ASC Footers

[Denny]

Yes I remember that all too well Scott and thanks for that reminder on them. Just wish that I could’ve seen them as the Belle River before she was renamed.

[Scott]

Remember, the original Belle River was named for the run she would be making from the head of the lakes to the Detroit Edison power plants near Detroit.

[Denny]

The St. Clair also had the blue paint as well for many years on the housing of their self unloading boom before it was painted in white. Can’t recall exactly when this ended up taking place? Sometime in the 2000s is the best I can come up with. The McCarthy had their blue painted out in either 2015 or in 2016. She definitely looks different now without that famous blue from all the years she carried it. Now that the McCarthy is mostly into hauling taconite ore pellets instead of coal, I’m very surprised they haven’t so far tried to rename her! The Walter J. McCarthy Jr. was renamed in 1990 to honor the retiring CEO then of Detroit Edison. Mr. McCarthy sadly passed away several years ago. My point to this at least IMO is simple, “Why not rename the McCarthy since she hardly ever carries any coal like she use to?” To me IMO anyway, it would make perfect sense to rename them! Maybe rename it American something or other at least since she carries more ore now. Just my two cents, thoughts and opinions only on this and nothing further than that then!

[Scott]

I recall the Belle River loading coal at SMET in the 1980's. We lived on the hillside with a good view of the harbor. I used to recognize the Belle River by the blue paint on the housing of her unloading boom. Always been a favorite of mine.

[Denny]

Never ever saw her as the Belle River and believe it or not never ever saw the Paul R. Tregurtha when it was once the William J. De Lancey! Saw the Lewis Wilson Foy once in 1990 at the Soo but, back then I didn’t have the best or greatest of 35mm cameras for picture taking then.

[Guest]

Just a correction is all to your post Guest as that’s the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. and not the William J. McCarthy Jr. so not to confuse anyone is all. Hope that this helps out.

Yeah, I meant to write Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. But I always remember her as Belle River, as I saw her and photographed her from a tourboat in August 1979 at the Soo.

[Denny]

Just a correction is all to your post Guest as that’s the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. and not the William J. McCarthy Jr. so not to confuse anyone is all. Hope that this helps out.

[Guest]

The William J.McCarthy, Jr and Indiana Harbor had the larger cabin behind the chart-room added sometime in the early 1980s. Judging by the large windows facing over the stern, they could be guest quarters, much as James R. Barker had the guest quarters addition or extension added to her after cabin in the early 1980s.

As for the Burns Harbor, she was built with a single cabin for every crewmember, hence the reason for the extra deck level.

[Denny]

Burns Harbor was upbound on the St. Clair River yesterday evening, June 26 with their AIS destination reading Silver Bay. They were up at Marine City just after 9 PM last night and was just before dark. Great views of her then on the Live Web Cams at Marine City!

[Guest]

Guest Cabins on the Indy and McCarthy. Burns Hbr. has an extra deck so everyone has their own room before crew reductions.

[Scott]

From zooming in on a few of the photos of the Indianna Harbor and McAarthy it looks to me that these extra spaces are more of a accomadation and not a chart room per se.

[Guest]

Scott in re-reading your post and question about the extra deck thing you had asked on a few of the ASC 1,000 footers, I think I might have an idea of what you’re talking about on your question. Both the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. and the Indiana Harbor do have this extra type of deck thing located behind their pilothouses. I don’t know if this is to your point used for guest quarters or if it’s for offices or what its purpose is? From my knowledge and views, only the McCarthy and Indiana Harbor have this type of design with the extra deck thing you had asked about in your previous post. None of the other ASC BayShip footers have this feature on the them I am aware of. The Edwin H. Gott built at BayShip along with the Edgar B. Speer built at Amship in Lorain both do not have anything special located behind their pilothouses that I’m aware of? Some of the footers do have elevators inside of them. The Gott, Barker, Mesabi Miner, American Spirit and the Paul R. Tregurtha all have elevators in them. Speer may also have an elevator as well. I can assure you though of this that the Oglebay Norton now American Integrity does not have any elevators inside as I’ve been aboard her a few times and know for a fact. It’s all stair climbing inside of them! Hope that my information here helps you out.

The Gott and the Speer do have elevators in them.

[Guest]

Why does Burns Harbor have an extra deck? Is it for guest’s or just bigger rooms on other deck?

[Guest]

Chart room?

[Denny]

Scott in re-reading your post and question about the extra deck thing you had asked on a few of the ASC 1,000 footers, I think I might have an idea of what you’re talking about on your question. Both the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. and the Indiana Harbor do have this extra type of deck thing located behind their pilothouses. I don’t know if this is to your point used for guest quarters or if it’s for offices or what its purpose is? From my knowledge and views, only the McCarthy and Indiana Harbor have this type of design with the extra deck thing you had asked about in your previous post. None of the other ASC BayShip footers have this feature on the them I am aware of. The Edwin H. Gott built at BayShip along with the Edgar B. Speer built at Amship in Lorain both do not have anything special located behind their pilothouses that I’m aware of? Some of the footers do have elevators inside of them. The Gott, Barker, Mesabi Miner, American Spirit and the Paul R. Tregurtha all have elevators in them. Speer may also have an elevator as well. I can assure you though of this that the Oglebay Norton now American Integrity does not have any elevators inside as I’ve been aboard her a few times and know for a fact. It’s all stair climbing inside of them! Hope that my information here helps you out.

[Denny]

Not sure of the details on the BayShip footers however, YES the Burns Harbor I’ve read and heard does have an extra deck compared to the other BayShip footers! I think she also may have one of IF not the tallest accommodation area due to her extra deck area on the aft end accommodation block. I’m sure that someone else with more knowledge on this than I will hopefully help and explain this to you. I’ve been very lucky and fortunate to have been aboard two of the 1,000 footers. The Oglebay Norton now American Integrity and to the Mesabi Miner. They are awesome and enormous and huge! Anyone that makes a bad remark or a comment about them I say this, “Why don’t you then go aboard one and see for yourself what these giants are like!” Until 1997, I’ve never been aboard a freighter and it was my first time aboard the ON now American Integrity. I was in just awe and simply amazed then at its size and still am today. I would love to go aboard more of them if I could and was given an opportunity and chance. Hope my information helps you out.

[Scott]

I believe that this has been mentioned here before, but just asking again. On a few of the ASC thousand footers, there is a extra addition to the pilothouse deck directly behind the pilothouse itself. I noticed this on a recent picture of the M/V Burns Harbor. Is this an extra accommodation area or captains office?

Thanks