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New Staten Island Ferryboat to enter service/Ferry history
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2022 4:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This rare photo is a "companion" shot to the 1940's photo seen in the previous link, obviously snapped on the same day as the previous photo.

Again, this train (hauled by a B&O "Camelback") might have been a WW2 troop train, heading for the piers (note the ancient truss-rod coaches in the consist)

The ME-1 electric MU's replaced SIRT steam in 1925.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?115368

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2022 4:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This interesting photo show that construction is underway for the new St. George terminal, that would replace the original terminal, which was destroyed by a massive blaze in 1946.

Two of the familiar 69th St. boats can be seen in the slips; these platforms and the old interlocking tower would later be replaced as the construction for the new terminal (which opened in 1951) advanced.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?21937

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2022 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Look to the extreme left for a glimpse of the modern SIRT interlocking tower, which replaced the original seen in the previous photo (this nostalgic scene dates back to 1964).......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?43699

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2022 10:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Today, in 2022, it has now been 21 years that the SI Ferry stopped carrying vehicles( vehicles stopped being carried in the fallout of the 9/11 attacks)

Today, all vessels in the SI fleet are passenger-only boats; the very last of the older boats (which had been designed to carry vehicles in three gangways on the main deck) was the recently-retired "JOHN F. KENNEDY", one of the first diesels on the SI run in 1965 (these sleek and powerful new boats replaced the classic, twin-stacked "DONGAN HILLS"-class steamers)

Interestingly, in the 1960's, there had been talk of converting the "MISS NEW YORK"-class boats to all-passenger configuration, replacing the vehicular gangways on the main deck with passenger cabins....

"NYO"

["DEPARTMENT OF MARINE & AVIATION"]
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2022 2:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interestingly, in New York, virtually all ferries carried both vehicles and foot passengers, where, in San Francisco, there were separate fleets of ferries for passengers and vehicles.

When "ELECTRIC FERRIES" started running in the 1920's, these boats carried vehicles only; however, not long afterwards, these boats were being rebuilt with upper deck passenger cabins.

Recall, also, the old 69th St. boats; the entire main deck of these boats was entirely given over to vehicles; passengers were carried in the upper deck cabins........

"NYO"

["ELECTRIC FERRIES"]
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2022 2:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's a very interesting page (check out the section on the auto ferries)......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferries_of_San_Francisco_Bay
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 15, 2022 1:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

While on the subject of high-capacity vehicular ferries, this page on the huge boats that crossed the Chesapeake Bay until 1964, is an excellent source of historical information, for those who are interested in this long-defunct operation (detailed histories and speqs on each boat are here as well)......

https://www.esva.net/~rwest/ferries.html
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 17, 2022 12:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nowadays, sleek, modern, high-capacity ferries shuttle between Cape May and Lewes, carrying on in the tradition of the Chesapeake Bay ferries of long ago.......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_May-Lewes_Ferry
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 11:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Of related interest......

Just received my copy of "THE STATEN ISLAND FERRY" (from the "IMAGES OF AMERICA" series)

Photo-wise, the book is an OUTSTANDING collection of historic SI Ferry photos, some dating back to the 1860's; many photos in this book I had not seen previously.

Many rare interior photos of the "FIVE BOROUGHS" and "DONGAN HILLS" boats; also, many rare interior views of the original St. George and Whitehall St. terminals.

I was a bit disappointed that there were no photos at all of the 69th St. boats (except one showing the rudder of the "HAMILTON" undergoing repair in drydock)

Sadly, like most books in the "IMAGE" series, especially those dealing with transportation, there are many, many glaring errors in the photo captions, which will be easily caught by the knowledgeable SI Ferry historian.

One photo, in particular, is MOST impressive and dramatic; it shows one of the newest SI boats passing by a cruise ship; now, we all know that SI ferries are BIG, but, next to the cruise ship, it looked like a bathtub toy! Shocked Shocked

So many photos brought back a boatload of wonderful old memories to Your's Truly, happy memories of the days when Mom and I took so many day trips to Staten Island, back in the halcyon days when I began to be on a "first name" basis with the boats themselves! Wink

Photo-wise, I indeed recommend this great little book to anyone interested in the history of the Ferry, as well as its boats....... Wink

"NYO"

["DEPARTMENT OF MARINE & AVIATION"]
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 1:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Historical trivia note.....

The now-retired "KENNEDY"-class diesels of 1965 were not only the last vehicular ferries built for the Staten Island run, but, also, they were the last built with "traditional" propellers.

Since the introduction of the "BARBERI"-class boats in the early 1980's, all new vessels have been of the passenger-only configuration.

Interestingly enough, as I had noted earlier, back in the 1960's, there had been talk of converting the boats of the "MISS NEW YORK"-class to all-passenger mode, by converting the vehicle gangways into passenger cabins.'

Had this conversion taken place, it would have (from what I've read) taken place after the new "KENNEDY" diesels had been delivered, and, perhaps, also extended their service years........

"NYO"

["DEPARTMENT OF PLANT & STRUCTURES"]
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 11:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is also interesting to note that the "DONGAN HILLS"-class boats were not only the last of the "two stackers", but, also, the last ferries on the SI run to have wooden superstructures.

I know the M&A found the costs maintaining the extensive (and elaborate) woodwork on these graceful old boats quite excessive, another reason why the City was eager to retire them with the delivery of the "KENNEDY" diesels in 1965.

Interesting to note, too, that the "MISS NEW YORK" boats actually had TWO stacks, but these were housed in a low funnel, in keeping with the overall streamlining of these now-departed ferryboats.....

"NYO"

["DEPARTMENT OF DOCKS"]
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 12:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In speaking of the long-gone days of vehicular ferries in the harbor, it is worth mentioning the "MAYOR GAYNOR".

She was built in 1914, as a relief boat for the Staten Island and 39th St. ferries.

She was not at all popular with her skippers; unlike the other SI boats, she had a triple-expansion engine, which did not respond as quickly during docking as did the boats with double-compound engines.

She also could barely maintain the hour-long round trip schedule that was strictly adhered to.

About 1930, the City ceased to use her as a "regular" boat, and removed her main deck passenger cabins to further increase her vehicular capacity.

This rebuilding also cut back her upper deck; this meant she could no longer load from the upper-deck gangplanks at Whitehall St. and St. George.

She was retired in 1950, and later scrapped......

"NYO"

["MUNICIPAL FERRY-CITY OF NEW YORK"]
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The last two major operations of double-ended ferryboats in the US today can be found in only two locations; New York Harbor (Staten Island Ferry), and Puget Sound (Seattle)

High-capacity vehicular ferries, such as the huge vessels that operate out of Port Jefferson and Cape May are single-ended.

San Francisco Bay, prior to the opening of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, was crisscrossed by a network of double-ended boats; the SP, by far, had the most boats in service (it was, in fact, for many years, the world's largest ferry fleet); there were also the boats that connected with the electric trains of the KEY SYSTEM and the NWP.

The very last double-ended ferries in San Francisco operated in 1958, between the Ferry Building and Oakland Pier; today, there are many modern single-ended, passenger-only ferries on the Bay.

The few remaining double-ended ferryboats on the Bay are no longer operable, and serve only as historic reminders of the glory days of the ferries on San Francisco Bay.

At least, the SI Ferry, though it no longer carries vehicles, still carries on the time-honored tradition of using double-ended boats, a tradition that started prior to the Civil War.........

"NYO"

["SOUTHERN PACIFIC-GOLDEN GATE FERRIES"]
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 12:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Former civilian ferries in military service......

This is an aspect of ferryboat history that is today obscure, except to the most dedicated ferryboat historians.

During the Civil War, several Staten Island ferryboats were "drafted" into service, being converted into gunboats and ironclads.

Several Hudson River railroad ferries also served in miltary service during the Civil War.

On San Francisco Bay, after the abandonment of electric commuter trains to SP's Oakland Pier, and the re-routing of KEY SYSTEM trains from the Key ferry pier in 1939, several boats ended up in Army service during WW2.

These displaced boats, during the War, carried thousands of troops between the Army staging area at Camp Stoneman and Army piers in San Francisco.

One of the KEY boats, the turbo-electric 'YERBA BUENA", originally served the US NAVY, but was later transferred to the Army.

The "SAN LEANDRO" had been leased to the Army, and, after the War, was sold to the SP, for service between the Ferry Building and Oakland Pier.

She also had the distinction of making the final crossing between Oakland and San Francisco in 1958.

Back in NY Harbor, during WW2 (and even for sometime afterwards), there were many special trips using SI boats between Brooklyn and St. George, connecting with troop ships.....

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:31 am; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

While on the subject of military ferries, check out this interesting story (w/photos) on the Chinese navy using commercial car ferries to launch amphibious landing craft.......

https://news.usni.org/2021/07/26/chinese-navy-using-commercial-car-ferries-to-launch-amphibious-landing-craft
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