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Heck yeah! Can I say that on this forum...? [Yes, it was edited :-) Boatnerd is a website for all ages, including very young children. So we try to maintain a G (not PG or R) rating.]

Rob wrote: ↑March 9, 2023, 3:43 pm Very cool. I can't get enough of RR carferries. Thanks very much!

I have lots of Railroad Car ferries photos to post on here if there is interest

Very cool. I can't get enough of RR carferries. Thanks very much!

This is a pen-and-ink drawings done by Father Dowling based on a panoramic view of Detroit, showing a likeness of the Transit, a ferry the Great Western built in 1872 the year before the the firm built the smaller Saginaw, and I believe the latter would have looked much similar. I have a very old stereo card of the Transit at Detroit with the J. W. Steinhoff and it looks quite similar except the cabin below the pilothouse is higher. Saginaw was wooden-hulled, single screw. This comes from the late George Hilton's The Great Lakes Car Ferries.

That is certainly one of the most unique conversions I have seen. She must have been a good winter work boat with that rounded bow and wide deck.

Way to go Mr Link !

Thanks very much. Now that I see the photo I realize that I've seen it before. It looks more like a fish tug than anything.

Here is a photo of it towing a schooner barge. I don't think I have ever seen a photo of it as a ferry. Photo from the Peter Worden/MHSD collection.

Todays history page spoke of the Detroit River ferry Saginaw being launched on March 6 and coincidentally burning on March 6(different years). After that she was made into an odd looking wrecking tug. I'm wondering if anyone can direct me to where I might find a picture of her in that configuration. I tried google and of course boatnerd to no avail.