For What Purpose? - Terminals

[Retrovision]

When passing through Duke Point terminal, although never on the Queen of Alberni up until recently, I've never used the secondary/vehicle-deck walkway at the main berth, and have always just assumed that this secondary walkway was for the Alberni (and btw, I am unfamiliar with route 2, to add some backstory); I was surprised, when recently taking the 'Alberni from Duke Point, to find out that neither of the 'regular-ships,' neither the Queen of New Westminster, nor the Queen Alberni use anything but the 'overhead walkway.'

Who knows the history of route 30 since starting operations from Duke Point, and could enlighten us as to the circumstances under which this secondary walkway would have been used?

[QSaanich]

The secondary walkway is used for when the gangway is not working so passengers can load via the ramp this has happened one or two times it saves a lot of time when loading passengers when the gangway is not in use because they don't have to go all the way around to the bottom car deck ramp.

[Retrovision]

I guess that it would be a long walk otherwise

[Deleted]

At one time(in the sixties and early seventies) on all the major routes, foot passengers got on and off from the car decks. They were always the first on and the first off.

[Retrovision]

shipdaughterwife said:

They were always the first on and the first off.

...as they are today, at even the semi-major teminals, such as Long Harbour, Salt Spring Island and route 5 ships terminating / departing at / from Swartz bay.


Route 9 (Tsawwassen - SGI) sailings from TSA are now served by the newly-built berth 2 passenger lounge and upper-deck walkway.

[Mike C]

Really? Everytime I sail on route 9 in/out of Tsawwassen, some V class is sitting there. I've ever actually experiened this "upper-deck walkway" on route 9.

[Retrovision]

It's now used 'more often than not,' as far as I've seen so far.

[Mac Write]

It's used when Berth 3/4 are full or the captain feels like using it. It's up the Captain to choose a berth to use.

[Dane]

Captains don't choose a berth, someone from the terminal tells them where they are landing.

[177]

Not quite true Dane. The Master has the final say as to berth. But usually goes with the terminal request. The Master has to consider tide, wind, limits of the berth as well as the type of load the ship may be carring. A low bed semi during a high tide the Master would requst a berth that is fully articulated (if available) instead of the older pin & hangar bar style.

[Retrovision]

I still find the rebuilt berth 2 at Tsawwassen to be intriguing, for a few reasons:

-A few things indicate it to be the Queen of Nanaimo's / route 9's home-berth at Tsawwassen terminal, such as the lower height of the new overhead foot-passenger walkway that presumably couldn't serve any ships taller than the 'Nanaimo.

- The vehicle ramp is both substantial and wide enough to handle 2 lanes of fully-loaded tractor/trailer sets at the same time, and yet no route/ship requiring such allowances uses, or even would use the berth , especially when the shortest turn-around time is required by the major routes and there isn't an overhead walkway that they could use.

- The proximity of the berth to the exit road, making it much easier to bypass all the public facilities that wouldn't be needed for, say, a truck ferry.

[kylefossett]

tsawwassenterminal said:

.

- The vehicle ramp is both substantial and wide enough to handle 2 lanes of fully-loaded tractor/trailer sets at the same time, and yet no route/ship requiring such allowances uses, or even would use the berth , especially when then shortest turn-around time is required by the major routes and there isn't an overhead walkway that they could use.

- The proximity of the berth to the exit road, making it much easier to bypass all the public facilities that wouldn't be needed for, say, a truck ferry.

I had heard a rumour that this berth was built like this for a possible commercial vehicle run. i have heard this rumour involving both bcf and a possible competitor

[Mac Write]

I heard the info from the ticket booth (I think or was it onboard) when I took the Nanny over on May 11 6:55PM Milk Run.

[Dane]

How often does a Captain not comply with the terminal 'request'?

[nolonger]

rarely.