Wednesday, October 15, 2014

New York City to Albany; the side-wheeler Berkshire

Surprisingly little information on the net about this significant sidewheeler, apparently the largest inland steamboat ever built. Built for the Hudson River- NYC to Albany run, she ran between 1913 and 1937 under several company names that I've seen, The People's Line, The Hudson Navigation Co. and later The Hudson River Night Line. The 440 ft boat was capable of carrying 2000 passengers, had 425 staterooms along 4 floors and had room for 100 cars. 
Competition from increasing rail, truck and automobile traffic ended steamboat service and after being in storage for a few years she was towed to Bermuda where she served as barracks for war workers. After the war she was scrapped in Philadelphia.

http://yorkship.us/html/liners.htm



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