Soo Locks

[Guest]

Before the soo locks were built, entire ships were transported around the rapids at the soo. I'm sure smaller boats could be used if the Poe lock went down. As for the need for a new ice breaker -- what ice ?
If we do get ice, the Canadian breakers will do the job as they have done in the past.

[tugboat]

You are wrong about Great Lakes Trader and Lakes Contender, they could fit thru Mac Lock. It would just mean disconnecting tug and two lockages.

[Jon Paul]

The facts that Jon states also certainly don't support the "need" for additional icebreakers or a new lock as the article at the News Channel has written. This isn't a temporary slump in shipping, the decline is simply the direction that it's going.

Well I respectfully disagree in regards to the need for another Poe sized lock. Its not only a business/commercial issue but a National Security one!
Steel slumps are cyclical in nature, one only needs to remember the downturn in the early 80's and then the rebound in the 90's.
If the Poe lock was to go down due to whatever issue, a great many of the US fleet would be rendered unusable. The Blough, LAT, all the footers, Great Lakes Trader, Great Lakes Contender, etc.! Esky can only load 1 boat at a time and only with certain pellets.
No one can dispute that our ability to transport raw materials throughout the entire Great Lakes Region unimpeded was a deciding factor in all the World Wars and economic expansions of the 20th century.

[Guest]

The facts that Jon states also certainly don't support the "need" for additional icebreakers or a new lock as the article at the News Channel has written. This isn't a temporary slump in shipping, the decline is simply the direction that it's going.

[Jon Paul]

Considering the slump that the steel industry is in I would be a bit surprised that an early Soo Locks would be warranted. Add to that the fact that coal shipments are down due to power plants closings and stone cargoes were stagnant I would say there is really no hurry. Some fleets are considering not even fitting out some boats that sailed last season.

[Denny]

Anything is possible Ed as they have opened early a couple of times in the past few seasons. One year they opened up 24 hours early to allow the Mesabi Miner to pass through and another year they opened up early to allow the Lee A. Tregurtha to be the first vessel through the locks. I am sorry that I do not have what the years were but, it wasn't too long ago that these events happened.

[Billius]

I would doubt they would open early. The down time is for regular maintenance and repairs on the lock system. Not sure the ice, or lack of it, has much to do with the opening.

[ed]

with this past very mild winter with almost no ice - could the soo locks open early ?