Arthur b homer
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Denny
Re: Arthur b homer
From what I recall from reading others’ comments on her Bob, she laid up in Erie, PA. for a while not sure how long due to the poor economic conditions in the 1980s along with the recessions as well. While she was lengthened from 730 feet to 826, she was never ever then converted to a self-unloader. Bethlehem Steel built the Cort in 1972 then later built two more 1,000 footers the Lewis Wilson Foy now American Integrity and the Burns Harbor in 1980. If I’m correct, I think Bethlehem had the Sparrows Point now the barge Menominee converted to a self-unloader in the 1980s as well. The Homer if I’m saying this correctly, thus became extra surplus tonnage that Bethlehem did not see the need for with the two 1,000 footers built after the Cort and the Sparrows Point self-unloader conversion. A similar situation happened to the Johnstown a sistership to the Sparrows Point as the Johnstown was never converted to a self-unloader or lengthened thus, she too became a victim of the economic collapse of the 1980s and was also laid up and was eventually sold for scrapping. I hope that I have answered your questions Bob. I’m sure someone else will have more details on this story than I do but, you should get a better idea from this then!
Re: Arthur b homer
It has been discussed before. She had no self unloader, and there was no need for a 850ft vessel. Even the Blough and a few footers were on the wall. Bethlehem was also in its death throes too.
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Guest
Re: Arthur b homer
The early demise of the Aethur B. Homer has been discussed ad nauseaun over the years in the Information Search.
One of the reasons she was retired so early was Bethlehem Steel's shortsightedness in ordering multiple thousand footers, when only two were needed. The high-demand for steel in 1973, misled the steel industry into thinking that increased demand for steel in the U.S. would continue into the future. As a result, Bethlehem Steel went on a purchasing spree in December 1973 for three one-thousand footers from Erie Marine - sisters to the Stewart J. Cort. When Erie Marine declined to accept the orders - they were part of an option from December 1968 - Bethlehem Steel and American Steamship agreed on a sale of two one-thousand footers that ASC had on order with Bay Shipbuilding.
Lewis Wilson Foy entered service in June 1978 and the Burns Harbor did likewise in September 1980. When the later entered entered service, the Arthur B. Homer was put into layup in October 1980 and never ran again.
The year 1980 was the start of the acceleration of the decline in the steel industry, and with no self-unloading system and an increased unloading time due to her increased length and tonnage from 1976, meant the Homer wasn't an efficient ship in the trades she traded in. She became sort of the "odd duck" for Bethlehem Steel by 1980 and the steel crisis didn't help.
We talk about the Homer because of her association with the Edmund Fitzgerald and her age when scrapped, but ships such as George M. Humphrey, William Clay Ford, Johnstown, Leon Falk, Jr, Paul H. Carnahan were young and had many decades of service ahead of them, too.
I was saddened to see the Arthur B. Homer go, in fact, I went down to photograph her in Port Colborne in December 1986. It was a very tough time to be a Boatnerd and worse for those making a living working on those ships.
One of the reasons she was retired so early was Bethlehem Steel's shortsightedness in ordering multiple thousand footers, when only two were needed. The high-demand for steel in 1973, misled the steel industry into thinking that increased demand for steel in the U.S. would continue into the future. As a result, Bethlehem Steel went on a purchasing spree in December 1973 for three one-thousand footers from Erie Marine - sisters to the Stewart J. Cort. When Erie Marine declined to accept the orders - they were part of an option from December 1968 - Bethlehem Steel and American Steamship agreed on a sale of two one-thousand footers that ASC had on order with Bay Shipbuilding.
Lewis Wilson Foy entered service in June 1978 and the Burns Harbor did likewise in September 1980. When the later entered entered service, the Arthur B. Homer was put into layup in October 1980 and never ran again.
The year 1980 was the start of the acceleration of the decline in the steel industry, and with no self-unloading system and an increased unloading time due to her increased length and tonnage from 1976, meant the Homer wasn't an efficient ship in the trades she traded in. She became sort of the "odd duck" for Bethlehem Steel by 1980 and the steel crisis didn't help.
We talk about the Homer because of her association with the Edmund Fitzgerald and her age when scrapped, but ships such as George M. Humphrey, William Clay Ford, Johnstown, Leon Falk, Jr, Paul H. Carnahan were young and had many decades of service ahead of them, too.
I was saddened to see the Arthur B. Homer go, in fact, I went down to photograph her in Port Colborne in December 1986. It was a very tough time to be a Boatnerd and worse for those making a living working on those ships.
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Mn bob
Arthur b homer
The Arthur b homer was built in 1960 and scrapped in 1986, that’s just a 26 year life span. Why was this ship scrapped at such a young age? There are steamers that are 70 to 80 years old still sailing the lakes. Just curious what happened to this ship and why it was terminated so early.