The SS Badger is a historically significant passenger and vehicle ferry operating on Lake Michigan since 1953. Built by the Christy Corporation of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, she was launched on September 6, 1952, and entered service on March 21, 1953. Originally, she was designed as a rail car ferry with a reinforced hull suitable for ice-breaking, capable of carrying railroad cars, passengers, and automobiles year-round between Ludington, Michigan, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. She has a length of approximately 410 feet, with a large deck space that can accommodate tractor trailers and other large commercial loads, including wind turbine components. The vessel is powered by Skinner Unaflow steam engines, making her the last vessel in the United States still operating with this type of propulsion, and she is also the last coal-fired passenger vessel on the Great Lakes. Her construction features a reinforced, ice-breaking hull that allows her to operate in harsh winter conditions. Typically, her crossing of Lake Michigan covers about 60 miles and takes around four hours. She is notable for rarely missing scheduled sailings, even in adverse weather. Throughout her service, SS Badger has undergone several ownership changes and extensive refurbishments. After her initial operation by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and its successors, she was sold in 1983 to Ludington native Charles F. Conrad, who repurposed her for passenger and automobile service. She became a symbol of Great Lakes maritime heritage and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2016, and she is registered as a historic site in both Michigan and Wisconsin. The vessel has faced mechanical challenges, such as a stern bearing failure in 2008, but has been consistently repaired and maintained. In recent years, she has also been involved in environmental mitigation efforts, transitioning from discharging untreated coal ash to storing and processing ash safely onboard. SS Badger remains a vital link, carrying over 1,000 commercial loads annually, including wind turbine components, and serving as an iconic example of maritime history and engineering on the Great Lakes.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.