While staying at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky for the USA N scale convention, there was a constant string of barge traffic on the Ohio River right outside our rooms. It was mostly coal, but I chose to post this picture of a more unusual load. I don't know what it is, but it does seem covered. The yellow sign at the tip of the island above the barges in the first picture says, "Canal Entrance." The canal is to the left. These falls here at Louisville (further to the right, out of the picture) are the only obstruction to navigation on the Ohio River between Pittsburgh and the Mississippi River. I thought the operation was very interesting and I hope it applies in some small way to trains.
Just guessing, maybe rock salt for use in de-icing roads and streets during winter? Chicago usually keeps the city rock salt piles covered other than during wintertime. CT
Here is some coal under the railroad bridge. I was one floor below Flash so did not have quite the good view he did.
Great pics Russ and Flash! If all goes well, I hope to have a module or at least a diorama to display at the next convention I attend. Working on one that has a rail/barge transloading facility. For any of you interested in modeling those Ohio River barges... check out the MR articles on the BN N scale layout they did some years ago as a project. There are scale drawings for barges in that article. Chad
Thanks, I was fascinated at night by the search lights on the barge tug boats (what is the correct name to call them anyway?) They would sweep back and forth in front of the barges to look for channel markers and obstructions. After drinking the sample bottle of Kentucky Bourbon they gave everyone who registered at the convention, the light show was awesome.
I have also heard them called Push Boats, but that was less common than Tow Boats. Push Boat generally was used to describe the smaller tugs that assembled and dis-assembled the massive barge assemblies, or working around construction and dredging projects. I guess Push Boats would be similar to 0-4-0, 0-6-0, or 0-8-0 switchers...?
This may be a good time to ask: How long does it take for a tow boat to go from Minneapolis to New Orleans? From New Orleans to Minneapolis? On the Mississippi River, of course.
ACL Connect - Average Transit Times You can put in two cities and check the times. New Orleans to Pittsburgh, 30 days! It knows about direction too, Pittsburgh to New Orleans, 20 days!
I assume that site is averaging the river currents. The current in spring is faster than the current in fall, and the current on the Mississippi below St. Louis right now due to the flood is even faster than spring current.
