BaltACD Seeing them in media representations doesn't really perpare one to experience them 'up close and personal'.
Indeed! We were at a picnic for our community college some years ago, at a park next to the "American Narrows" of the St Lawrence River. The entire narrows is maybe 300 yards wide there.
While we were there, an upbound ship, which looked to be running empty, passed. All you could see was a wall of steel...
Of course, the river runs to 300' deep in that section. In fact, there is a ship sunk right off the Coast Guard station. Most scuba divers can reach the bow. The stern is regarded as a highly technical dive, best handled by experts.
Seeing ships on the Duluth Ship Canal cam generally includes a number of spectators, which can help one gauge the size of those behemoths.
The Duluth cam also can hear the narration from the park, which includes data about the ship. Twenty-four to thirty feet draft is very common. I think we figured out that one "footer" will more than fill a "taco" train running from Toledo to Middletown, OH through Deshler.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68 BaltACD Seeing them in media representations doesn't really perpare one to experience them 'up close and personal'. Indeed! We were at a picnic for our community college some years ago, at a park next to the "American Narrows" of the St Lawrence River. The entire narrows is maybe 300 yards wide there. While we were there, an upbound ship, which looked to be running empty, passed. All you could see was a wall of steel... Of course, the river runs to 300' deep in that section. In fact, there is a ship sunk right off the Coast Guard station. Most scuba divers can reach the bow. The stern is regarded as a highly technical dive, best handled by experts. Seeing ships on the Duluth Ship Canal cam generally includes a number of spectators, which can help one gauge the size of those behemoths. The Duluth cam also can hear the narration from the park, which includes data about the ship. Twenty-four to thirty feet draft is very common. I think we figured out that one "footer" will more than fill a "taco" train running from Toledo to Middletown, OH through Deshler.
Over the years, various channels into Baltimore Harbor are maintaining depths of between 40 and 50 feet - at low tide.
Was watching a show about container ships - the particular vessel in the show was able to hold NINE levels of containers below deck height; and four to six container levels above deck.
Size cannot be appreciated until you experience it in person.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
The geography of the Calumet region made it easy to appreciate the size of lake boats. Rail-to-Water Transfer was situated so that the boats nosed up almost against the 100th Street bridge. There were also enough movable bridges in the area where you could easily watch the boats of various sizes pass through.
BaltACDWas watching a show about container ships - the particular vessel in the show was able to hold NINE levels of containers below deck height; and four to six container levels above deck.
The biggest ships can hold upwards of 15,000 20' containers, and some go as high as 24,000... Staggering.
Assuming a train of 100 wells (we won't get into the details of three and five packs, etc), stacked two high, that's just 400 20' equivalent cans...
Not mentioned so far is the ferry Chief Wawatam. It's route was from Mackinac City at the very top of the southern portion of Michigan. It ran to St. Ignace across the Strait of Mackinac. Mackinac City was originally served by predecessors of the New York Central and the Pennsylvania. The St. Ignace end was served by Soo Line. In its final years the south end was served by Michigan Northern. The MN was famous for flagging out of a rate increase on lumber resulting in a large increase in traffic both for itself and for Soo Line, though it couldn't last.
There were no rail ferries on the big lake they call Kitchi-gummi.
Lots of ore docks, though, at places other than Duluth-Superior.
Marquette, Two Harbors, and Thunder Bay are popular destinations these days...
kgbw49 There were no rail ferries on the big lake they call Kitchi-gummi. Lots of ore docks, though, at places other than Duluth-Superior.
My current career (last 33 years) has been the sale of large format graphics...decals for various transportation companies. Primarily I work with trucking companies, both private fleets and common carriers including large truckload carriers.
I have also sold to railroads, car builders such as Union Tank Car, Trinity, Thrall Car and other rail fleets.
The most unusual graphic provided was to the MV Indiana Harbor, a 1000 ft long lake freighter. I was contacted by GATX, who owned American Steamship Lines which owned (or operated the Indiana Harbor). They wanted a large decal on both sides of the bridge, promoting Shedd Aquarium. I jumped at the chance and was able to inspect the sister ship MV Burns Harbor at Burns Harbor, Indiana (Port of Indiana) while unloading.
We produced the graphics and the installation of graphics was in Toledo. The Indiana Harbor was detoured from Monroe, Mi. to Toledo to accomodate the graphics installation. A load of coal for a power plant was delivered somewhere near Detroit. I accompanied the installers to Toledo on a Saturday to "supervise"...more to experience this unusual install. On board were representatives of BNSF who "hitched a ride" from Superior, Ws. BNSF had delivered the coal and thus the BNSF reps (3 total) were along for the ride.
A lift was provided and we installed on the left side (facing forward) then the lift and the freighter were moved to another location so the other side was installed. We finished about midnight. To access the bridge I had to climb a ladder (about 40ft above the dock). About half way up I got the jitters as the ladder was swaying. That was the only negetive about the entire project. I got a tour of the freighter and was able to watch the unloading of railcars at the adjacent dock. I believe the engines were the same EMDs as the SD45s. If memory serves me...there were 2 big engines.
Heck of an experience. The most unusual of my career...and I have had a few.
Ed
Thank you! I did not know about the MV Incan Superior. I'll look that up right now - sounds interesting!
Nice work!
MV Indiana Harbor is, at this moment (Thursday, June 15 at 8:30 PM), southbound in Lake Michigan off Sheboygan, WI, headed for (wait for it!) Indiana Harbor...
The MV Incan Superior still sails in the Georgian Strait (British Columbia), now as the Princess Superior. She's hauling trucks instead of railcars.
MP173 The Indiana Harbor was detoured from Monroe, Mi. to Toledo to accomodate the graphics installation. A load of coal for a power plant was delivered somewhere near Detroit. I accompanied the installers to Toledo on a Saturday to "supervise"...more to experience this unusual install. On board were representatives of BNSF who "hitched a ride" from Superior, Ws. BNSF had delivered the coal and thus the BNSF reps (3 total) were along for the ride. I got a tour of the freighter and was able to watch the unloading of railcars at the adjacent dock. I believe the engines were the same EMDs as the SD45s. If memory serves me...there were 2 big engines. Ed
The Indiana Harbor was detoured from Monroe, Mi. to Toledo to accomodate the graphics installation. A load of coal for a power plant was delivered somewhere near Detroit. I accompanied the installers to Toledo on a Saturday to "supervise"...more to experience this unusual install. On board were representatives of BNSF who "hitched a ride" from Superior, Ws. BNSF had delivered the coal and thus the BNSF reps (3 total) were along for the ride.
I got a tour of the freighter and was able to watch the unloading of railcars at the adjacent dock. I believe the engines were the same EMDs as the SD45s. If memory serves me...there were 2 big engines.
Lakers do "back hauls," too. A common load is limestone.
The "footers" are normally one-way boats. That's why the smaller boats are more versatile.
BaltACDAlso walking along the river front in Historic Savannah and having a containership navigating the river not 50 feet from you and towering above you.
My wife is from south Georgia, so I'm in Savannah with some regularity. One of the times we were down there, we're heading up the ramp onto the bridge and I was hoping there was a ship coming in. We turned up and sure enough there's a ship just about to go under the bridge. I excitedly point it out. My wife is like "what ship" and I'm like "you can't see the thing?" She looks again and just says "I thought that was the skyline!"
Our trips there often include a couple of hours of public drinking (legal there!) at one of the open air bars, hoping a ship or two makes it down the river. I got all drunkenly excited about a container ship a couple Christmases back and then said "I wish I could find a christmas ornament of a container ship." Well, one of the local vendors actually had one!
NittanyLion BaltACD Also walking along the river front in Historic Savannah and having a containership navigating the river not 50 feet from you and towering above you. My wife is from south Georgia, so I'm in Savannah with some regularity. One of the times we were down there, we're heading up the ramp onto the bridge and I was hoping there was a ship coming in. We turned up and sure enough there's a ship just about to go under the bridge. I excitedly point it out. My wife is like "what ship" and I'm like "you can't see the thing?" She looks again and just says "I thought that was the skyline!" Our trips there often include a couple of hours of public drinking (legal there!) at one of the open air bars, hoping a ship or two makes it down the river. I got all drunkenly excited about a container ship a couple Christmases back and then said "I wish I could find a christmas ornament of a container ship." Well, one of the local vendors actually had one!
BaltACD Also walking along the river front in Historic Savannah and having a containership navigating the river not 50 feet from you and towering above you.
As a kid in the late 50's the family decided to drive to Florida for vacation from Maryland. I recall us driving down through the 'Low Country' of South Carolina on the combination of US 301 and US 17 interspersed with segments of US 1 and as we approached the SC/GA state line which is the Savannah River - there TOWERING over the surrounding area was the two lane bridge across the river. As I recall the approaches to the bridge were copiously fitted with 'NO SMOKING ON BRIDGE' signs, which made no sense to me until we got to part of the bridge that actually crossed the river, and underneath the bridge was the bearth for a ocean going vessel with its hatches open.
The current bridge is slightly further downriver than the older bridge and significantly taller. The current deck is, I believe, higher than the top of the older truss bridge's maximum height.
It also means that ships no longer berth directly under the bridge. Not much of concern about cigarette butts landing on a ship now. Plus there's a slightly lower risk of fire, as that berth is now used to service heavy machinery (JCB ships out of it and I've seen them unloading Fendt tractors). Google Maps, curiously, shows a sea of Teslas lined up there. I didn't realize anyone was shipping cars out of Savannah.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.