I was poking around from where others had provided links and found this in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Train_ferry#United_States My apologies for not being able to provide a link (If someone could fix thx) The above directs to the US car floats and ferries but the article covers the entire world. Rgds IGN
Greetings,
I have at least two names for you, I rode on the Ann Arbor SS Viking across Lake Michigan one August evening back in 1976. Frankfort/Elberta, Michigan to Kewaunee, Wisconsin. Another ship was tied up near shore further in the harbor. I believe it was the Arthur K. Atkinson, named for the Wabash RR president. Some time after the ship departed we watched the sunset over the bow and went in and got a burger. I tried to sleep on the chrome framed black vinyl seats. Got to Kewaunee maybe around 11:30PM to midnight. There was another car ferry tied up on the town side of the inlet with either AA or C&O on the funnel. I can’t remember now but it was all lit up.
I remember seeing empty flat cars at Elberta. Everything near the docks seemed old and worn. I think there were fuel tanks and a low hill on the south edge of the harbor. I think the flatcars were probably buffers so the engine didn’t get on the ship or loading ramp. Train cars went on first, then motor vehicles and 2 bicycles (us). Crossing took about 4 hours total. We rolled the bicycles off and stood aside and let most of the vehicles past before we started riding into the darkness. Found a picnic table on our left before we got to the main road into town and crashed out there for the night.
Happy researching,
Bob
The FEC ran a ferry from Key West to Havana from around 1915 until 1935, when the rail link to the keys was destroyed by a hurricane. The service was the moved to Port Everglades and continued until 1961.
The West India Fruit company was a steamship line but it owned rail cars, so not sure if it falls within the scope of your question or not.
The Missouri Pacific RR operate a ferry between Natchez, Miss. and Vidalia, La. between 1965 and 1982. The Natchez & Southern RR operated the ferry until 1965 when it was purchased by the MoPac RR. I worked for the MPRR in Natchez between 1967 and until 1982 . The station in Natchez was finally closed in 1985.
John
The Illinois Central had several ferry operations. One ferry crossed the Ohio River between Paducah, KY, and Brookport, IL. This ferry operated until early 1918 when the newly-formed USRA dictated that the IC move its trains to the new Paducah & Illinois Railroad bridge at Metropolis, IL. Also, the IC operated a car ferry across the Ohio River between Cairo, IL, and East Cairo, KY. This ferry was abandoned in 1889 when the Cairo bridge was completed. And, until the late 1960s (or early 1970s) the IC still operated a ferry across the Mississippi River to connect with Helena/West Helena, AR.
The IC’s Y&MV also had a car ferry at Vicksburg until 1930 when the Mississippi River Bridge was completed there.
Mark
There were two ferries across the Mississippi between Natchez and New Orleans. The LR&N had a ferry between Angola and Filston, and the NOT&M had one at Baton Rouge. After the bridge was built at Baton Rouge (I am not sure when), the L&A abandoned the ferry upstream, and used the T&P from Torras Jct. to Lobdell Jct., just across from Baton Rouge.
The Cotton Belt (as T&StL, StLA&T or, SSW) operated a car ferry between Birds Point, Missouri and Cairo, Illinois. When their incline washed out in a 1909 flood operations were transferred to the St. Louis Iron Mountain and Southern (Missouri Pacific) operating between the same two points.
Another Cotton Belt ferry operation (all SSW) was between Gray’s Point, Missouri and Gale, Illinois from 1898 to 1905 when the Thebes bridge was completed.
Two PRR ferries Captain Edward Richardson Nofolk to the Delmarva peninsula across Chesapeake bay. Can’t recall the Delmarva town for the ferry slip. Still operated but stripped of its propulsion and elevated wheelhouse. Built at a Philadelphia shipyard in the mid 1950s. Chief Wawatam across straights of Macinaw from Macinaw city to St. IGnace. Coal fired and looked like a ferry.
Cape Henry?
Or Cape Charles?
Forgot about the Ashtabula, the PRR ferry that crossed Lake Erie until 1958.
I believe you are right with Cape Charles. The railroad station in Los Angeles (that’s where I am right now)does not have much information about railroad car ferries.
Yes, the ill fated but long lived Ashtabula…went from Ashtabula, Ohio across Lake Erie to Port Burwell, Ontario, Canada…Ferry and coal hauler…ran for many many years, since 1906 or so until 1958. She was much beloved on both sides of the border. It struck a lake freighter during a signal misconception by the Captain. He ended up committing suicide while awaiting pending charges from the Coast Guard. He was subsequently cleared in court of all charges. The ship itself then went for scrap but not easily. They had a heck of a time with it, could not move it, it caught fire a couple of times, resisted all attempts at scraping.
Canadian Pacific was the recipient of the coal and its yard and station right by the beach were famous to Port Burwell residents. The remnants are still there. It was a rare direct physical connection for the Pennsy with Canada. I think it was Pennsys way of poking NYC in the eye and its famous CASO line. It avoided a long circuitous route around Lake Erie and Border delays.
New York Central had similiar but to Port Maitland, Ont and B&LE had the same service to Port Dover, Ontario but both of these crossings were gone in the 1930’s.
The ship and the railroad CPR/PRR is still revered in Port Burwell, painting’s and books are everywhere in town. CPR ran a daily except Sunday branchline train that still had kerosene lamps lights and coal stove heat right up to 1959.
When the Ashtabula hit that ship it spelled the end of an entire economy, jobs, way of life. It was losing money for several years previous but the Pennsy still ran it…it is safe to assume that it would have been discontinued when all steam ended on the CPR and its days of service were coming to an end but who really knows. In either case if Saunders could destroy Penn Station then this service would not have a chance of surviving.
You can still get a really mean old fashioned authentic burger and fries on the beach. It has several historic sites as it is a very
Can you tell me what kind of pipe organ Trinity Anglican has? Probably a Casavant-Freres from St. Hyacinth, but maybe one imported from Britain?
Dave K.- Will find out for you today.
Hello Dave- I do not think they have one. They do have a Quatrefoil Steeple window! It is a very small parish.
I talked with Rev. Robert Clifford by phone and he informed me that they had a very ancient pump organ that he thinks had pipes but it was removed years ago.