1905 Superior 1 1964 (1966)
Steel Great Lakes package freighter
Built at Ecorse MI by Great Lakes Engineering Works, Hull 7
Launched June 10, 1905
402’6” LOA, 382’ LBP, 50’ beam, 30’ depth
2 decks, hatches @ 24’, coal-fired boilers, quadruple expansion engine, 2000 IHP
Enrolled at Detroit MI Aug 29, 1905 (#12)
381.0 x 50.2 x 30.2, 4544 GT, 3845 NT US 202329 to:
Great Lakes Engineering Works
Permanent enrollment at Buffalo NY Sept 15, 1905 (#22) to:
Western Transit Co., Buffalo NY
Great Lakes package freighter fleet of the New York Central Railway.
Entered service 1905
Sold Feb 22, 1916 to Great Lakes Transit Corporation, Buffalo NY
The railroads were required under the provisions of the Panama Canal Act of 1912 to divest themselves of competing vessels. Great Lakes Transit Corporation was organized to own and operate these vessels.
Remeasured 1924 to 4671 GT, 3972 NT (probably when a refrigerated cabin was added)
Renamed Ralph Budd 1926
Wrecked May 15, 1929 on Keweenaw Peninsula, Lake Superior, near Eagle Harbor MI. Driven ashore in heavy storm while downbound from Duluth MN with a mixed load of package freight. No lives lost. Abandoned to the underwriters as a constructive total loss. Salvaged by Reid Wrecking Co., Sarnia ON. Rebuilt to bulk freighter.
Sold 1930 through Sin-Mac Lines to Great Lakes Transit Corporation, Midland ON, James Playfair, Mgr. (home port to Midland ON)
Enrolled Canadian at 382.0 x 50.0 x 25.9, 4537 GT, 3350 NT Can 154862
Transferred 1931 to Midland Steamships Ltd.
Sold 1938 to Upper Lakes & St. Lawrence Transportation Co., Toronto ON
Home port to Toronto ON 1954
Fleet renamed Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd. 1959 and vessel renamed L. A. McCorquodale.
Deck cranes added 1961 for use in package freight service.
Sold 1964 for grain storage in Toronto ON harbor and retired from active service.
Sold for scrap 1966 to United Steel & Refining Co. and towed May 1966 to Hamilton ON, where she was scrapped.
See history in Scanner Oct 1987 (#157)
Also in Great Lakes Ships We Remember p. 56
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