Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company
Encyclopedia
The Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company was the Grand Trunk Western Railroad
's subsidiary company operating its Lake Michigan
railroad car ferry operations between Muskegon, Michigan
, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, from 1905 to 1978. Major railroad companies in Michigan
used car ferry vessels to transport rail cars across Lake Michigan from Michigan's western shore to eastern Wisconsin to avoid rail traffic congestion in Chicago
.
. The first ferry was the SS Grand Haven built in 1903 by the Craig Shipbuilding Company of Toledo, Ohio
. The Grand Trunk Car Ferry Line dissolved in 1905 when it defaulted on bonds.
Grand Trunk would form its new subsidiary company, the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company, to take over its Lake Michigan car ferry operations. The new company was incorporated in Milwaukee on November 10, 1905 and would acquire the SS Grand Haven from its receivers. In 1933, Grand Trunk Western decided to move its Michigan docks from Grand Haven to Muskegon, Michigan. The Muskegon Rail & Navigation Co. would build and operate the rail terminal operations in Muskegon. The Grand Haven dock slip would be reserved for auxiliary or emergency use.
In 1903 Grand Trunk Western was the last of the three Michigan railroads to start Lake Michigan ferry operations, the Ann Arbor Railroad and Pere Marquette Railway
began their ferry service prior to 1900. One of GTW's predecessor lines the Detroit Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railway had completed building trackage to Grand Haven in 1858 and started a break-bulk service across Lake Michigan in the 1890s.
The Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Co. would exchange GTW's rail traffic in Milwaukee with the Chicago and North Western Railway
, Milwaukee Road, and Wisconsin Central Railway.
By the 1970s the ferry service became cost prohibitive and Grand Trunk Western applied to the ICC
in 1975 to abandon its car ferry service. Permission was granted three years later and in 1978 Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Co. ended operations.
. In the mid 1920s, the two ships were augmented by chartering ferries from the Pere Marquette and Ann Arbor lines. In 1926, the Grand Rapids was built in Manitowoc, Wisconsin
. The ship was similar to Pere Marquette Railway's car ferries the Pere Marquette No.21 and Pere Marquette No.22 and the Ann Arbor Railroad's Ann Arbor No 7. Another ship, the Madsion was built in Manitowoc in 1927.
On October 22, 1929, the ferry SS Milwaukee sank. Two days later its wreckage was discovered near Racine, Wisconsin
. The United States Coast Guard
near South Haven, Michigan
found the ship's purser’s message canister with a written note. The ship was replaced by a new ferry named City of Milwaukee built in 1931
The ships also had 16 cabins for passenger service. By 1970, the Grand Trunk Western car ferries were no longer carrying passengers, as they could no longer meet Coast Guard safety regulations for passenger ships. (The wood paneling in the staterooms constituted a fire hazard). They also were much slower and not nearly as luxurious as the Chesapeake & Ohio boats (the S.S. Badger, et al) which were sailing from Milwaukee to Ludington, Michigan at the time.
1929), built 1926 at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, built 1927 at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, built 1931 at Manitowoc, Wisconsin; currently docked in Manistee, Michigan
Grand Trunk Western Railroad
The Grand Trunk Western Railroad is an important subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway , constituting the majority of CN's Chicago Division ....
's subsidiary company operating its Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
railroad car ferry operations between Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, from 1905 to 1978. Major railroad companies in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
used car ferry vessels to transport rail cars across Lake Michigan from Michigan's western shore to eastern Wisconsin to avoid rail traffic congestion in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
History
The Canadian owned Grand Trunk's entry into car ferry operations started by signing an operating agreement with the Crosby Transportation Company which established the Grand Trunk Car Ferry Line. The new line began building docking slips in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Grand Haven, MichiganGrand Haven, Michigan
Grand Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. As of the 2010 census, Grand Haven had a population of 10,412. It is part of the...
. The first ferry was the SS Grand Haven built in 1903 by the Craig Shipbuilding Company of Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. The Grand Trunk Car Ferry Line dissolved in 1905 when it defaulted on bonds.
Grand Trunk would form its new subsidiary company, the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company, to take over its Lake Michigan car ferry operations. The new company was incorporated in Milwaukee on November 10, 1905 and would acquire the SS Grand Haven from its receivers. In 1933, Grand Trunk Western decided to move its Michigan docks from Grand Haven to Muskegon, Michigan. The Muskegon Rail & Navigation Co. would build and operate the rail terminal operations in Muskegon. The Grand Haven dock slip would be reserved for auxiliary or emergency use.
In 1903 Grand Trunk Western was the last of the three Michigan railroads to start Lake Michigan ferry operations, the Ann Arbor Railroad and Pere Marquette Railway
Pere Marquette Railway
The Pere Marquette Railway was a railroad that operated in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. The railroad had trackage in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and the Canadian province of Ontario. Its primary connections included Buffalo; Toledo; and Chicago.The company was...
began their ferry service prior to 1900. One of GTW's predecessor lines the Detroit Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railway had completed building trackage to Grand Haven in 1858 and started a break-bulk service across Lake Michigan in the 1890s.
The Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Co. would exchange GTW's rail traffic in Milwaukee with the Chicago and North Western Railway
Chicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
, Milwaukee Road, and Wisconsin Central Railway.
By the 1970s the ferry service became cost prohibitive and Grand Trunk Western applied to the ICC
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
in 1975 to abandon its car ferry service. Permission was granted three years later and in 1978 Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Co. ended operations.
Ships
The original ship, the Grand Haven, was sold, by its receivers, to the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company in 1905. In 1908 the car ferry company bought the ferry Manistique, Marquette & Northern No. 1 and renamed it the SS MilwaukeeSS Milwaukee
The SS Milwaukee was a train ferry that served on Lake Michigan. It was launched in 1902 and sank with all hands off Milwaukee on 22 October 1929. 52 men were lost with the vessel. -On the Milwaukee run: 1908–1929:...
. In the mid 1920s, the two ships were augmented by chartering ferries from the Pere Marquette and Ann Arbor lines. In 1926, the Grand Rapids was built in Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2000 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,053, with over 50,000 residents in the surrounding communities...
. The ship was similar to Pere Marquette Railway's car ferries the Pere Marquette No.21 and Pere Marquette No.22 and the Ann Arbor Railroad's Ann Arbor No 7. Another ship, the Madsion was built in Manitowoc in 1927.
On October 22, 1929, the ferry SS Milwaukee sank. Two days later its wreckage was discovered near Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
. The United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
near South Haven, Michigan
South Haven, Michigan
South Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County. The population was 5,021 at the 2000 census....
found the ship's purser’s message canister with a written note. The ship was replaced by a new ferry named City of Milwaukee built in 1931
The ships also had 16 cabins for passenger service. By 1970, the Grand Trunk Western car ferries were no longer carrying passengers, as they could no longer meet Coast Guard safety regulations for passenger ships. (The wood paneling in the staterooms constituted a fire hazard). They also were much slower and not nearly as luxurious as the Chesapeake & Ohio boats (the S.S. Badger, et al) which were sailing from Milwaukee to Ludington, Michigan at the time.
Car Ferry Fleet
, built 1903 at Toledo, Ohio, formerly Manistique, Marquette & Northern 1, built 1902 at Cleveland, Ohio (Sank near Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
1929), built 1926 at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, built 1927 at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, built 1931 at Manitowoc, Wisconsin; currently docked in Manistee, Michigan