Re: Maritimers?

From: Nathan
Location: Port of Kalamazoo
Email:
Remote Name: 141.218.214.54
Date: 09/30/03
Time: 01:28:44 AM

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Feel free to add to this or correct me if I'm wrong... At the beginning of World War II, the lakes fleet was getting older and smaller as a whole, but in most aspects of our lives, things were getting bigger. With the start of the war, the US shipping companies realized they would be in dire need of new hulls for war demand, and because their fleets were outdated and comprised of many many smaller ships. In 1942, US Steel built 5 sister ships, the AA or "Super" class. Only one survives today, the cement carrier Alpena. But these were only built for USS, because they were huge for their time - 640 feet long. In 1943, as the other companies realized the huge advantage USS had because of their 5 new sisters, they begin to see the need for new vessels as well. The US Maritime Commission, responsible for all commercial shipping involved with the war effort, teamed up with the Lake Carriers Assoc. to draw up plans for 16 new vessels, all to similar specifications, to replace older vessels, and reduce the average age of vessels plying the inland seas. Many companies agreed to "trade" older, smaller ships for these fast new ships, dubbed "maritimers" because of the involvement of the maritime commission. They were built to two basic specs: L6-S-A1 for (Lakes ship)(600-699 feet long)(Steam driven)(A is a design)(1 was a subdesign). These were built at American Shipbuilding in Lorain OHIO. They featured a radical cruiser style stern, and the rare Lentz Poppet compound steam engine. The other design, being built at Great Lakes Engineering works in Ecorse, MI was designated L6-S-B1, with a more standard hull of the day and a common triple expansion steam engine. They were all built a straight deck speedsters, slightly smaller then the Supers at 620 feet long. Here's the low down on the Maritimers still around: Richard Reiss-Owned by Oglebay Norton Co, in Erie Sand Steamship colors with ASC hull paint. Laid up in Erie, PA, last sailed in 2001. Converted to a self unloader in 1964. (L6-S-B1) Mississaugi-Formerly U.S. Steel's George A. Sloan (US Steel had some Maritimers as well as all the Supers), converted to a self unloader in 1964. Now Sailing for Lower Lakes Towing. (L6-S-B1) Cuyahoga-Formerly Columbia Transportation's J. Burton Ayers, sold in 1995 to Lower Lakes Towing, the flagship of the LLT fleet. Converted to a self unloader. It has had its original Lentz Poppet steam engine replaced - it was the last of its kind of the lakes. The only L6-S-A1 design left. Willowglen-Is only remaining straightdecker of the lot. It's tied up in P&H Shipping colors in Goderich, Ontario, with the original Triple cpmpound engine still intact. Laid up since 1989. (L6-S-B1) Canadian Transfer-Formerly Oglebay Norton's (Columbia Trans.) Crispin Oglebay (and before that, the J.H. Hillman), this was purchased by Upper Lakes Shipping, had it's after section removed, and was mated with the after section of another elderly lake vessel (Canadian something-or-another), and now sails for ULS. Converted to a Self Unloader. (L6-S-B1) CTC #1-Formerly the Frank Purnell of the Interlake Steamship Co. (Pickands and Mather) (It also sailed under a few other fleets and names), she was converted to a self unloader, but lost her self unloading gear when converted from an ore boat to a dry cement carrier for the Cement Transfer Company. She is now laid up at the Cemex Silo in the Calumet River in South Chicago. (L6-S-B1) Now that's just about everything you could ever want to know about Maritimers, so I'm going to shut up and go to bed!