Ann Arbor Car Ferry Wabash/The CIty of Green Bay
The Wabash's raised forecastle gives her a unique profile among car ferries. Her plan (above, Marine
Engineering) shows the Ann Arbor's characteristic cut-away bow, designed to facilitate rising on sheet
ice. Below, she inches out of her slip in Kewaunee, WI, making a right-angle turn into the channel (W. A.
McDonald). Car ferries berth by putting their own deck hands ashore to make fast. Wherever possible,
cleats or dolphins are designed so that the lines come free automatically when the ferry moves out of
the slip.
Built by Toledo Shipbuilding Company in 1927 [From <http://www.answers.com/topic/ann-arbor-railroad-1895-1976>], and launched its shakedown on June 22 the same year. The steamer Wabash was the last vessel built for the Ann Arbor Railroad. It was equipped with a gyro compass, and the only one to be put into service with a name rather than a number. It was possibly named the Wabash because controlling interest in the Ann Arbor Railroad had been obtained by the Wabash Railroad in 1925.
It left the Toledo ship yard on June 25 at 11:45 AM and arrived in Menominee, MI at 8:10 AM on the 27th. However, the rails didn't fit the docking apron and she left the slip at 10:30 AM, arriving at the Soo Slip in Manitowoc, WI at 5:55 PM. The shipyard crew burned the rails to fit and fixed apron pocket so the apron would fit. She left the slip at 12:40 AM June 28, 1927 for Frankfort with a trial load. On June 29, 1927, the Wabash arrived at the East Slip in Frankfort Harbor at 12:30 AM for regular service, and made trip number 3 to Menominee, MI. From <"History of the Ann Arbor Auto and Train Ferries Complete with Pictures" by Arthur C. and Lucy F. Frederickson>
Its transverse bulkheads divided the hull into eight watertight compartments beneath the main decks. Wing tanks, with a capacity of 60 tons each was used for trimming. She had two fresh water tanks, 3000 gallons each, and one sewage tank at 2000 gallons. The cabin deck was designed to hold automobiles, but never used. Stateroom capacity was 40 passengers, deck capacity 360 passengers, and there was steam heat (radiators) and electric lights. The galley had a cold storage room and a one ton ice machine.
From <http://trainweb.org/annarbor/Rosters/ferries/CarFerryWabash.htm>
In 1929 and 1959 the ship sailed into enormous storms which threatened to sink the vessel, but each time it managed to reach port. A house [assuming the aft pilothouse - DNJ] was added to the boat deck on 8/9/1957.
Minimally rebuilt and renamed the City of Green Bay in 1962 (some sources say 1964), as an oil burner (or oil-firing, but still steam-driven), the car deck was raised, and a new single stack added. It was renamed about the time Ann Arbor was acquired by DT&I Railroad.
The City of Green Bay's certification was allowed to expire in 1972, and was stored out of service at a pier in Elberta, MI. She was officially retired on June 13, 1974, and sold to Marine Salvage Limited of Port Colborne, Ontario Canada. Then she was loaded with scrap metal, and towed to Spain to be scrapped itself.
From <http://trainweb.org/annarbor/Rosters/ferries/CarFerryWabash.htm>
From <http://www.greenbayroute.com/carferries.htm>
From <https://www.cmich.edu/library/clarke/ResearchResources/Michigan_Material_Local/Ann_Arbor_Railroad/Pages/Rail-to-Water.aspx>
11/6/2014 11:22 PM - Screen Clipping from:
"Ninety Years Crossing Lake Michigan: The History of the Ann Arbor Car Ferries," By Grant Brown, page 130.
From <http://books.google.com/books?id=Y71Tur45RNEC&pg=PA130&lpg=PA130&dq=history+of+ann+arbor+car+ferry+wabash&source=bl&ots=0LsjO2eM6L&sig=c8HMmNJxxIT97pQz5-PiwnMelPw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=J0dcVPiCEYugyQT8zYCwCA&ved=0CDQQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=history%20of%20ann%20arbor%20car%20ferry%20wabash&f=false>
Ann Arbor Car Ferry The City of Milwaukee
Built by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, she was originally owned by the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Railroad Company. It was launched November 25, 1930, and began service in 1931. Gross tonnage is 2942. She was 354' long, with a 56' beam width, had two triple-expansion steam engines, and had capacity for 30-32 rail cars.
From <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_City_of_Milwaukee>
As the Montreal based Grand Trunk's flagship, the City of Milwaukee (which took the place of Grand Trunk's sunk SS Milwaukee), newly painted in Canadian National Railway colors, steams out of Milwaukee and sets her course for Muskegon below. Photographed in the 1950's (Edward J. Dowling, S.J.), she's barely changed from her plan of 1931 (see illustration above, Marine Engineering).
Sailing under Grand Trunk Colors.
The City of Milwaukee served the Grand Trunk Railroad until 1978, when Grand Trunk discontinued its Lake Michigan ferry service. The DT&I Railroad (sometimes mistakenly referred to as the Ann Arbor Railroad at this time) immediately leased, or chartered, the boat as a replacement for the laid-up Arthur K. Atkinson, and immediately put the Milwaukee into service. However, it experienced a series of mechanical problems, including losing power mid-lake and having to be towed to port. In 1980, when the Atkinson was put back in service, the Milwaukee was laid up. It is the last unmodified, traditional railroad car ferry afloat upon the lakes (i.e., it remained a coal burning steamer), and retained its original woodwork and brass fixtures.
. Today the ship is owned by the Society for the Preservation of the SS City of Milwaukee, and serves as a museum vessel in Manistee, Michigan (see http://carferry.com/).
From <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_City_of_Milwaukee>
From <https://www.cmich.edu/library/clarke/ResearchResources/Michigan_Material_Local/Ann_Arbor_Railroad/Pages/Rail-to-Water.aspx>
