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The "Little Ferries" of NY Harbor/Sunrise Ferries
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 14, 2020 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"ELECTRIC FERRIES", which began service in New York Harbor in the 1920's, operated diesel-electric boats that operated primarily as vehicular carriers.

One of the busiest of these was the "UNDERCLIFF FERRY", which ran from W. 23rd St., Manhattan to Baldwin Avenue in Weehawken.

This line began operating in 1926.

The boats used one of the slips of the "UNION FERRY" terminal at W. 23rd.

This ferry was quite popular with motorists in the days when the Lincoln Tunnel (1937) was still only a one-tube crossing.

Though the crossing was popular with motorists, in 1943, "ELECTRIC FERRIES" closed down this line, as they deemed that it would be more profitable to use these boats on their busy 125th line, to help replace the last of the old PSNJ steamers (PSNJ operated this ferry for many years, beginning as the 130th St. Ferry)

In the 1970's, remains of the old Weehawken slip were still visible (I took a photo back around 1977)

The last of these original "ELECTRIC FERRIES" ran on non-public East River crossings until the 1960's; these two boats, the "SEAWELLS POINT" and the "JAMESTOWN" were sold to the Witte Marine Scrapyard on Staten Island, where they sat rusting and derelict for decades.

I was able to get a few (distant) photos of these boats back in 1981; more recent photos showed one of these boats as nothing more than a rusting skeleton, collapsing into the brackish water of the Staten Island mudflats.

These boats were the "ancestors", if you will, of the once-familiar boats that served the Brooklyn 69th St. ferry until late 1964.........

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 14, 2020 9:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"FISH"-ing for commuters.......

When the 9/11 terror attacks destroyed the WTC and PATH terminal (along with flooding the downtown PATH tubes) the Waterway ferries found themselves overtaxed with the tremendous number of stranded PATH commuters, who no longer could travel directly downtown across the Hudson.

As I was still working in Lower Manhattan at the time, I well recall services operating out of South Street, and, later, a floating makeshift "terminal" at the Battery (Hoboken was my destination)

How well I can remember these small boats being loaded what was, clearly, a higher number of passengers than they were licensed to carry (THIS is an UNDERSTATEMENT!)

As I was, at the time, still wary about traveling underground (STRANGE words from a lifelong subway buff!) I availed myself to the ferries....that is, until a massive ice buildup shut down all ferry services (winter, 2002), and forcing me to take a PATH train to 33rd St., where I then walked a block to grab a 7th Avenue IRT train to reach downtown (Wall Street)

After that, for the remainder of that winter, and well into the spring, I continued to use the PABT and the subways for my commute.

When summer arrived, I decided to travel by ferry again (from Hoboken) and was now surprised to see chartered "fishing/party" boats loading passengers at Hoboken.

Though I cannot recall the names of these boats today (I had jotted down the names of these boats at the time, but since lost the list I complied)I still remember how odd it was to travel to work aboard such vessels (on gloomy days, I often stood alone at the bow, singing old Irish sea chanties!)

These boats had made the long trek up to New York from distant points in the Shore area, so as it to help with the "crunch" loads at rush hours at Hoboken.

Though it was interesting to ride across the Hudson aboard such a vessel, it was clear they were NOT designed to carry large numbers of commuters!! Shocked Shocked

I rode these boats a number of times until the cold weather returned and I went back to the PABT/subway route.

It WAS interesting, to say the least, but I DO know I was not the only one who was wishing that the old, commodius, crowd-swallowing double-enders were still on hand......

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 14, 2020 10:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Smallest of the railroad-operated ferries on the Hudson were the DL&W's "BUFFALO" and the "HOBOKEN".

These two boats had the distinction of being the only single-deck railroad ferries on the Hudson for many years.

Both were built in 1922, by the John W. Sullivan Company of Elizebethport, NJ.

They could carry up to 24 vehicles and nearly 600 passengers.

Both boats also had the distinction of being the very last ferryboats built for the DL&W.

The ferries provided all service on the 14th St. (Hoboken) W. 23rd St. route until the line was closed in 1942, due to the wartime expansion of the nearby shipyards.

The "HOBOKEN" and the "BUFFALO" were then transferred to the Christopher St. line, replacing older boats.

Their relief boat was the elderly "BERGEN" (built in 1888); this boat was originally a single-deck vessel, but had upper deck cabins installed in 1892.

Further modifications were done during 1906, to allow for upper deck loading, at Hoboken, Barclay St., and W. 23rd St.

The "BERGEN" was retired and sold for scrap sometime around 1953.

In March, 1955, the DL&W closed down the Christopher St. line, and both the "HOBOKEN" and the "BUFFALO" were retired, and later sold for scrap........

"NYO"
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traildriver




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PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
traildriver wrote:
The Governor’s Island ferry carries (official) vehicles. The Long Island/Connecticut ferries carry vehicles, (except for a high speed catamaran for casino gamblers, the Shelter Island boats carry vehicle’s, as does the govt only Plum Island.
Of the Staten Island boats, I believe the only one still capable, is the John F. Kennedy, but not for the public, since 9-11.


traildriver:

Yes, you are correct on the "KENNEDY"; she is the very last of her class, as well as being the only ferry left capable of carrying vehicles.

She has now been in service for 55 years (Mom and I rode her not long after she entered service in 1965; I still have the postcard of her that Mom bought me at the newsstand at Whitehall Street!)

The "Kennedy" now has the longest house record of any SI boat' previously, the sidewheeler "NORTHFIELD" held the record for longevity in the fleet, after serving for 38 years before colliding off Whitehall St. with the Jersey Central ferry "MAUCH CHUNK", in 1901.........

"NYO"


NYO—
I rode the vehicle deck of the Kennedy, a couple of years ago, with my bike.
Sure brought a smile to my face, when I heard the familiar “chant”, of her 2-stroke, EMD 645 locomotive engines spooling up upon departure.

I guess you can compare her longevity with the R-32 subway cars that entered service in 1964, and are still operating...😎
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver:

I have an old cassette recording (remember those??) that I made aboard the "KENNEDY" in the late 70's; highlights, of course, are where the powerful, familiar screaming of those powerful engines! Very Happy

The distinct sounds of her engines always reminded me of the old E-L "LACKAWANNA"; built in 1891 as the DL&W's "HAMBURG" (renamed "CHATHAM" during WW1)

In 1949, she was dieselized and renamed "LACKAWANNA", her tall stack replaced with a squat one, similar to those on the CNJ boats

Her old steam engines were replaced with an air-cooled 1400 horsepower, 16 cylinder GM diesel-electric engine;the engine produced a high-pitched whining noise that soon earned the ferry 'Whining Willie" from bot commuters and crew.

Her old boilers were retained, and used as fuel tanks (these tanks had a three-week capacity)

None of the other railroads ever operated diesel ferries on the Hudson, with the exception of the former Brooklyn 69th St. boats ("THE TIDES" and "THE NARROWS") which operated on charter to the CNJ between Jersey City and Liberty St., from 1965 to April of 1967)

Through 1967, the E-L retired all but two boats, the "LACKAWANNA" and the steam-powered "ELMIRA".

Though the"LACKAWANNA" made the last "official" crossing from Barclay Street that November, the last actual crossing was made by the "ELMIRA".

Through the mid-70's, the "ELMIRA" could be seen moored at Perth Amboy (this view was from the Tottenville station); she was to be sold for use as a restaurant (like her sister "BINGHAMTON") but she capsized while moored at Perth Amboy, and was later towed to WITTE's for scrapping.

The "LACKAWANNA", however, sat virtually intact (albeit more and more derelict) for the next few decades at WITTE's, before finally vanishing altogether.

Like the "KENNEDY", the rising and falling of the powerful "whining" of the "LACKAWANNA's" engines as she approached the slips at Hoboken or Barclay St. was quite haunting, forever etched in my memories........

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Coast Guard's Governor's Island ferry once had the distinction of operating the only ferry in the harbor that originally ran on the West Coast.

This unusual open-deck ferry (featuring raised pilothouses in the center of the main deck, flanked by vehicular lanes) originally ran in San Diego, and later trekked northward to the Washington State Ferries.

The "KULSHAN", arriving in 1969, went to work assisting other boats on the Mukilteo-Clinton route; from the beginning, this boat was not popular with passengers, as she had no passenger cabins.

In 1982, the "KULSHAN" was sold to the Coast Guard, and sailed through the Panama Canal and up the Atlantic seaboard to New York, where she operated between the old Battery Maritime Building (South Ferry) and Governor's Island.

Sometime during the 1990's, she was again sold, where she ran during the summers at Martha's Vineyard.

The "KULSHAN" was built in 1954.................

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2020 1:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There was only other ferryboat to operate in New York harbor that was at all similar to the aforementioned "KULSHAN"; this was the the streamlined "JOHN J. WALSH", which began service in 1938 on the Alpine-Yonkers line (this was the "Yonkers Ferry Company")

In later years, this company became the "WESTCHESTER FERRY COMPANY"

This crossing began in 1923, using two ex-DL&W sidewheelers; the ultra-modern "WALSH", with her open decks, was built with high vehicular capacity in mind.

Her hull, interestingly, was specially designed for icebreaking.

After the 125th St. Ferry closed down in late 1950, the WFC obtained the "WEEHAWK", one of the original 1920's "Electric Ferries".

Traffic dropped dramatically after the Tappan Zee Bridge opened in 1955; the last boat ran between Alpine and Yonkers in December, 1956.

Both the "WALSH" and the "WEEHAWK" were sold to the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Committee for service between Roosevelttown, NY, and Cornwall Island, Ontario.....

"NYO"
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2020 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Passengers Only" on the Staten Island Ferry.......

Many long years ago, one of the "MERRELL" class steamboats, the sleek "PVT. JOSEPH F. MERRELL" , had folding wooden benches installed along the vehicular gangways.

During rush hours, vehicles would be banned from this boat, and the benches swung down into position; only foot passengers were allowed to board.

This allowed the "MERRELL" to carry an additional 1300 passengers to be carried.

During the winter months, heavy steel doors were dropped to give protection against the elements.

A pair of wooden swing doors were built into the partition to allow for the access to the lower deck by passengers.

These doors eventually were battered by high-clearance rigs, so this unique practice was eventually abandonded.

It did, however, hark to the future, when the SI boats would be of all-passenger design, starting with the BARBERI class boats........

"NYO"
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2020 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

While on the subject of passenger only-Staten Island boats......

The Department of Marine & Aviation, upon delivery of the new "KENNEDY"-class diesels in 1965 (the first diesels in the SI fleet), were discussing plans to convert the three boats of the "MISS NEW YORK" class (built 1937-1938) to all-passenger configuration, by replacing their vehicular gangways with new passenger cabins.

This, of course, never happened.

On the E-L and CNJ ferries, through the 1960's, the heaviest rush-hour sailings (Hoboken-Barclay St., Jersey City-Liberty St.) banned vehicles (except for US MAIL and REA trucks) to allow greater passenger capacity...........

"NYO"
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The very last of the "traditional" two-stack Staten Island boats were the handsome vessels in the "DONGAN HILLS" class.

Built between 1929 and 1931, they were of the same general pattern (aside from the spacing of stacks) as the "FIVE BOROUGHS" class of 1905.

These were also the last boats built for the Ferry to have wooden superstructures.

All were retired in 1965, when the new "KENNEDY" diesels arrived.

None of these historic vessels survives today. Sad

The Staten Island Ferry is as much an institution to New York as the cable cars are to San Francisco, and yet, to date, not ONE of the older boats survives today (let's hope that the fates are kinder to the "KENNEDY" when she retires!)

The "MISS NEW YORK", for a time, was docked at Bridgeport, serving as a floating resturant.

Years later, after the restaurant closed, she was towed down to Edgewater, NJ,, and was moored at the old FORD plant for some time; it had been thought that she would again open as a restaurant, adjacent to the old "BINGHAMTON" (now also gone)

The grand old Staten Island boat suffered severe hull damage due to heavy ice while moored at Edgewater, and partially sank (it was a SAD sight, believe me; I had many happy childhood memories of boats of that class)

Regarding double-stack Staten Island boats, the "MISS NEW YORK" class actually had two short stacks, but these were housed inside a single funnel; this was to enhance the modern, streamlined appearance of the boats.

Of course, she was eventually towed away and scrapped. Sad

I am VERY lucky indeed to have a large metal "Engine Room Bell" sign from the "VERRAZZANO"......to say I highly treasure this piece is indeed an understatement! Wink

"NYO"
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traildriver




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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
traildriver:

I have an old cassette recording (remember those??) that I made aboard the "KENNEDY" in the late 70's; highlights, of course, are where the powerful, familiar screaming of those powerful engines! Very Happy

The distinct sounds of her engines always reminded me of the old E-L "LACKAWANNA"; built in 1891 as the DL&W's "HAMBURG" (renamed "CHATHAM" during WW1)

In 1949, she was dieselized and renamed "LACKAWANNA", her tall stack replaced with a squat one, similar to those on the CNJ boats

Her old steam engines were replaced with an air-cooled 1400 horsepower, 16 cylinder GM diesel-electric engine;


NYO—-
Are you sure about it being “air-cooled”?
I’ve never heard of a diesel being air-cooled... Confused
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 12:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver:

Hope the following is of help:

The information (regarding the "LACKAWANNA'S" air-cooled diesels) I procured from "THE BOATS WE RODE" (Franklin B. Roberts/John Gillespie, 1974)

Further information on the "LACKAWANNA" (from RAILROAD FERRIES OF THE HUDSON" (Raymond J. Baxter/Arthur J. Adams, 1999)......

"......there were several areas in which the conversion from to steam to diesel was shortcut....."

".......the old boilers were not removed, but, rather, were stripped and welded closed so as to be used as fuel tanks......"

".......her old steering gears were stripped of their steam engines, and an electric motor attached......"

"......initially, there were a host of problems with the new electric steering gear; there were many times when pilots did not get that extra bit of rudder that they needed......"

".......by far the biggest headache was that the "LACKAWANNA" now had slightly lower boiler room end. This proved to be a serious issue, in that, when traveling with a heavy rush hour loading of passengers who were surging forward in anticipation of docking, she tended to take water on over the bow, often resulting in commuters with soggy shoes and socks.........."

".....when the old boiler/fuel tanks were filled, the "LACKAWANNA" displaced more water at one end......"

".......had the old boilers been removed and proper fuel tanks installed, they could have placed differently....."

".....she was taken to the DL&W's Brighton Marine Yard, and scuppers were installed under her bow overhangs. This proved to be of little value, so the simplest solution was to turn the ferry......."

"......so, every day, the "LACKAWANNA" was turned twice. Her afternoon crew would turn her on her first trip downtown to Barclay St., so that the high end was facing towards Hoboken. The night crew, in turn, was ordered to turn her again at some point during the night, so that her high end was now facing Manhattan......"

Once the bugs were worked out during 1950, the "LACKAWANNA" ran right up until the end of ferry service to Barclay St., in November, 1967. The only other boat in service at the very end was the steam-powered "ELMIRA"; the other ferries, "BINGHAMTON", "POCONO", and "SCRANTON" had already been removed from service, earlier that year.

The ex-ERIE "MEADVILLE" (renamed "MAPLEWOOD") had been retired earlier, in 1965, as she was more expensive to operate than the DL&W boats.

At the time of her retirement, she was used only during the rush hours.

After 1964, weekend and night service ended on the Barclay St. line, with service now only operating weekdays, from 7AM to 7PM.......

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu Mar 19, 2020 3:27 pm; edited 2 times in total
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traildriver




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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 2:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NYO—
I didn’t see any mention of “air-cooled” in those excerpts...
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 3:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver wrote:
NYO—
I didn’t see any mention of “air-cooled” in those excerpts...


traildriver:

The mention of "air cooled diesel" was ONLY in the book, "THE BOATS WE RODE" (page 86); oddly, it was not mentioned in the other book, "RAILROAD FERRIES OF THE HUDSON".

I thought it odd myself that there was no mention of this in the "RAILROAD FERRIES" book, although there was much detail regarding other aspects of the steam-to-diesel conversion of this ferry........

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 3:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Regarding the "LACKAWANNA" (ex-"CHATHAM", ex-"HAMBURG").....


".........it was rumored that the "CHATHAM would be converted to diesel. Why the "CHATHAM"? The "BERGEN" was 61 years old, and had already been re-boilered three times during her service years. She also had no major superstructure rebuilding........"

".........the "CHATHAM", however, had been totally rebuilt after a fire in 1920, so it was that she was deemed the most realistic choice for diesel conversion......."

"......the conversion was done at the Brighton Marine Yard, jointly owned by the DL&W and the Lehigh Valley......"

"NYO"
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