Lake Michigan rail car ferries

E540895

Lake Michigan rail car ferries were specialized ships that transported railroad freight cars across Lake Michigan, providing a vital shortcut and year-round link between Midwestern rail networks.

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Statements (51)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Great Lakes shipping service
maritime transportation system
rail car ferry service
associatedVesselType diesel-powered rail car ferry
steam-powered rail car ferry
bypassed Chicago rail congestion
rail bottlenecks around the southern end of Lake Michigan
cargoType automobile cars
boxcars
hopper cars
refrigerator cars
tank cars
connectedPorts Benton Harbor, Michigan NERFINISHED
Chicago, Illinois NERFINISHED
Elberta, Michigan NERFINISHED
Frankfort, Michigan NERFINISHED
Holland, Michigan NERFINISHED
Kewaunee, Wisconsin NERFINISHED
Ludington, Michigan NERFINISHED
Manistee, Michigan NERFINISHED
Manitowoc, Wisconsin NERFINISHED
Milwaukee, Wisconsin NERFINISHED
Muskegon, Michigan NERFINISHED
St. Joseph, Michigan NERFINISHED
declinedDueTo changes in freight logistics
highway trucking competition
improved rail routes around Chicago
economicRole facilitating Midwestern industrial freight movement
enabled direct interchange of loaded rail cars between railroads on opposite shores of Lake Michigan
geographicRegion American Midwest NERFINISHED
historicalPeakPeriod early 20th century
operatedOn Lake Michigan NERFINISHED
operatedYearRound true
partOf North American rail-marine intermodal system NERFINISHED
primaryFunction transportation of railroad freight cars across Lake Michigan
provided shortcut between Midwestern rail networks
year-round rail connection across Lake Michigan
reduced transshipment of freight at lake ports
required ice-strengthened hulls for winter operation
powerful steam or diesel engines
safetyConcern stability issues due to concentrated rail car loads
safetyMeasure careful car placement and ballast management
sawConversionTo auto and passenger ferry service on some routes
usedBy Ann Arbor Railroad NERFINISHED
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway NERFINISHED
Grand Trunk Western Railroad NERFINISHED
Milwaukee Road NERFINISHED
Pere Marquette Railway NERFINISHED
Soo Line Railroad NERFINISHED
usedLoadingMethod apron-type transfer bridges
onboard rail tracks aligned with shore tracks

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Ann Arbor Railroad (original) knownFor Lake Michigan rail car ferries