A trip down memory lane (looking for a J&L Steel logo I could print) wound up with a surprising bunch of photographs of car ferries. I had never known car ferries were used near Pittsburgh.
These were used on the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers to transport product between J&L's Pittsburgh and Aliquippa plants. A quick scan of the photographs tells me that the car ferries were probably repurposed coal barges with decks and rails added. These would normally have been pushed from astern which makes the bumpers on the bow a little strange. Handling would have been easier if the barges could have been handled ("switched"?) by a tow boat working from the same end of the barge as the bumpers; i.e., from the stern with the cars being loaded/unloaded over the bow.
The only visible reporting marks on cars loaded on these car ferries were JSLX indicating Jones & Laughlin Steel company cars. They look to be in surprisingly good shape considering their use.
What I didn't see is any indication of the number of car ferries J&L had. Since the Pittsburgh and Aliquippa plants were so close, I would think that four -- one at each plant being unloaded and reloaded, one in transit and a backup -- would have been more than generous. Knowing J&L's 'thriftiness' (Dad worked for J&L for 30+ years), I'd guess they might have had only one or two.
I found these pictures, courtesy of the University of Pittsburgh, at:
Search results | Historic Pittsburgh
https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/search/catch_all_fields_mt%3A%28car%5C%20ferry%29?f%5B0%5D=RELS_EXT_isMemberOfCollection_uri_ms%3A%22info%5C%3Afedora%5C/pitt%3Acollection.56%22&islandora_solr_search_navigation=0
ChuckAllen, TX
Thanks Chuck
I've lived in Pittsburgh all my life (81 years) and this is the first time I've seen any reference to these car ferries. I do remember the stern wheelers with fond memories though. Especially the races held from time to time.
Tom
Pittsburgh, PA
Hi Chuck.
I have come across this information.
http://www.silogic.com/genealogy/Jones%20and%20Laughlin%20Steel%20Corporation,%20Aliquippa%20Works.html
Hope it is of some use.
David
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