Railroad Forums
Moderator: scottychaos
mxdata wrote:The former Lehigh Valley railroad tugboat Capmoore has been sold for scrap.Where was it located? Was it in service or derelict?
MX
mxdata wrote:(posted Oct 08, 2004) I finally had a chance to get over to see the CAPMOORE. The tug is presently out of service due to a mechanical problem. She is still in very nice structural condition, although her paint has faded and is peeling in some places. It appears that Moran had her blasted down to the metal and re-primed regularly during her days with Curtis Bay towing as the HAWKINS POINT, so although her present paint job has deteriorated, the vessel has very little rust evident for a tug now over 50 years old. She is moored against the former New Haven Railroad tug BUMBLEBEE, which provides an interesting contrast in details as they are both TAMS designs by Joe Hack, but have differences in both hull and superstructure. She has lost her high towing mast which was replaced by a stubby stick on the pilothouse, and her big topside vents were also landed. When I previously saw her as HAWKINS POINT in Baltimore many years ago she was very little changed from her days on the Lehigh Valley. If you disregard the faded paint, this vessel is in extremely good overall condition for her age. The metal looks in almost as good shape as the former Virginian Railway tug W. R. COE (N&W tug R. B. CLAYTOR) now named the ETHEL TIBBETTS, which also works in the Boston area.and from 2005:
mxdata wrote: (posted Aug 07, 2005 ) Here is an update on CAPMOORE. The vessel is still out of service at the Autoport in Charlestown, Mass. The main reduction gear has a wiped bearing. She is moored with the former NHRR tug BUMBLEBEE (CROSS HARBOR I.) which is being used as a parts donor for the ex-Moran tug CYNTHIA (CYNTHIA MORAN). Eastern Towboat also has the ex-Erie RR tug AKRON, which is operable.it would appear that time has run out..
Doug has been trying to sell the BUMBLEBEE (and maybe CAPMOORE too if anybody is interested) as houseboats, and there have been a few people taking a look at them, but no buyers to date. It is unlikely the tugs will last much longer because the price of scrap steel is quite high right now and I do not know how much longer he can afford to keep them on hand as spare parts sources when they are worth a lot more as scrap. ETB is not a museum, it is an active marine towing company and they have to be able to economically justify the vessels.
Of the two boats the ex-NHRR BUMBLEBEE retains more of her railroad tug appearance, still having the original high towing mast. Both tugs have the original high pilothouses. CAPMOORE is in the best structural shape, really the only problem topside is that the paint has faded. She was previously owned by Moran and they did a nice job of keeping up the hull and superstructure.
So there you have it, two prime museum displays looking for permanent residence. Anybody interested? Time is running out.
