WPSU

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Slowboat Goes for a Train Ride

Humans have invented four different kinds of locks for use on canal systems.  One of the cool things about Canada's Trent - Severn Waterway is that it has all four kinds:  1) conventional locks, where water goes in, and your boat floats up; 2) flight locks (that's two or more conventional locks, all in a row); 3) lift locks (see our entry for the Peterborough Lift Lock); and 4) marine railways.

And here's what it looks like as your boat is being loaded onto a marine railway, the Trent-Severn's "Big Chute Railway."  See the white motor boat? our boat is just behind it, loaded onto its own set of sling straps.

The railway carries as many as 6 boats over a hill, in the process helping boats avoid a narrow and turbulent stretch of river called the Big Chute, where water flows fast down a rocky canyon.

4 comments:

  1. That slideshow was amazing! Thank you for posting it. Lake Huron looks beautiful! jb

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  2. Cynthia - you are seeing some really ingenious methods of transportation and thank you for sharing with us landlubbers!

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  3. We also take requests! Anything you would like to know about our trip?

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  4. Maybe it's me, but I don't see Dragonfly in the picture -- how am I missing it?

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