Wikipedia shows three operations currently. I'm not sure, but I thought there was also a very large rail/marine operation running between the Mississippi River area (LA/MS?) and somewhere down in Mexico.
Yeah, New York, New Jersey Rail was formerly New York Cross-Harbor Railroad, and originally Bush Terminal Railroad (the one I'm basing my layout on). They're still around, still use the same float bridge in the same spot (their second float bridge sank several years ago and so far hasn't been repaired).
There is still one in Operation between Seattle and I believe Anchorage, Alaska. I would assume that this one will be around a while as the Canadian customs states that once any type of freight enters Canada it CAN NOT leave Canada on the same vessel. This means that if a freight car was loaded with said specified cargo it MUST be unloaded and reloaded into another freight car in Canada somewhere before it can leave for Alaska. This is also true with the trucking industry.
Boy, there's a boondoggle... how many places does the interstate highway cross into Canada between two US cities?
Well Ken a couple years ago I was arranging a trade with another car dealer in Wisconsin and found this information out. The trucking company I was talking to told me it would be hard for me to get it trucked there because all their trucks loaded here and went into Canada. I said to the rep that it did not matter to me what route the car went to get to Wisconsin as it was "their" responsibility and liability once it left my property. He explained to me that the ONLY way it could happen was if the car was dropped in Canada somewhere and left for another truck to pick it up at a later date. When I asked why, he then explained to me that it was the way the Canadian customs laws are written. He explained that once cargo is shipped into Canada it MUST be delivered and/or dropped at a location in Canada. He explained this is the case for ALL cargo regardless of whether it is on a truck or rail.
would they ever put the whole train on? even the locomotive? if I could find a real world example of this.. that would really help me out big time! so.. back to the main thread.. is it correct to say then a car ferry was just a powered car float, yes? it didn't have to have a tug to pull it?
No. Essentially they are just a floating barge with rails on the deck. They are pushed or pulled with a tug boat. They are do NOT have their own power. However, they usually do have some type of cabin (for shelter) on them for the person manning the deck of the barge. At least that is the way the Milwaukee barges were.
Example - Tug is out of view to the left [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica][/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
oh my goodness. that looks like an accident waiting to happen.. the stuff on top... mmm very great photo indeed.
Yes. I have a photo in a book here taken at Rosebery, British Columbia 1982 (so Canadian rather than US) of the Slocan Lake car float with a CP Rail GP9, gondola, reefer and caboose onboard, pushed by a tug. It was a weekly wayfreight - the connection was abandoned at the end of 1988. Looks like the 3 cars are on one track and the Geep on the other, but the Geep is right at the end, not in the middle of the float, and it doesn't look 'down' at that end. There'd be space for a couple more cars on the loco track, and at a pinch they might get 8 vehicles on - 4 per track.
Remembering back many years, it seems to me the Alaska operation was once called the "Alaska Hydro-Train." I'd swear to seeing that on barges. Also, there once was a PSCFL- Puget Sound Car Float Lines.
The funny thing is that at first I thought the Alaska car barge picture above was a joke, photoshopped together. Then I saw other photos and it's really real! Amazing!
Yes. Very real. At various times you can spot stuff off the Alaska RR in Seattle. Power, the cars being upgraded for passenger use, other rolling stock.
