Canadian Corner: Great Lakes Car Ferries Chronology

DETROIT – US 201607
296’x 64’1x 18.1′ – Built: Great Lakes Engineering Works 1904, Hull #2 – 2,220 GRT – Engines: Four fore and aft compound 24”x 48”x 33 – 3600 HP – Each engine drove propellers – 2 forward and 2 aft.
Boilers – Two double ended and two single ended scotch boilers built by Lake Erie Boiler Works. As Built (for NYC) three tracks, 24 cars. Rebuilt for Wabash – Four tracks, 32 cars. Disposition – Scrapped LaSalle, Ontario in the last five years after sitting at Nicholsons in Detroit in ½ sunk condition for about 10 years.

LANSDOWNE – C88629
294’x 41.3’x 13′ – Built: Jenkins Brothers, Walkerville, Ontario 1873, Iron Hull – 1,222 GRT – Engines: 2 x horizontal low pressure 50”x 108”- 1360 HP – Built by E.E. Gilbert & Sons Montreal, Quebec. Capacity – 2 tracks, 16 cars. Disposition – converted to barge to carry containers, then converted to a restaurant beside Cobo Hall in Detroit. Scrapped in Buffalo three years ago. Photos of engine attached prior to the scrapping.

MICHIGAN CENTRAL – US91652
263.3’x 45.6’x 15.3′- Built: Detroit Dry Dock Company 1884 – Iron Hull #65 – Two horizontal condensing engines – two cylinders each 28”x 48”- 1,200 HP – Four fire box boilers – 75 psi – Three tracks, 21 cars. Once the tunnel across the Detroit River was completed the NYC ferries were surplus. Sold to Kelly Island Lime and Transport Co. Resold August 1923 to TL Durocher and reduced to barge. Foundered near Cockburn Island October 27, 1926.

TRANSPORT – US145211
Built: Detroit Dry Dock Company 1880 – Iron Hull #34 – Two horizontal condensing engines – two cylinders each 28”x 48”- 575 HP – Four fire box boilers – 65 psi – Three tracks 21 cars. Sold to Wabash Rwy 1912 – same name in service. Sold to John Rosen Steamship Co., reduced to barge in 1933. Foundered September 22, 1942 near Eagle Harbor, Michigan.

History courtesy of “The Great Lakes Car Ferries” by Hilton.

All photos courtesy of Shorpy.com.


Rock on Trains © 2019, Tom Rock + T.D.R. Productions. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Tom Rock is strictly prohibited.

Canadian Corner: Great Lakes Car Ferries Chronology

canadian-flag-smallDETROIT – US 201607
296’x 64’1x 18.1′ – Built: Great Lakes Engineering Works 1904, Hull #2 – 2,220 GRT – Engines: Four fore and aft compound 24”x 48”x 33 – 3600 HP – Each engine drove propellers – 2 forward and 2 aft.
Boilers – Two double ended and two single ended scotch boilers built by Lake Erie Boiler Works. As Built (for NYC) three tracks, 24 cars. Rebuilt for Wabash – Four tracks, 32 cars. Disposition – Scrapped LaSalle, Ontario in the last five years after sitting at Nicholsons in Detroit in ½ sunk condition for about 10 years.

LANSDOWNE – C88629
294’x 41.3’x 13′ – Built: Jenkins Brothers, Walkerville, Ontario 1873, Iron Hull – 1,222 GRT – Engines: 2 x horizontal low pressure 50”x 108”- 1360 HP – Built by E.E. Gilbert & Sons Montreal, Quebec. Capacity – 2 tracks, 16 cars. Disposition – converted to barge to carry containers, then converted to a restaurant beside Cobo Hall in Detroit. Scrapped in Buffalo three years ago. Photos of engine attached prior to the scrapping.

MICHIGAN CENTRAL – US91652
263.3’x 45.6’x 15.3′- Built: Detroit Dry Dock Company 1884 – Iron Hull #65 – Two horizontal condensing engines – two cylinders each 28”x 48”- 1,200 HP – Four fire box boilers – 75 psi – Three tracks, 21 cars. Once the tunnel across the Detroit River was completed the NYC ferries were surplus. Sold to Kelly Island Lime and Transport Co. Resold August 1923 to TL Durocher and reduced to barge. Foundered near Cockburn Island October 27, 1926.

TRANSPORT – US145211
Built: Detroit Dry Dock Company 1880 – Iron Hull #34 – Two horizontal condensing engines – two cylinders each 28”x 48”- 575 HP – Four fire box boilers – 65 psi – Three tracks 21 cars. Sold to Wabash Rwy 1912 – same name in service. Sold to John Rosen Steamship Co., reduced to barge in 1933. Foundered September 22, 1942 near Eagle Harbor, Michigan.

The information on all Great Lakes Car Ferries is straight from “The Great Lakes Car Ferries” by Hilton.

(Credit: Mr. Chris Wiley – Sarnia, Ontario)

All photos courtesy of www.shorpy.com.


Rock on Trains © 2016, Tom Rock + T.D.R. Productions. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Tom Rock is strictly prohibited.

Canadian Corner: Canadian National Railway Steam Locomotives

Featured subjects on today’s Canadian Corner are Canadian National Railway steam locomotives in Windsor, Ontario. Engines featured include No. 6122 (MLW-1927) next to the massive coaling tower, No. 6237 (MLW-1943) taking water, and streamlined No. 6402 (MLW-1936) posing a classic vignette with the engineer and fireman. The yard photo is at the Windsor roundhouse looking west toward the ferry transfer slips. The Lansdowne and perhaps the Manitowoc or Huron can be seen in the distance. The yard and tracks have been removed and replaced with a parking lot for the Windsor Casino.

CNR No. 6122 - Windsor, Ontario (Credit: Unknown)

CNR No. 6237 - Windsor, Ontario (Credit: Unknown)

CNR No. 6402 - Windsor, Ontario (Credit: Unknown)

CNR Yards - Windsor, Ontario (Credit: Unknown)


Rock on Trains © 2012, Tom Rock + T.D.R. Productions.  All rights reserved.  Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Tom Rock is strictly prohibited.

Canadian Corner: Lansdowne

Today’s feature photos are of the Canadian National Railway‘s rail car ferry,  Lansdowne. These photos taken in 1959 were shot at Windsor, Ontario. The Lansdowne was used to transfer rail cars across the Detroit River from the Canadian National yards in Windsor to the Pere Marquette yards in Detroit, Michigan.  Learn more about the Lansdowne here.

Canadian National Railway: Lansdowne (Credit: Unknown)

Canadian National Railway: Lansdowne (Credit: Unknown)


Rock on Trains © 2011, Tom Rock + T.D.R. Productions.  All rights reserved.  Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Tom Rock is strictly prohibited.