Bradley Transportation Company

The Bradley Transportation Company, was an American shipping company that was a subsidiary of the Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company and handled its shipment of limestone to its parent company U.S. Steel. It boasted a large fleet of self-unloading lakers that were ordered specifically for the company.[1][2][dead link] The Bradley Trans Co. was later merged with the U.S. Steel Great Lakes Fleet during the early 1980s.[3]

Bradley Transportation Company
Company typeSubsidiary of Michigan Limestone
IndustryShipping
Founded1912
Defunct1981
HeadquartersRogers City, Michigan
Area served
Great Lakes
Key people
Carl D. Bradley (President)
ParentUnited States Steel Corporation

Fleet

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Bradley fleet
image name launch
date
retired notes
 
SS Calcite 1912 1960
  • Scrapped in 1961.
  • pilot house preserved and moved to 40 mile point lighthouse
SS W. F. White 1915 1976
  • Sold to Reoch Transports in 1976 and renamed Erindale.
  • Scrapped in 1984.
SS Irvin L. Clymer 1917 1990
  • Originally named Carl D. Bradley. Renamed John G. Munson in 1927. Again renamed to Irvin L. Clymer in 1951
  • Scrapped in 1994.
  • Pilothouse sits at the Azcon dock in Duluth Minnesota
SS Rogers City 1923 1981
  • Originally named SS B. H. Taylor
  • Scrapped in 1988.
SS T. W. Robinson 1925 1982
  • Scrapped in 1987
  • first turbo electric lake freighter
 
SS Carl D. Bradley 1927 1958
  • Sank in storm 1958
  • Biggest Ship on the lakes until the construction of the Wilfred Sykes in 1949
 
SS Cedarville 1927 1965
  • Originally Named A.F. Harvey
  • Transferred from the Pittsburg steamship Co. and given a self unloader in 1956
  • Sank after collision 1965
 
SS John G. Munson 1952 present
  • Repowered 2016
 
(In her grand river navigation days)
M/V Calcite II 1929 2011
  • As the William G. Clyde she was transferred from the Pittsburg steamship Co. and given a self unloader in 1960
  • Repowered 1961
  • Sold to Grand River Navigation in 2001 and renamed Maumee
  • Scrapped 2011
 
The Taylor (left) in her Pittsburg Steamship Co. configuration
M/V Myron C. Taylor 1929 2007
  • Transferred from the Pittsburg steamship Co. and given a self unloader in 1956
  • Repowered 1968
  • Sold to Grand River Navigation in 2001 and renamed Calumet
  • Collided with a harbor wall, this event would lead to her being scrapped
 
The Sloan as the Mississagi
SS George A. Sloan 1943 2023
  • Transferred from the Pittsburg steamship Co. and given a self unloader in 1967
  • Sold to lower lakes towing in 2001 and renamed Missisagi
  • As of 2023 scrapping was underway

References

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  1. ^ Van Heest, V. O. (2012). Lost & Found: Legendary Lake Michigan Shipwrecks. In-Depth Editions. pp. 37–38. ISBN 978-09801750-5-9.
  2. ^ Micketti, Gerald (1995), The Bradley boats, G.F. Micketti, retrieved 9 January 2019
  3. ^ French, David. "United States Steel, Great Lakes Fleet".
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