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  • Help save the SS Badger - former C&O Lake Michigan Ferry

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in the American Midwest, including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Kansas. For questions specific to a railroad company, please seek the appropriate forum.
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in the American Midwest, including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Kansas. For questions specific to a railroad company, please seek the appropriate forum.

Moderator: railohio

 #1172257  by Tadman
 
If you have a minute, I want to bring up something important to me. The SS Badger. If you haven't heard, she's under attack from some out-of-state politicians being funded by the rival Lake Express.

Essentially this is what happened: The owners of Lake Express seem to dislike competition. They've donated to Senator Dick Durbin (IL) and he in turn is raising a giant ruckus about the Badger's re-permitting process. They've also gone into cahoots with certain environmental groups who will say anything to save a few ants and squirrels.

The bottom line is, the Badger's pollution is miniscule compared to many other already-allowed coal discharging businesses. It's also miniscule compared to the city of Chicago or Milwaukee's waste discharge into the water. It's being blown out of proportion by people who stand to benefit.

If you have a minute and want to write a quick note to help save this priceless live-steam piece of railroad history (owned by C&O), please check out this page: http://www.ssbadger.com/news-media/public-comment.html

If you want to read the full story, Outer Boundaries did a great article here: http://outerboundarymagazin.wix.com/out ... le-3/c16gd

The Badger is very important to me. I've had lots of good crossings, it creates hundreds of jobs both directly and indirectly, and it's a priceless piece of railroad history. It's likely the biggest live-steam railroad equipment left (although it doesn't run on rails, it has rails on the car deck...). Once we lose it, she's gone for good.
 #1172301  by virtualchuck
 
The state of Illinois is over $153 TRILLION (WITH A “T”) in debt, and yet this what Dick is concerned about??? If they are willing to go after one single steam ship, you have to wonder how long until they go after steam engines and the museums that operate them??? Illinois politicians…I’m just speechless!!!

Chuck
 #1179137  by tytrain
 
virtualchuck wrote:The state of Illinois is over $153 TRILLION (WITH A “T”) in debt, and yet this what Dick is concerned about???
As a US Senator, Durbin has nothing to do (directly) with the state budget. Now, if he wants to use his influence/connections to try to steer it any specific way he's free to try to do so (as is any US senator), but if you care about state budgets, care about your state rep/senator/governor.
 #1179412  by virtualchuck
 
My point is that Illinois politicians love to meddle in the issues of neighboring states (I live in Indiana and they are constantly coming here to try and dictate policy) They have their plate FULL of much bigger problems and spending any of their time fighting inconsequential issues like how much pollution one historic coal fired ship generates Is BEYONG hypocritical IMHO

My main concern is that after they are done with the Badger, what’s to stop them from going after railroad museums that operate steam engines?

Chuck
 #1212954  by Tadman
 
Chuck's right on the mark. I live most of the time in Chicago, and I love this place. But there is so much that is so ass-backwards (heard of the Metra scandal lately?) and you have the pols getting their heads in others' business, when they should be cleaning up their own state.
 #1213609  by MBTA1016
 
That's a notable cause tadman. Is there anything I could do from here in the Boston area?
 #1222316  by MBTA1016
 
That's good to know that history will keep running.