Chief Wawatam

SS Chief Wawatam was a coal-fired train ferry and icebreaker that operated in the Straits of Mackinac in 1911-1984. Her home port was St. Ignace, Michigan, and she shuttled back and forth during her entire working life between that port and Mackinaw City, Michigan. This was filmed on 8mm by my uncle Tim Sweeney in the 1970s. The engine you see here is Soo Line 704, a GP30, built by EMD as #28324, in 1963. The EMD GP30 was a 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) four-axle B-B diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division of La Grange, Illinois between July, 1961 and November, 1963. 948 examples were built for railroads in the United States and Canada (2 only), including 40 cabless B units for the Union Pacific Railroad.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• SS Chief Wawatam
• Car ferries
• train ferries
• mackinac ferries

[strobx1]

Thanks for the video on the "Chief" . The Chief ran for the PRR and the D&M which actually owned it to ferry railroad cars to the Soo Line. Later the Michigan Northern ran "Bridge Traffic" to Mackinaw City & the Chief. The MNRR made its money off the Chief and when the chief was retired because of piston engine problems, the MNRR went out of business. The chief was the last hand fired steam ships on the Lakes and one of the worlds last.

[TheSteelrunner26]

i wish northern michigan still moved trains thanks for the movie

[tedlawrence1]

Great Film! I remember both the Car & Railroad ferries that ran between Mackinaw City & St. Ignace. The first time my family visited there in 1954, they will still using steam engines, to bring the railroad cars up to the ship. Next trip was in 1957, and the steamers were already replaced with diesels, and that made me sad. Thanks.

[cochranexyz]

This is just great!!!!

[michigandon]

Too bad you don't have the actual sound for this footage. Not that I'm complaining, I'm happy that you have these movies and decided to share them! And the music does seem to fit, and it's also from the era this footage was filmed in.

[fambrandon3737]

The tags must also include Soo Line and St. Ignace so that the Soo Line fans will find this video faster in their searches.