Talk:Reaction ferry

Diagram request
A picture is worth &hellip; A diagram would be great. -- 80.195.187.80 08:55, 10 Jun 2005 (UTC)
 * done! Theosch (talk) 17:45, 12 March 2023 (UTC)

Pas de Barca Ferry
Has this been running, as it says, since the Middle Ages, all the time as a reaction ferry? The German Wikipedia says the concept was invented by a Dutchman in 1657, well after the Middle Ages.


 * In which case the German Wikipedia is wrong. They should know better. Johannes Kepler, when writing his Astronomia nova in 1609, was clearly familiar with this kind of ferry. He uses it as an analogy in describing celestial mechanics. I'm hoping to find a decent reference in order to include this as a quote for the article. -- Starbois (talk) 16:02, 17 February 2009 (UTC)

Switzerland
I have added a reference to the Basel ferries. The first sentence is a copy-paste from the ferry article. If it's worth including in the generic ferry article, it must be worth including in an article on the specific type of ferry. TiffaF 06:57, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

Images and references
I think a better lead image might be a good thing. I've been trying to find more information on this obscure type of ferry, and the following links may be of some assistance. In particular the Flickr link is to an image I plan to bring over, since it has a compatible license. The cable leading to the cross-river cable is pretty clear in that image since it has pennants on it. An animated diagram might also be really helpful. Hope these references help! ++Lar: t/c 14:42, 1 November 2008 (UTC)
 * http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=active&q=%22reaction+ferry%22&start=10&sa=N
 * http://www.wlym.com/~animations/part3/38/index.html
 * http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/BCHighways/contracts/maintenance/Standards_Specs_Local_Area/sa15/LAS2_Appendix_C_Reaction_Ferry_Maint.pdf
 * http://www.cariboo.bc.ca/news/past03Mar17/stories03Mar17/McLureFerryK.html
 * http://www.livinglandscapes.bc.ca/northwest/skeena_river/ferry.htm
 * http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/pm.php?id=story_line&lg=English&fl=&ex=00000199&sl=4196&pos=1
 * http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/periodicals/bittersweet/fa79k.htm
 * http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/periodicals/bittersweet/7i1p55.jpg
 * http://www.faehri.ch/
 * http://www.faehri.ch/download/faehri_english.pdf
 * http://www.flickr.com/photos/christina-t/2468025501/sizes/l/

Types of reaction ferries
I moved the paragraph describing the kind of reaction ferry commonly found in BC (twin pontoons, bridle cable to traveller running on suspended cable across river) to the BC section. User:Tivedshambo moved it back with the comment doesn't just apply to British Columbia.

Which is sort of fair comment. It is true that there are twin hulled reaction ferries outside BC (the Traghetto di Leonardo in Italy, reputedly designed by Leonardo Di Vinci, is an example). It is also true that there are reaction ferries that use suspended cables and travellers outside BC (the Hampton Loade Ferry in the UK is an example). But it is also true to say that a great many reaction ferries are single hulled and use a floating cable attached to a single anchorage. Given the large number of this kind to be found on the Elbe in former East Germany, I think it likely this is the majority form.

I am intending to write a taxonomy section, describing the different forms, but I'm having difficulty finding good sources and I don't want it to be seen as original reasearch. In the meantime I've left the para in the lede, but generalised it somewhat. -- Starbois (talk) 12:39, 12 February 2009 (UTC)


 * Fair enough. —  Tivedshambo   (t/c) 13:10, 12 February 2009 (UTC)

Another Canadian image
Another image of one of the Canadian reaction ferries would be good, to illustrate the Canadian subsection of the Worldwide usage section. I don't want to move the existing image from the lede, as it nicely illustrates one of the two principal types of reaction ferry. Anybody know of one?. -- Starbois (talk) 12:15, 17 February 2009 (UTC)

More Explaination on How They Work?
After reading the article, I still don't understand exactly how they work. Maybe some diagrams could be added? ERBuermann (talk) 16:58, 2 February 2023 (UTC)


 * Done! Please edit or discuss here if unclear or not understandable. Theosch (talk) 17:48, 12 March 2023 (UTC)