Minneapolis bridge - sternwheeler clear?

[Roderick Smith]

On the tempting popups yesterday, a news photo and message flashed by that a sternwheel passenger vessel had been cruising towards the Mississippi River bridge which collapsed at Minneapolis/StPaul.  I didn't pause at the time, and it hasn't flashed by again.

Is there a sternwheeler based there?
Would it have been setting out an an evening cruise, and about to go under the bridge?
Had it just come under while cruising?

My railway forums are concentrating on the moving freight train which was hit.

I have done some googling.  Minneapolis Queen is a now small short-cruise sternmwheeler, based in the historic port precinct.  Its website gives lots of information, with a flash: cruise program unaffected by bridge collapse.  www.minneapolisqueen.com/
However, that wasn't the photo which flashed by yesterday.
That photo looked like one of the Mississippi Queen, Delta Queen, American Queen trio (not proving that any of these was in the area; it may just have been an accessible photo which the news agency had).  I haven't found a website listing the current cruise program for these.  One had only 2006 dates on the online booking site.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Harold H. Duncan]

Hi roderick, this from yahoo news

It was a too close for Capt. Charlie Leekley, who was taking a group of 48 tourists and four crew members out on a paddle boat ride on the river.
"We were southbound coming into the lock to lower it down to proceed underneath the bridge, and the bridge collapsed in front of us — in front of my helm station," Leekley said. "I got a front row ticket to the show."
"Well, fate plays strange roles in our lives. We're all very lucky, but my heart goes out to those that suffered on this bridge," he said.
"I watched them as the bridge collapsed with the cars on top of it. I saw several cars that couldn't stop go over the bridge, and so as it sunk in, I think it sunk in as we should all be grateful for the time we have here on this planet, because anything like that can happen at any time and it hits like a lightning bolt." I also saw a news video clip and interview on the boat which was shown on national news here in New Zealand,
HarryD


----- Original Message ----
From: Roderick Smith <chat@paddleducks.co.uk>
To: chat@paddleducks.co.uk
Sent: Saturday, August 4, 2007 12:56:09 PM
Subject: Minneapolis bridge - sternwheeler clear?

On the tempting popups yesterday, a news photo and message flashed by that a sternwheel passenger vessel had been cruising towards the Mississippi River bridge which collapsed at Minneapolis/StPaul. I didn't pause at the time, and it hasn't flashed by again.

Is there a sternwheeler based there?
Would it have been setting out an an evening cruise, and about to go under the bridge?
Had it just come under while cruising?

My railway forums are concentrating on the moving freight train which was hit.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor









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[Harold H. Duncan]

The Minneapolis Queen

----- Original Message ----
From: Roderick Smith <chat@paddleducks.co.uk>
To: chat@paddleducks.co.uk
Sent: Saturday, August 4, 2007 12:56:09 PM
Subject: Minneapolis bridge - sternwheeler clear?

On the tempting popups yesterday, a news photo and message flashed by that a sternwheel passenger vessel had been cruising towards the Mississippi River bridge which collapsed at Minneapolis/StPaul. I didn't pause at the time, and it hasn't flashed by again.

Is there a sternwheeler based there?
Would it have been setting out an an evening cruise, and about to go under the bridge?
Had it just come under while cruising?

My railway forums are concentrating on the moving freight train which was hit.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor









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 Post generated using Mail2Forum

[Roderick Smith]

Thanks Harry,
This is an excellent example of the power of web-based cooperation and reporting, where multiple eyes and ears can share news around the world within hours.  It can backfire when the the item is idle speculation and incorrect gossip, but here is was genuine news as it happened.
A paddleboat going down through a lock gets a high billing on my next itinerary to the region.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[AlistairD]

Looks it could just be a kid-on sternwheeler, with a screw or twin screws and an unpowered paddlewheel. There are hundreds of these around

Alistair

----- Original Message -----
From: Harold H. Duncan (chat@paddleducks.co.uk)
To: chat@paddleducks.co.uk (chat@paddleducks.co.uk)
Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2007 2:09 AM
Subject: Re: Minneapolis bridge - sternwheeler clear?




The Minneapolis Queen

----- Original Message ----
From: Roderick Smith
To: chat@paddleducks.co.uk (chat@paddleducks.co.uk)
Sent: Saturday, August 4, 2007 12:56:09 PM
Subject: Minneapolis bridge - sternwheeler clear?

On the tempting popups yesterday, a news photo and message flashed by that a sternwheel passenger vessel had been cruising towards the Mississippi River bridge which collapsed at Minneapolis/StPaul. I didn't pause at the time, and it hasn't flashed by again.

Is there a sternwheeler based there?
Would it have been setting out an an evening cruise, and about to go under the bridge?
Had it just come under while cruising?

My railway forums are concentrating on the moving freight train which was hit.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor









Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV.






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