caked on salt on port s/g lagging and all kinds of salt contamination in lower level port side, both crews, all available boomer off crews, fast boat nucs and subbase guys decontaminated (lol) the Rx compt. Squadron decided gold crew wouldn't have enough time so we got the boat, we had 4 new EM's so I got to drive to Guam, laundry queen first half of the patrol. The gold crew gave us the boat with a typhoon headed in and a flooded LP blower, the rudder would barely clear the surface, went to refueling overhaul in MINSY, never knew 25/8 existed until then, managed an xfer to USS Guitarro coming out of Puget Sound NSY. My dream sheet out of prototype 1)boomer out of Pearl
2)sub in overhaul at MINSY
3)fast boat out of San Diego, imagine getting all 3, I still think I ended up an "EM" because those are my initials. lol
(Eu)Gene Murphy clearingbaffles@gmail.com
12/24/2013 12:43 AM
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