Washington's four steel electric-class ferries, taken out of service two years ago for safety reasons, are to be towed to Mexico this month to be cut up and recycled.
The Associated Press
BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. —
Washington's four steel electric-class ferries, taken out of service two years ago for safety reasons, are to be towed to Mexico this month to be cut up and recycled.
The 82-year-old ferries Nisqually and Quinault are expected to be towed from the ferry system yard at Eagle Harbor this week to Ensenada, Mexico, with sister ships Klickitat and Illahee to follow a week or two later, the Kitsap Sun reported Wednesday.
Washington State Ferries sold the boats in June to Eco Planet Recycling of Chula Vista, Calif., for $50,000 each. The boats have been tied up since November 2007 because their corroded hulls weren't safe and officials decided it was too expensive to repair them.
The ferries were built in 1927 for use on San Francisco Bay. After the Golden Gate and Bay bridges opened, they were sold to Puget Sound Navigation. The state took over the private ferry system in 1951.
The boats, known for their brass and woodwork, could each carry 616 passengers and 59 vehicles. They were used on low-traffic runs during their final years, including Port Townsend-Keystone and inter-island service in the San Juans.
"They've endeared themselves to people's hearts because they've been reliable over the years, in good weather, bad weather, sunny days, wintry days," said ferry system chief naval architect Doug Russell, who's in charge of their decommissioning. "The ferries are part of the family, just like the ferry workers are. They're like a trusted friend."
Ferry system spokeswoman Marta Coursey said historical items and memorabilia have been removed from the boats, archived and stored. The items include artwork and historical photos that will be displayed on other ferries, at terminals and in the headquarters building when money becomes available.
The state plans to build four new ferries.
City officials in Port Townsend had hoped to keep one of the retired boats, using the car deck for parking and the superstructure for retail stores and meeting rooms. But Tim Caldwell, Jefferson County ferry advisory committee chairman, said the boat would have needed shoreline permits if kept on land and annual inspections and dry-docking if moored on the city's waterfront.
"We were trying to at least give them a fond farewell, a lasting legacy on the Olympic Peninsula," Caldwell said.
Port Townsend Mayor Michelle Sandoval said the ferries and community had a lot in common.
"We like old things and we like things with character," she said. "We are a town filled with characters and we love the Steel Electrics for all of their character. We're very looking forward to having a new one, but well miss them so much."
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Information from: Kitsap Sun, http://www.kitsapsun.com/
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