Working rail roads and their tracks.

LouNY · Oct 15, 2021

deezler said:
I rode the Badger as a young kid in the late 80s. Thought it was the coolest thing ever anytime we could drive a car onto a frickin boat!

But the coal/steam powerplant really does need to be retired. Noxious emissions, and they dump the coal ash right into the lake! gross. Crazy how the Spartan is just sitting there in Ludington; so much steel.

Mayhaps you should watch the video about the Badger.
Either the video lied or you are mistaken about the ash disposal.
I would expect that when it originally ran the ash was dumped in the lake as was most waste.
Coal does not necessarily have noxious emissions and many people still use coal for heat.

jjeff · Oct 15, 2021

deezler said:
I rode the Badger as a young kid in the late 80s. Thought it was the coolest thing ever anytime we could drive a car onto a frickin boat!

But the coal/steam powerplant really does need to be retired. Noxious emissions, and they dump the coal ash right into the lake! gross. Crazy how the Spartan is just sitting there in Ludington; so much steel.

They had to design and make a ash collection system implemented recently, sell the ash to a cement plant

jjeff · Oct 15, 2021

It does have a state of the art draft control system.

deezler · Oct 15, 2021

Oh right, my mistake Lou. I forgot that they did spend a lot of effort to get the ash contained on board now. I think they dumped ash into Lake Michigan all the way until 2016, though.

Badger Ferry Still Burns Coal, But New Ash Disposal System Hasn't Sunk Business

This Sunday, the ferry carrying people and vehicles from Manitowoc to western Michigan and back completes its second season of operating without dumping coal ash into Lake Michigan. Under a […]

www.wpr.org

The stack emissions are still quite awful though. My parents rented a stateroom on their last trip across to see family a couple years ago. They couldn't even stay in the room they paid for because the prevailing wind that day pushed all the smoke down that side of the ship, and it was giving them headaches.

jjeff · Oct 15, 2021

Once in a while they have to give you a carwash certificate.

ultrarunner · Oct 15, 2021

Charcoal is used as a filter medium for fish and ponds with aquatics...

Is coal a superfund ingredient?

MossRoad · Oct 15, 2021

Speaking of trains (hint hint), here's a neat publication from the EPA regarding cleanup and redevelopment of old rail properties.

https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/05_railfields.pdf

buckeyefarmer · Oct 17, 2021

Love lying in bed and hearing the train whistle off in the distance.

MossRoad · Oct 18, 2021

buckeyefarmer said:
Love lying in bed and hearing the train whistle off in the distance.

I used to. They put in a whistle ban in our city.

bdhsfz6 · Oct 18, 2021

I'm also a railroad buff and I'm fortunate to live in the state of Pennsylvania which has a rich railroading history. There are many places in the state to see railroad memorabilia. On of my favorites is the Steamtown National Historic site in Scranton:

Steamtown National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)

find your park national park week parkrx #weareparks

www.nps.gov

The roundhouse there is one of the best I've seen!

There are many many miles of abandoned railroad right of ways across the state. Some have been converted to multi use paths for hiking & biking. While it's sad to see these old abandoned rail beds, it's good that some are being repurposed for public use. Many make an attempt to preserve their railroading past by keeping & restoring railroad infrastructure.

My love of railroads is one of the factors that got me involved in bicycling these old right of ways. Over the last few years, I've ridden my electric assisted bicycle (e-bike) on thousands of miles of these converted rail trails. Due to remote locations, it is the only way to see some of these old railroad relics. I'm particularly interested in rail bridges & tunnels.

The Longpoint & Climax Tunnels near New Bethlehem, PA