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Post by northwesterner on May 12, 2006 12:13:41 GMT -8
So....
The question is - will these ferries fit into Keystone harbor?
Will they have to do substantial modifications to the harbor instead?
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Post by EGfleet on May 12, 2006 15:13:35 GMT -8
So.... The question is - will these ferries fit into Keystone harbor? Will they have to do substantial modifications to the harbor instead? No, they won't fit. www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/projects/keystoneharbor. Everything I've heard from most of the legislature and from the DOT is they have no desire to build specially designed vessels for the route. It isn't cost effective and eventually the traffic always out paces the smaller, "route specific" vessels--as was the case with the Hiyu.The State would like to have whatever they come up with be able to handle an Issaquah Class sized vessel, making it a lot easier to replace for maintenance, emergency replacement, etc. More should be developing on this this year.
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,948
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Post by FNS on May 20, 2006 12:36:16 GMT -8
Based on the drawing I've seen on the WSF website, the new ferries resemble smaller versions of the Jumbo Mark II vessels. From what I've read, a shipyard in New Orleans had a lower bid than MP&E did. -- LB It was a good thing Equitable of NO did not win the contract in building the ISSAQUAH ferries. These would have been rated "X" for nudity. The car deck would have no shell from the bulwark up. Take a look at pictures of one of North Vancouver's ferries. I should have kept the newspaper illustrations of the design differences between the two yards it showed in the late 1970s. Maybe I'll look this up in microfiche at a library around here. By the way, Eq went on to build the 6000 passenger BARBERI and NEWHOUSE for New York. Built with egg beater propulsion and three decks for passengers. No cars on these 310 foot rush hours ferries built for heavy foot passenger travel to and from Staten Island. Besides these two, they now have the 4500 passenger MOLINARI, MARCHI, and SPIRIT OF AMERICA; and the 1200 passenger "night owls" NOBLE and AUSTEN (operates midnight to dawn's first commuter rush).
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Post by northwesterner on May 20, 2006 22:23:43 GMT -8
By the way, Eq went on to build the 6000 passenger BARBERI and NEWHOUSE for New York. Built with egg beater propulsion and three decks for passengers. No cars on these 310 foot rush hours ferries built for heavy foot passenger travel to and from Staten Island. Besides these two, they now have the 4500 passenger MOLINARI, MARCHI, and SPIRIT OF AMERICA; and the 1200 passenger "night owls" NOBLE and AUSTEN (operates midnight to dawn's first commuter rush). I guess its a good thing I was able to ride one of the Kennedy-class boats last September (I think it was the American Legion). One of the most spectacular ferry rides of my life ... I rode over to Staten Island on the Newhouse (I think) as the sun was setting ... that was great, but on the return trip it was the American Legion, and it was a beautiful September evening. I stood on the upper passenger deck bow for almost the entire crossing just staring at the beauty of Manhatten lit up at night. In addition, it was September 9th, and they had the WTC beams of light on as a test. Fantastic.
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Post by EGfleet on May 21, 2006 9:47:44 GMT -8
I do believe they were responsible for those horrors of Passenger Only boats, the Skagit and Kalama. Aside from being ugly, they have to be the most uncomfortable ferries I've ever been on.
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Post by Mike C on May 21, 2006 11:29:06 GMT -8
I'm glad I don't have to ride one of those twice a day at capacity.
Were the high-speed catamarans any better?
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Post by EGfleet on May 21, 2006 11:39:14 GMT -8
I'm glad I don't have to ride one of those twice a day at capacity. Were the high-speed catamarans any better? Much. The Chinook and Snohomish are lovely boats, with comfortable seating and plenty of room. The Skagit and Kalama have small, narrow seats crammed in very tightly. And boy do they roll, even in calm weather. It seemed like if someone sneezed the boats would keel over to one side or other.
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