Still looking at scenic and operational options for my freelanced New England waterfront railroad project. I love the idea of car float operations and the modelling possibilities that go with them, but would it be completely unbelievable for 1920's Maine? Looking at all those huge meandering inlets and bays, it seems to me that the opportunity to take a shortcut to get cars to the other side, or to interchange with another road "over there" would be appealing?
Or perhaps I would be better sticking with a passenger ferry?
Your opinions welcomed, ladies and gentlemen.
Bob
Would 1920's Maine have enough traffic to warrant that? It was largely a rural state. RR car ferries generally were for long distances (across Lake Michigan from Wisconsin to Michigan) or in heavy traffic / heavy populated areas (New Jersey to Manhattan).
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Though not Maine, I Googled Martha's Vineyard Railroad and several sights came up, also for Nantucket.
I believe there is a passenger ferry from Maine to Nova Scotia, don't know if it does or ever did carry rail cars.
Good luck,
Richard
Thanks to you all for those contributions. I, too, wondered whether traffic levels would have justified a car float operation, and on reflection, I rather doubt it. Mind you, this is a freelanced layout, and I have a feeling that the line I'll end up with will be running power and stock that the owners bought from other railroads because they were going cheap (i.e. I have a varied collection of stuff I want to run and an excuse will be found!), so it is possible the same Board of Directors thought it would be a good idea to try a freight ferry service....
But the pics of train ferry Hercules are fascinating - that looks like it was most probably a passenger connection, but I could make that work too. More research coming up.
Thanks again everyone.
A bit more reading shows that the ferry "Ferdinando Gorges" carried passenger and freight cars and locos across the Kennebec River until 1927. Previous ferries had not been able to carry locos. That could be an interesting modelling opportunity.
Here is an article anouncing the construction of the car ferry Hercules. It doed not state its capacity but says it will be 250 ft long. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1913&dat=18911028&id=T9wgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9WoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2419,5952243&hl=en
Here is a colorized post card https://www.mainememory.net/artifact/27919
I don't know how many tracks it had, but in California the similarly sized (240 ft long ) Sacramento Northern car ferry Ramon had a total capacity of six interurban cars or 10 freight cars on three tracks. It operated across Suisun Bay between Mallard and Chipps, CA on the Sacramento Northern main line and normally took about 8 minutes to make the crossing. http://www.wplives.org/sn/ramon.html
Although there were longer trains run, videos show freight trains with 3-12 or so cars, with a steeple cab electric locomotive front and back to prevent run away cars (in case couplers failed). While most of the railroad was through flat country, the line traversed steep hills west of the ferry.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
https://www.mainememory.net/artifact/28568
http://www.jahitchcock.com/hitchcockmodels/kennebec.html
http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20405
FowlmereRRI, too, wondered whether traffic levels would have justified a car float operation, and on reflection, I rather doubt it.
I don’t think you have to try too hard to justify a rail ferry service; after all there must have been enough traffic because they build a bridge to replace the ferry (s).
I’m not sure if locomotives would have been carried that often.
Cheers, the Bear.
That's a very good point! I'm rather warming to this idea again. The Hitchcock Models diorama (frustratingly small pic) suggests I'd need some selective compression to make it work in the space I have, but isn't that often the case?
OK. I'll park this one now, but all good info for when I need to firm up my plans - now "Retirement Day" - 15 months, and counting... ;-) Much pondering between now and then, when office becomes railway room.
From JaBears post the Ferdinando Gorges https://www.pinterest.com/pin/444237950721724919/
The Hercules couldn't carry locomotives, but the Ferdinando Gorges could. http://bath.mainememory.net/page/891/display.html
Car ferries were used in three general ways:
1. In urban areas around a port to connect isolated industrial areas.
2. Across rivers or bays in place of a bridge.
3. As a shortcut to avoid going around a large body of water.
Most of Maine doesn't meet the urbanization required for #1. #2 is a possibility but the river or body of water has to be be big enough that it is hard to bridge and you can manuever a "large" ferry across it. In the 1800's and early 1900's there were all sorts of ferries across major rivers in the US (Husdon, Delaware, Mississipi, Ohio, etc). That might also apply to isolated industries, but they would have to big/important/active enough to justify the expense of the operation. The P&R/Reading had car ferry operations from Wilmington, DE to Carney's Point and Thompson's Point, NJ. The ferries served Dupont explosives and chemical factories. If you had a similar industry (paper mill, chemical works, mine, shipyard, military base, etc) that could support the cost of the ferry operation, that might justify the expense.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
There was a ferry in Bath, ME on the Rockland branch before the bridge was built. I think it was the 1890s. This line is incidentally the same one that I discussed in your previous post.
Article about the bridge:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlton_Bridge
Dont remember if there was one before it.
It does not appear that there was a bridge constructed before it.
https://www.mainememory.net/artifact/27897/enlarge
Edit: I should read through all replys before replying.
OP: Sent you a PM.