Boatnerd Discussion Forum

[quote="kazoonerd"]Is the Badger going back to carrying rail cars? Why else would there be a conversion? Wouldn't adding 18 inches to the car deck involve a lot of systems that didn't exist back when the Ann Arbor boat was altered?[/quote]

The alteration was already made, decades ago. She won't be carrying rail cars again.

Is the Badger going back to carrying rail cars? Why else would there be a conversion? Wouldn't adding 18 inches to the car deck involve a lot of systems that didn't exist back when the Ann Arbor boat was altered?

[quote="Leo"]Is there any point in making that investment? I thought the EPA was out to basically kill the remaining steamers on the Great Lakes over the next few years?[/quote]

I was doing some research on the EPA regulations. When the EPA makes new requirements for vessels they also have to work with the UN IMO to make international vessels compliant. The Annex VI (to the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships) comes into effect in 2015 but it currently is for steamships operatating outside the Great Lakes.

As far as the Great Lakes is concerned this is right from the EPA website...." EPA plans to further evaluate the economic impacts of the final rule on Great Lakes carriers in a study to be completed by summer 2010. We will be soliciting input from stakeholders as we prepare that report."

Here is the link if you want to read more http://www.epa.gov/OMS/regs/nonroad/marine/ci/420f09068.htm#4

Is there any point in making that investment? I thought the EPA was out to basically kill the remaining steamers on the Great Lakes over the next few years?

The grant was denied for the conversion to diesels, so the Badger will continue to burn coal and will have to have a ash retention system designed and installed within 2 years.

Is there any new news about the SS Badger's conversion away from coal?

Here are two photos of the Ann Arbor No. 7 being raised 42 inches.

[url]http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/historic/perspectives/Viking/17AA7intoViking1964-bk.jpg[/url]

[url]http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/historic/perspectives/Viking/16AA7atSuperior1964-bk.jpg[/url]

In a nutshell.
Cut everything at around the car deck level, jack it up 18", install 18" I-beam all the way around, box it in , and hook everything back up.

I recently read that the overhead clearance of the car deck had been increased by 18" to accomodate high cube rail cars. How was this accomplished?