1903                                  Tionesta                                  1940

Steel Great Lakes passenger and package freight vessel

Built at Wyandotte MI by Detroit Shipbuilding Co., Hull 150
Launched Dec 15, 1902

365’ LOA, 340’ LBP, 45’ beam, 28’ depth
3 decks, coal-fired boilers, quadruple expansion engine, 2500 IHP

Enrolled at Detroit MI May 18, 1903 (#62)
340.0 x 45.2 x 28.0, 4329 GT, 2652 NT     US 145958     to:
Erie & Western Transportation Co., Erie PA (home port Erie PA)
Great Lakes fleet of Pennsylvania Railroad, also known as “Anchor Line”

Permanent enrollment at Erie PA June 3, 1903 (#41)

Entered service 1903

Fleet sold Feb 22, 1916 to Great Lakes Transit Corporation, Buffalo NY
The railroads were required under the provisions of the Panama Canal Act of 1912 to divest themselves of competing vessels.  Great Lakes Transit Corporation was organized to own and operate these vessels.

The burning of the str. Morro Castle , with heavy loss of life, off Asbury Park NJ on Sept 8, 1934 resulted in many new safety regulations.  Vessel was not considered worth the cost of the necessary modifications and was retired after the 1936 season and laid up at Buffalo NY.

Sold for scrap 1940 to Steel Company of Canada.  Scrapped at Hamilton ON.

See history in Detroit Marine Historian July-Aug 1949 (#8)
Also in Great Lakes Ships We Remember p. 378

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