Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Thanks Bob as I was wondering the same thing? She came out and went up to Detroit and sat there for a few days and then she came back into Toledo and loaded for Green Bay. So, my guess is that the load she took from CSX in Toledo to Green Bay would have been her first trip and load for 2014? I don't know though why she would have went up to Detroit possibly for fuel and then to wait for CG assistance maybe back into Toledo I suppose is the case? Anyway, thanks again for your help and keep up the good work with your photos down there and keep them coming here as well.

Sorry, don't know anything about the buffalo. I don't think it loaded when she came out??

Thanks Bob as that indeed helps out quite a bit. Another question I have is regarding the Buffalo. Do you know if she loaded at the CSX Coal Loader this week? She was on the schedule once and I don't know if she ever loaded or not? Now I see she was due to load on Friday yet as I saw on AIS today she was heading East on Lake Erie toward Cleveland I think? So, I don't know what she did after leaving Toledo a couple of days ago? If you have anything on the Buffalo I would appreciate any information. It is for records that I keep to myself. Again, thanks for any information you have.

Denny,

American Integrity was loading and finished on 4/3. He might have come in 4/2.

American Century was loading on 4/13. I think he came in on 4/11 (Friday) and they didn't load him because they were still doing repairs.

Hope this helps?

Bob Vincent

I have a few questions to ask for both Bob Vincent and also for Jim Hoffman as well. First, do any of you know when American Century shifted over from lay-up to the CSX Coal Loader? I think it was either April 9 or 10 but, not sure of the exact date and did the American Integrity shift over on April 2 to start loading coal at the CSX? I think the Buffalo was due to load today as well at CSX and I suppose she would have shifted from lay-up today to load as well. Thanks in advance for any information and help.

BV & JH, you answered all my questions for port side loading at CSX. Thank You. I started this post because I found only @6 pictures for port side CSX loading in these boatnerd galleries and some of the ships like Sylvania and Maumee are no longer with us. Are your pictures unusual? Absolutely. The two of you have left a 50+ year legacy, memories, and history of the old & new. I miss JH’s port reports. My best wishes to both of you.

All my pictures are a bit unusual?

All footers pull under CSX ship loader.

I would say the Captain makes all the decisions about which side to load on.

Turn Basin: I don't think the Captains have any problem turning in the turn basin in front of #4 machine.

I watched the American Integrity back out into the shipping channel and he didn't look like they had any problems. Yes, the boat kick up some muddy water at both end of the boat.

I'm sure on windy days, the Captain checks with the Coast Guard station before leaving or entering Toledo Shipping channel for the water level.

We don't fill up the footers, to tall and wide under the shuttle car. The American Century (April 12)was listed at 382 car to load, that any where between (100 ton per car=38,200) to (115 tons per car=43,930). There is a mark on the south leg of the ship loader telling the mate how high the boat can get before the shuttle car man cannot get the loader out of the hatch. A while back before retiring, the Walter J. McCarthy mate, put that mark on the leg.

Hope this answers some of your question.

The CSX Coal Docks have loaded 1000 footers for quite a few years now without any problem. A few years back the Interlake footers were regular visitors to the CSX Docks to load coal.

Latest report from the CSX Tape was that the AC was due to depart lay-up this evening and make short repair work and then begin the loading process tomorrow morning sometime. So you might not be able to see too much tonight but, definitely look out and watch to see how they do it then for tomorrow once she does start to load.

Thank you Denny & garbear. Toledo is not a port of call during the shipping season for coal loading at CSX for the footers. The AI & AC are loading coal after being in Toledo for winter lay-up. I am thinking a less than a full load is best for leaving winter lay-up than no load at all. Can the Toledo CSX coal loader fill a 100+ foot beam on either side of the ship? Another poster is needed for the answer. My questions for that turning basin at Toledo CSX are because the shipping channel is the most dredged, most expensive, and shallowest of any port on the Great Lakes. It can be difficult for pleasure craft, much less a laker, and lives have been lost.

American Century is due to load a cargo at the CSX Coal Dock in the morning on April 9 last I heard from the CSX Tape Recording.

Is there the possibility with the 105 foot beam they loaded on the port side and then backed in to load on the starboard side? Can the coal loader reach the all the way across the 105 feet?

I found Bob Vincent’s 4/4 photo gallery picture of the American Integrity at the Toledo coal loader a bit unusual. The AI was docked and loading on her port side. We normally see pictures of the ships being loaded at Toledo CSX on the starboard side after changing directions in the turning basin. Who makes the decision on which side of a ship is docked and loaded? Another question is how hard is it to maneuver in the CSX turning basin loaded? The water occasionally blows out of the bay into the lake. Do the ships ever bottom out in the Maumee Bay shallows and shoaling? TIA