Lake Michigan has a surface area of 22,400 square miles. This large body of water has always posed a challenge to railroads, which were forced to go around it. In the early days of rail transportation, freight was unloaded from railcars onto boats, shipped across the lake, then loaded back into rail cars. In the late 1800's, railroads constructed larger boats to haul entire railroad cars. These vessels needed to be built strong to haul ever increasing numbers of freight cars and to provide all weather service, including smashing through ice during winter. In addition, car ferries provided passenger service across the lake, and in later years carried automobiles as well.
In 1952-1953, the C&O Railroad commissioned the SS Badger and its sister SS Spartan, the last additions to the Lake Michigan car ferry fleet and the largest ever built, to be constructed by the Christy Company of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. They were designed to carry rail cars, automobiles, and provide first class passenger accommodations, including staterooms, dining facilities, and recreation.
C&O exited the car ferry business in 1983, selling its last three ferries to the Michigan-Wisconsin Transportation Company. That company struggled along until November 1990, when the SS Badger made its final trip.
The next year, entrepreneur Charles Conrad reinvented the S.S. Badger to carry passengers and their vehicles. It returned to service in May 1992, between Ludington Michigan and Manitowoc Wisconsin. The Spartan is tied up in Ludington and occasionally provides replacement parts for the Badger.
The Badger is the last coal burning steamship in the United States and is one of the last vessels in service on the Great Lakes to be powered by Skinner Unaflow engines, a unique propulsion system that has been designated as a national mechanical engineering landmark.
Today the Badger offers a fun and relaxing transportation option. She completes the 60 mile trip across Lake Michigan in about four hours. This saves about three and a half hours compared to driving 411 miles between Manitowoc and Ludington via Chicago. While onboard, travelers can take advantage of entertainment, food, or even staterooms equipped with sleeping berths.
Its a fun and relaxing voyage on the SS Badger!
Our DVD, "A Boatload of Steam!" features three stories about steam locomotives as well as the 26 minute feature about the SS Badger. The entire DVD is 101 minutes, conveniently organized by chapters. To see a preview of the DVD on YouTube, search for "A Boatload of Steam!"
Visit http://www.yardgoatimages.com to see our other DVDs and previews.
For more information or to buy our DVD "A Boatload of Steam!" click here - http://yardgoatimages.com/store-2#ecwid:category=360233&mode=product&...
Visit TheYardGoat Channel! http://www.youtube.com/user/TheYardGoat?feature=mhee
Read my Blog about the SS Badger - http://yardgoatimages.com/really-really-big-steam
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Engine Room & Bridge of the S.S. Badger Car Ferry + Authentic Wisconsin Yodelingby uwtitanfan3,246 views
ludington is only spelled with 1 d not 2
34paytonfan4eva 7 months ago