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Glory Days of Great Lakes Passenger Steamers ended in 1950 or early 1960s

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 8:42 AM

Penny Trains
Your second photo of the partially submerged ship brings a question to my mind.  I remember taking a Cuyahoga river cruise on the Goodtime back in the 1970's or 80's, possibly 1976 which is when I would have started kindergarten but it also could have been later.  Anyhow, besides the giant, dark, scary, rusting hulks of the Hulett loaders that abounded on the river in those days, I distinctly remember seeing a half sunken ship at what I believe is called "Collision Bend".

http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/herrick/id/341/rec/496

The description only says: "Sunken excursion boat".  Behind the reddish freighter, which I believe to be the Mather, is the Cleveland Union Terminal complex which was mostly sealed off in those days.

Worked out of B&O's Clark Avenue Yard in Cleveland for a while in the early 70's.  Made many a trip between the Clark Ave. office and the Whiskey Island interchange with the NYC (later PC and later still CR).  B&O had 3 drawbridges to negotiate between Clark Ave and Whiskey Island - Bridges 460, 463 & 464.  Bridge 460 had it's own 24 hour operators. 

Bridges 463 & 464 were operated by a single individual working 3 PM - 11 PM under normal circumstance.  2nd trick yard job would perform the interchange work at Whiskey Island.  When the job would approach Bridge 463 the operator would lower the bridge for rail traffic and line the signal for the movement and the hightail it to go to Bridge 464 so that bridge could be lowered for rail traffic.  After the movement cleared Bridge 464 it was raised for river traffic and the operator proceeded to Bridge 463 to raise it for river traffic.  The bridge operator would then return to Bridge 464 to await the yard job's return movement to Clark Ave and then repeat the process in reverse for the job's movement.  With the Hours of Service for T&E crews being 16 hours a the time, the bridge operators job could earn a lot of overtime.

Trips between Clark Ave and Whiskey Island had the road traversing several highway drawbridges and one was frequently delayed by freighters traversing the Cuyahoga River.  Vessels that entered the river bow first with tugs assisting would go to their destination and when their mission was completed would be pulled stern first back out of the river by tugs - the river was not wide enough to permit the vessels to turn anywhere but at Collision Bend, which would shut down the river of a period of time if the vessels were to be turned.

As I recall there was a class restaurent (whose name I can't remember) that had a great view of Collision Bend and the river operations that traversed the area.  The area immediately surrounding the Cuyahoga River was collectively known as 'The Flats' and was all heavy industry.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by schlimm on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 7:41 AM

ROBERT WILLISON
they were no doubt beautiful ships. But they were also Death  traps. Many instances where they caught fire and sank in the great lakes, Hudson river and along the Mississippi. Besides being of wood construction. Any fires that broke out while being underway were spread quickly by lake winds and the ship making way.

The SS North American and South American were built of steel, but ultimately could not pass newer fire safety codes. Congress passed a law in 1966 forcing the ships to be docked.  The South American made a final cruise in 1967.

http://cruiselinehistory.com/ss-south-american-the-final-voyage/

C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan

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Posted by ROBERT WILLISON on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 6:18 AM

Firelock76

Beautiful ships!  Very little built nowadays to compare with them.

 

they were no doubt beautiful ships. But they were also Death  traps. Many instances where they caught fire and sank in the great lakes, Hudson river and along the Mississippi.

Besides being of wood construction. Any fires that broke out while being underway were spread quickly by lake winds and the ship making way.

They burnt to their water lines in short order, usually with a high death toll.

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Posted by Firelock76 on Monday, June 5, 2017 8:30 PM

Beautiful ships!  Very little built nowadays to compare with them.

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Posted by schlimm on Monday, June 5, 2017 7:35 PM

Georgian Bay Lines ran the North and South American until the mid-60s.

 

C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan

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Posted by Penny Trains on Monday, June 5, 2017 7:19 PM

Your second photo of the partially submerged ship brings a question to my mind.  I remember taking a Cuyahoga river cruise on the Goodtime back in the 1970's or 80's, possibly 1976 which is when I would have started kindergarten but it also could have been later.  Anyhow, besides the giant, dark, scary, rusting hulks of the Hulett loaders that abounded on the river in those days, I distinctly remember seeing a half sunken ship at what I believe is called "Collision Bend".

http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/herrick/id/341/rec/496

The description only says: "Sunken excursion boat".  Behind the reddish freighter, which I believe to be the Mather, is the Cleveland Union Terminal complex which was mostly sealed off in those days.

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by 54light15 on Monday, June 5, 2017 2:13 PM

One of the main reasons along with declining patronage was that boats with a lot of wood construction were banned from carrying passengers (overnight, anyway) after the Yarmouth Castle fire in 1965. 

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Posted by ROBERT WILLISON on Monday, June 5, 2017 10:16 AM

CandOforprogress2

 

the cruise ship grand crib transited the upper lakes and yesterday, lake  Ontario bound for the nys barge canal at Oswego NY.

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Glory Days of Great Lakes Passenger Steamers ended in 1950 or early 1960s
Posted by CandOforprogress2 on Saturday, June 3, 2017 1:21 PM

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