Page 14 - All Scale Rails Magazine Issue 4 September October 2015
P. 14
www.AllScaleRails.com
Boats and freighters were no different. Up before the sun, he wanted to be down on
Bill’s true love was the Challenger, also ‘The Island’ to meet it whenever he could.
known as the Medusa Challenger or St. He would sit and watch the sun come up,
Mary’s Challenger. She was built in 1906 and watch the dump trucks hauling salt and take
served on the Great Lakes as an active freight- photos of the heavy machinery from Caterpil-
er until her retirement in November 2013. At lar, P&H, Bucyrus Erie and The Manitowoc
that time, the Challenger was the last active Company (Manitowoc Cranes) being loaded
freighter built before World War II and one of onto boats at the harbor.
the oldest operating boats in the world. Bill Any industrial area, port, grain elevator or
had photographed every last inch of this boat, train yard was a choice area for finding big
explored every corner, and laughed with vir- machines “in their natural habitat” and that
tually every crew member. He became good was the best place to find Bill. He believed
friends with the Captain who rewarded that that railroads, trucks and boats were work
friendship with access to the boat that Bill horses and they were most beautiful when
loved so much. they were doing what they were built to do.
One of Bill’s favorite spots to take photos
was on Jones Island at the Port of Milwaukee.
Kaye E Barker Milw., WI 2003 by Bill Bedell
14 All Scale Rails
