The Carferries of the Great Lakes [City of Saginaw 31]

The CITY OF SAGINAW 31 was the first of two turbo-electric carferries to be built for the Pere Marquette Railway in Manitowoc. Her sister-ship was the CITY OF FLINT 32, also built in 1929.

The CITY OF SAGINAW 31 was launched in November of 1929 and was christened by was christened by Miss Ann Bur Townsend, daughter of the mayor of Saginaw.

Call Whistle -- Long-Long-Long-Short

Captain -- Charles E. Robertson

The CITY OF SAGINAW 31 made more passages than any other Pere Marquette carferry in 1941, with 1,080--542 in and out.

FERRY WORKER SUFFERS BURNS

Ray Boertman, 308 First St., Pere Marquette carferry employee, is in Paulina Stearns Hospital with severe burns to the lower part of his body, reported suffered early Sunday afternoon while at work on the CITY OF SAGINAW 31. Further details were lacking.

Hospital attendants this noon pronounced his condition satisfactory.

Ludington Daily News, February 1942

In 1971, welder's torch started a fire on the cabin deck of the CITY OF SAGINAW 31, causing over $1 million in damage. She was sold for scrap two years later.

December 6, 1928 -- The CITY OF SAGINAW 31 & CITY OF FLINT 32 were ordered by the Pere Marquette Railroad.
August 6, 1929 -- CITY OF SAGINAW 31 was lauched. She was christened by Miss Ann Bur Townsend, daughter of the mayor of Saginaw.

November 24, 1929 -- The CITY OF SAGINAW 31 entered service.
October 11, 1940 -- The Ludington Daily News reported that new four-way air whistles were installed on the CITY OF SAGINAW 31 and CITY OF FLINT 32.
March 10, 1941 -- The CITY OF SAGINAW 31 struck a portion of the abutment of the north breakwater, damaging plates above the waterline on the left side.

"CITY OF SAGINAW, in the yard for the past couple of weeks for repairs to some damaged plates in now back in service on the Ludington-Milwaukee run."

Ludington Daily News, March 1941

December 31, 1941 -- The CITY OF SAGINAW 31 operated an entire year without a reportable injury. Won the L.H. Kent trophy.
1942 -- The CITY OF SAGINAW 31 was refitted with a tapered stack.

February 21, 1951 -- The Ludington Daily News reported that the C&O Railroad spent $84,000 equipping the five carferries of the fleet with radar. The first of the carferries to be so equipped was the CITY OF SAGINAW 31
July 7, 1971 -- The CITY OF SAGINAW 31 went to Manitowoc for a thorough overhall.
July 29, 1971 -- While in Manitowoc for an overhaul, a fire destroyed the cabin deck of the CITY OF SAGINAW 31, causing over $1 million in damage.

November 21, 1980 -- The Consolidator, formerly the PERE MARQUETTE 21, sank 17 miles off the coast of Honduras during Hurricane Jean. No lives were lost.
April 25, 1973 -- It was announced that the CITY OF SAGINAW 31 would be scrapped, following the fire in 1971.
May 31, 1973 -- The CITY OF SAGINAW 31 was towed from Manitowoc.

01/20/04