The sound of its deep whistle, huge plumes of black smoke, and aroma of its coal-fired boilers meant the railroad car ferry Chief Wawatam was back in town. These sights, sounds, and smells were once a daily part of life in the Michigan communities of St. Ignace and Mackinaw City for over seven decades. When built in 1911, it was the largest ice-breaking ferry in the world and served as a vital link between the state’s upper and lower peninsulas. Even after its ultimate scrapping in 2009, many still hold a soft spot in their hearts for the vessel.
3D Animation: @Blue-Star-Line
Sources:
Northwest Michigan Rail Study: https://web.archive.org/web/20191016030240/https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/RR555PL_250_538555_7.pdf
Alternative Uses of the Railcar Ferry S.S. Chief Wawatam: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CZIC-tf320-a48-1986/html/CZIC-tf320-a48-1986.htm?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2sXrSjNm-66d0c_AtFYAL4crbTOoUVg1x6_uSEtLRP8W0HZa5eRcBMRa8_aem_JKJHm69XMSh-pYKYrVLG9A
Mackinac Transportation Company Abandonment of Car Ferry Operation Between St. Ignace and Mackinaw City: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Mackinac_Transportation_Company_Abandonm/OfA3AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Abandonment of Rail Lines in Northwest Michigan: Docket Nos. AB 18 (sub-nos. 5, 19, and 20): https://www.google.com/books/edition/Draft_Environmental_Impact_Statement/945235nEfdAC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Michigan+Northern+Railway+Straits+Car+Ferry+Service+Corporation&pg=SA1-PA9&printsec=frontcover
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