AKA Tow to Soo

[Mike H]

What iexactly does a broken back mean ?

The keel of a ship has lost it's structural integrity.

[cstewart]

Keel broken.

[Guest]

What iexactly does a broken back mean ?

[MilwBob]

Where can I find a report or fact check this thing that she has a broken back. I recall them getting government funds to repair a shaft in Chicago. I never heard the broken back one. plus how could they have sailed from there at that time back to Frankfort, then later have allowed stivers to move her that way, or be sold for what was said he wanted to do with her. makes no sense to me.

Story from a former crewman is they left Kewaunee during a storm, captain found it too rough so decided to return to Kewaunee, during the bouncing around some of the cars came loose & the boat susutained damage, was taken to dry-dock in South Chicago where broken back was diagnosed, AA was given OK to sail the boat back to Frankfort where it was laid up for final time. Crewman said they were pretty surprised too that they were allowed to sail.

[hausen]

I never heard the broken back one. plus how could they have sailed from there at that time back to Frankfort, then later have allowed stivers to move her that way, or be sold for what was said he wanted to do with her. makes no sense to me.

I know of at least one other occasion where the Coast Guard has allowed a passenger vessel with a broken back to make a one-time trip to a home port for layup. Dicey stuff but it's definitely happened.

[Tom]

Where can I find a report or fact check this thing that she has a broken back. I recall them getting government funds to repair a shaft in Chicago. I never heard the broken back one. plus how could they have sailed from there at that time back to Frankfort, then later have allowed stivers to move her that way, or be sold for what was said he wanted to do with her. makes no sense to me.

[MilwBob]

Reports are the AKA has a broken back, & would be unsuitable for a barge. What I meant was if Purvis was interested in scrapping her?

[guest6]

I'd speculate that Purvis wasn't interested in the AKA except possibly for scrap purposes. Lately they have been purchasing and using much larger purpose-built ocean-going deck barges, with almost twice the capacity of a converted carferry. (PML 9000-9000 tons, Ironmaster-10,000 tons, Chief Wawatam-5000 tons, Pere Marquette 41-5500 tons.) And the world market is awash with 20-35 year old ocean-going deck barges (granted many are too wide to enter the Lakes). Plus I believe that the tariff that Canada repealed on foreign purchase applies to used as well as new vessels, so that makes newer purpose-built deck barges even more cost effective.

Then again the AKA is practically at their back steps, so they may have looked it over.

[MilwBob]

Scrap bids were to open at $100k, which is what I believe she sold for, indicating there wasn't a lot of interest in acquiring her. Was Purvis interested at all? And have they started cutting yet?

[MilwBob]

Was the Arthur Atkinson the only ferry servicing Frankfort in the fall of 1980?

I'm pretty sure the City of Milwaukee ran, too, that year, her last in operation, but I'm not certain.

City of Milwaukee's last day under steam was Aug. 9, 1981 (confirmed thru her logbooks). Ann Arbor ferries as a whole ceased operations the end of April 1982.

[deckstir]

The last trip that the AKA took was I believe in 1981.Her 80+ year old Master took her out into a bad storm from Kewaunee and decided to turn her around and go back. She got caught in the trough and rolled 30 degrees tipping over a potash car off it's trucks, bending stanchions, and denting the fwd. hull out in one spot. She was taken to the yard in Chicago where they found her back broken and the stbd. shaft out of alignment. They were allowed (to the astonishment of the crew) to sail her home to Elberta where she was tied up for good and the City of Milwaukee was brought back out to finish up until they cut down to just Viking before the end.
This was related to me by the oiler on duty that night.
I was on her in 2007 and all the decks were all kinked in the same area from her back breaking.

[William Lafferty]

Was the Arthur Atkinson the only ferry servicing Frankfort in the fall of 1980?

I'm pretty sure the City of Milwaukee ran, too, that year, her last in operation, but I'm not certain.

[LCNerd]

If I recall correctly, the Viking was still making daily runs in 1980 and did until the railroad finally ceased operations. Later, the Ann Arbor leased the City of Milwaukee to replace the Atkinson when she was laid up with (again-recollecting!) a broken or cracked shaft. I remember it had been a huge deal and the Atkinson was re-christened when she had finally been repaired and returned to service.

[MLB]

Was the Arthur Atkinson the only ferry servicing Frankfort in the fall of 1980?

[CottonwoodStudios]

Scrapping will begin immediately after the asbestos removal. Bob Kalal did get some final interior shots just before she was towed. It would be nice if someone could document the scrapping process from on board. (Similar to Max Hanley documenting the City of Midland conversion to barge in 1997.)

[LCNerd]

I agree with Rob that it would be tremendous if someone involved in the scrapping was able to take the time to make some type of photographic record of the AKA. Once these boats are gone, the only thing left to use as a reference for future generations are whatever photographic records exist.

Even if Stievers (and previous owners) had essentially gutted the boat of maritime gear, furnishings and the like, it still seems like there could never be enough photos to satisfy the essential Boatnerd in us all.

[Rob]

Has scrapping begun? Will someone be getting pictures? It would be great if someone could take some last shots of her interior.

[Guest]

Where does the steel end up There is no furnaces in the US Soo Does it end up in Canada

[Guest]

The tow has arrived at MCM Marine which is below the locks. Scrapping is going to begin almost immediately and will be done by spring.

[LCNerd]

Any news on the progress of the Atkinson tow to the Soo? Will they lock through or is the scrapping facility below the locks? Thanks!