SS Badger, Ferry ship in Ludington, United States.
The SS Badger is a ferry operating on Lake Michigan between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin, measuring 392 feet (119.69 meters) in length. It carries passengers and vehicles on a direct route across the lake connecting the two port cities.
The ship entered service in the 1950s to carry railroad cars across Lake Michigan. Over the decades it transitioned from rail service to carrying passengers and their automobiles while keeping its steam propulsion system.
The name Badger refers to Wisconsin's nickname and its designation as a historic site reflects the ship's role in preserving Great Lakes maritime tradition. Travelers today experience a crossing that has connected the two states for generations.
The crossing takes about four hours and the ship accommodates up to 620 passengers with their vehicles. Departures usually happen in the morning so travelers spend the day on the water and arrive at their destination in the afternoon.
The lower deck still holds the original railroad tracks from when train cars rolled directly onto the ship. The coal-fired boilers continue to power the steam engines just as they did decades ago, making it the only such vessel on the Great Lakes.
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