Train ferry facts for kids

A train ferry is a special kind of ferry boat that carries trains across water. People use them when it's too hard or expensive to build a bridge over a wide river or a sea. Some train ferries can also carry cars or passengers along with the trains.

What is a Train Ferry?

A train ferry is like a floating bridge for trains! Instead of building a long, expensive bridge, engineers designed these big boats to carry entire trains. This way, trains can continue their journey without having to unload all their cargo or passengers and then reload onto another train on the other side.

Why Do We Need Train Ferries?

Train ferries are super useful in places where building a bridge is just not possible. Imagine a very wide strait or a large lake! Building a bridge there would be incredibly difficult and cost a lot of money. Ferries offer a flexible and often cheaper way to connect railway lines across water.

How Do Train Ferries Work?

Train ferries have special tracks on their decks. When a train needs to cross, it rolls right onto the ferry. The ferry then sails across the water. On the other side, the train simply rolls off the ferry and continues on its journey. This makes moving goods and people much smoother and faster.

Connecting Continents

Train ferries have been important for connecting different railway networks. For example, they helped link countries across seas or large lakes, making it easier to transport goods and people over long distances without interruption. They were especially popular before many long bridges and tunnels were built.

Different Types of Ferries

While all train ferries carry trains, some are designed to carry only a few wagons, while others are huge and can hold many long trains. Some also have space for cars and trucks, and even cabins for passengers, making them multi-purpose vessels.

History of Train Ferries

Train ferries have been around for a long time! One of the first was the "Floating Railway" which started in 1850 in Scotland. It was designed to carry coal wagons across the Firth of Forth. This was a big step forward in connecting railway lines.

Famous Train Ferry Routes

Many countries have used train ferries throughout history.

• In Europe, routes across the English Channel connected the UK with mainland Europe.
• In North America, train ferries were vital for connecting railway lines across the Great Lakes and major rivers like the Mississippi.
• In Asia, they are still used in places like the Qiongzhou Strait in China and across Lake Van in Turkey.

Modern Use of Train Ferries

Even today, train ferries are still used in many parts of the world. They are especially useful in areas with many islands or where the geography makes bridge building impractical. They continue to play a role in global transport, helping goods and people move efficiently.

Images for kids

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  Car and train ferry across the Strait of Messina

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  Train ferry across the Qiongzhou Strait

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  Train ferry with waggons in China

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  Train on a ferry, in Denmark

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  Classification yard and two docking train ferries in Detroit, April 1943. A third ferry slip can be seen at the bottom of the photograph.

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  The 'Floating Railway', opened in 1850 as the first roll-on roll-off train ferry in the world.

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  Bouch's ferry design. Note the adjustable ramp.

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  The New York Central Railroad 69th Street Transfer Bridge

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  Loaded train ferry approaches dock in Detroit, Michigan, United States in April 1943.

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  Woodfibre, British Columbia

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  Bonn–Oberkassel train ferry

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  MV Bali Sea along the CG Railway loads up with Ferrosur trains in Coatzacoalcos

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  The Tinnsjø railway ferry, Norway

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  Ferry Van approaching Van harbour.

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  Southern Pacific Railroad in New Orleans

See also

In Spanish: Transbordador ferroviario para niños