Talk:Car float

Merge
Shouldn't this be merged with Train ferry? I so no significant difference 80.235.138.77 (talk) 17:52, 14 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Until user:80.235.138.77 is properly identified, this matter should be shelved. Peter Horn User talk 02:25, 7 March 2011 (UTC)
 * Let's shelve it anyway. Car floats are a category of "lighter." Lighters are defined as "non-self propelled," and are moved by tugs.  Train ferries are self propelled, and are a different category of vessel. Ref. Lederer, Eugene (1945) Port Terminal Operation, Cornell Maritime Press, NY, pp. 291-292.Digthepast (talk) 01:45, 8 October 2012 (UTC)
 * In fact, I should probably clarify the difference in the introductory sentence.108.16.163.2 (talk) 11:56, 12 October 2012 (UTC)

What is the origen?
What is the origen of the term car float? Let us here continue the discussion that started at User talk:Peter Horn. Peter Horn User talk 02:30, 7 March 2011 (UTC)

Hi. You asked that question with respect to an article car float that I started way back in 2005. I'm afraid I don't remember starting the article, or my thinking at the time. So what follows is to a certain extent reconstructive.

Firstly, to answer your question, I'm British. However I believe that car float is a US term. I'm not aware of a British English equivalent term, probably because to the best of my knowledge no such animal has ever existed in the UK. The nearest equivalent would be a train ferry, but that is a more general term, without the implications of unpowered, use of tugs etc.

I would agree that rail barge is more descriptive, but it is not a term I've ever heard used before. If that is the general term in use in Canada, then I would suggeset that this is the term that should be used in a Canadian context.

-- chris_j_wood (talk) 19:25, 6 March 2011 (UTC)
 * Hello Chris, I used the "History" feature, 5th item down at top left of the car float article ([History]) and then clicked on "earliest" to get to the the beginning and thus found "(cur | prev) 2005-05-20T18:25:37 Chris j wood (talk | contribs) (353 bytes) (new)". That is why I asked you. Just click on the links. Peter Horn User talk 20:10, 6 March 2011 (UTC)


 * Sorry, you misunderstood me. I wasn't saying I didn't start the article, merely that 6 years later I have no recollection of doing so, and therefore cannot answer to what my thoughts on the subject were at the time. -- chris_j_wood (talk) 18:35, 7 March 2011 (UTC)


 * I don't have time to research citations for my claim, but you'll have to for now put up with the so-called "original research" claim that "car float" I've never heard before. I don't know if either term might be in a Canadian dictionary, or what the industry actually uses; I do have a friend who works for teh Southern Railway of BC (which is owned, now, by WMG-cum-Seaspan) but that would only be hearsay if he did know which term etc.  That WMG/Seaspan is an American company (now; Seaspan as a brand has been around BC for decades, long before the Washington Group bought it up and lately rebranded itself with that name) indicates that an American term might be in use at that company now.  "Rail ferry" is a term sometimes heard here but often used to mean the transport of vehicles by flatdeck through areas where there is no road, only lake.  I don't know in other parts of Canada; the usage in New Brunswick or Ontario may be different.....and I don't know if e.g. the rail line on Newfoundland has slips at Port-aux-Basques or Argentia or elsewhere to get railcards to/from Cape Breton etc, or what those would be called (I think those would be CN).  Also to note in passing there seems to be an ongoing perception, not helped by FB and Macintosh and Microsoft softwares/OSs option only between US English and UK English only, that those are the only two kinds of English; leading to the supposition that American usages are automatically Canadian usages, or on the other hand that Canadians should use British-isms when not using American ones.  Imperial cultural-insensitivity from both sides in other words.  I have a full plate right now, not just in wikipedia, and don't have time/energy to hunt this down, only to tell you that "car float" is an alien term to me, and I've been around railyards and barges and port facilities of all kinds in BC.Skookum1 (talk) 22:04, 6 March 2011 (UTC)
 * Sorry but I don't understand. The article I started back in 2005 made no reference to Canada. It certainly never suggested that car float was a Canadian term. Nor does it appear to do so now. The bottom line is that we have to have an article title. It could be 'car float'; it could be 'rail barge'; it could be 'rail punt' (a term I've heard used in Australia, although I'm not sure of its exact meaning). Which we choose is pretty arbitrary given the global nature of WP; it is just a question of making sure we have the appropriate redirs in place. -- chris_j_wood (talk) 18:35, 7 March 2011 (UTC)

The Skinny
the short answer is rail barge, or car barge, Can; train ferry, Brit; Car float, US NYC.

Can we possibly get lists of NY rail tugs, and ship berthing vessels. ie particulars from US Coast Guard, or US Dept Commerce reg? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.7.23.169 (talk) 16:19, 7 December 2011 (UTC)


 * The Newfoundland Railway was abandoned in 1989. Prior to that train ferries (not rail barges) plied between North Sydney, Nova Scotia and Port aux Basques, see Newfoundland Railway, railroad car adapted ferry slips existed at both ends. Peter Horn User talk 02:00, 7 March 2011 (UTC)


 * I propose that we continue this conversation/discussion, at what is the origen of the term? Peter Horn User talk 02:35, 7 March 2011 (UTC)

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What is in a name
Would a self propelled car float be called a train ferry? Peter Horn User talk 16:36, 10 July 2022 (UTC)
 * Yes. Car floats are unpowered and require a tugboat for propulsion. A self-propelled car float would be a ferry. Trainsandotherthings (talk) 19:28, 10 July 2022 (UTC)
 * I'd be interested to know if such an animal ever existed (that is, a self-propelled rail barge). Mackensen (talk) 19:43, 10 July 2022 (UTC)
 * The answer may be the file that I'm adding. Peter Horn User talk 20:21, 12 July 2022 (UTC)
 * This article appears to mention self propelled rail barges. Peter Horn User talk 20:07, 14 July 2022 (UTC)
 * Greg George now operated by Seaspan as Greg. Peter Horn User talk 20:31, 14 July 2022 (UTC)

The names of the actual termini
Car float Delta, British Columbia – Nanaimo (E and N Railway) What are the names of the actual termini? Peter Horn User talk 20:09, 12 July 2022 (UTC)

Do not belong
Car float These are both train ferries and do not belong in this article Peter Horn User talk 22:17, 12 July 2022 (UTC)


 * For documentation: The comment was referring to this version of the article, but User:Peter Horn has removed the incorrect entries himself in the mean time. GeorgR (de) (talk) 21:49, 29 March 2024 (UTC)

Splitting proposal: Create own article for New York Harbor's car float operations
I propose to split the aspects concerning New York Harbor from the main article, as these formerly extensive operations merit their own (extended) article and already make up a somewhat disproportionate part of the current article. GeorgR (de) (talk) 21:53, 29 March 2024 (UTC)