Hopefully this isn't a dumb question. Did the Frisco own the carfloats and did they operate their own tugs?
Phil, The Frisco owned 2 car floats. They were named for the islands in Mobile Bay they served, Blakely and Pinto. The railroad did not own any tugboats. Tugboat operations were subcontracted to others. Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark
Re: Blakely Island Slip - ATN, Mobile Sub There is a interesting article on the Blakely Island operation in the February 1994 issue of Railfan and Railroading, if you can locate a back issue. Brad Slone
Just ran across some ebay listings for the Pensacola docks. May want to snag some usable images before they are sold. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...Pensacola+docks&_nkw=Pensacola+docks&_sacat=0
I just want to make sure I understand operations on the island before undertaking a layout planning excersize. The schematic ( page 3 of http://www.frisco.org/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=17168&d=1321196691 ). Could be interpreted as there was a connection at one end of the island to the mobile yard. I was always under the impression that the island was isolated trackage served only by the barges. Is that the case, or was there a bridge to the island at one point time? What I'm contemplating is a roughly 15' O-scale switching layout based on the island. This would live under my n-scale layout, and it's really just an excuse to build something I can run my modest collection of 2-rail O-scale equipment on. The layout is much more interesting if it's only seved by the barge. I went to visit the island on a trip to see my in laws a few years ago... All that is left is a few ties.... Paul
Paul, I'll defer to others...but I'd think that a bridge/other connection to the island would have made the car ferry rather redundant and unnecessary, not to mention a profoundly less interesting "layout design element." I have always liked the idea of the Blakely Island car float as a small layout. I'll look forward to seeing how your version pans out. Best Regards,
Chris, These are not loads (most likely), this is a specific gon with weights in it to balance the car float. Notice how they have bolted end plates, most probably filled with sand or concrete. Nick Molo
Thanks for the insight, Nick. As long as one would be modeling a car float, this seems to make it an even more appealing modeling piece! Makes perfect sense. Best Regards,
Any chance there are any switching diagrams floating around showing the spots on Blakely Island? Brad
I have not seen Industry Schematics for Blakley Island, but I bet they are out there somewhere in someone's possession.
A good sized group of photos by Phil Kotheimer ( from the Tony Howe collection ) showing Blakely Island in 1967 were recently posted on rrpicturearchives.net. Quite a few pictures of AT&N 11, and a couple of the AT&N lettered idler flat, which was numbered AT&N 6043. I do not believe this is the same car that later appeared in Frisco yellow, as SLSF 109322, but it is definitely similar. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/archiveThumbs.aspx?id=141059
