Photograph
Loose Rail Car on the Milwaukee
| Underwater view of one of the rail cars that made up the last cargo of the Milwaukee when it sank. It is sitting on the floor of Lake Michigan near the wreck of the Milwaukee. |
| Image ID: | 120056 |
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| Creation Date: | 08 03 2014 |
| Creator Name: | Thomsen, Tamara |
| City: | |
| County: | |
| State: | Wisconsin |
| Collection Name: | Maritime Preservation and Archeology Program Collection |
| Genre: | Photograph |
| Original Format Type: | digital file |
| Original Format Number: | 1509000033 |
| Original Dimensions: | 4928 X 3264 pixels |
| The steam powered rail car ferry Manistique Marquette and Northern I was launched at Cleveland, Ohio in December 1902. Her name was changed to Milwaukee in late 1908 when she was sold to the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company. On October 22, 1926 the rail car ferry disappeared along with her cargo of train cars, bathtubs, automobiles, and mixed freight. Since there were no survivors, it will never be known what exactly happened, but according to the message case the ship started to take on water, flooding the crew's quarters and bending the sea gate. The crew seems to have decided to turn around and head back towards Milwaukee, but it appears that she had turned so her stern was to the seas and with the sea gate bent in, waves passing onto and below the decks swamped her. It appears the rail cars had broken loose and may have caused the damage to the sea gate. In 1972 divers located the wreck ten miles off the Milwaukee breakwater, resting upright in 120 feet of water. The wreck of the Milwaukee is now laying in 125 feet of water off of Whitefish Bay approximately six miles north of Milwaukee and three miles off shore. The wreck is sitting upright on a sand and muck bottom with the superstructure about 100 feet east of the hull. The cargo of tubs along with railroad cars (one has three cars in it) are still located on the wreck. Some of the stern box cars are missing and at least one is sideways on the deck. For more information on the Milwaukee visit the Wisconsin Shipwrecks website. |
| Ships |
| Michigan, Lake |
| Plants |
| Underwater photography |
| Great Lakes |
| Marine accidents |
| Ferries |
| Underwater exploration |
| Cargo ships |
| Railroad cars |
| This image is issued by the Historic Preservation Division of the Wisconsin Historical Society. Use of the image requires written permission from the staff of the Collections Division. It may not be sold or redistributed, copied or distributed as a photograph, electronic file, or any other media. The image should not be significantly altered through conventional or electronic means. Images altered beyond standard cropping and resizing require further negotiation with a staff member. The user is responsible for all issues of copyright. Please Credit: Wisconsin Historical Society. |
| Location: | Wisconsin Historical Society Archives, 4th Floor, Madison, Wisconsin |
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