On Mon, Oct 12, 2020 at 01:56 PM, staplindave wrote:

Anybody know where the Erie car float went from and too in Chicago?  Was it meant to sort cut the terminal railroads?

From the Erie on the South Branch of the Chicago River at about 18th St., to freight houses on the North Branch at Erie St. (appropriately) and Webster St.  Later also to North Pier Terminal at the river's mouth.  The operation gave Erie access to the north side for merchandise service, and lasted until c.1936.  The Baldwin gas-mechanicals handled the north side termini.

The operation gets a few pages in Hilton's classic The Great Lakes Car Ferries.

Jack Mullen