Erie Tugboats
Video & Images
Steam powered tugboats on the Hudson River were an important component in the Erie's success right from the beginning. Canal barges were lashed together and towed en-masse back and forth from Albany to New York City by vessels not unlike the paddle wheeler above and on the right. This postcard is from 1906, or just before the transition from animal power to diesel engines on the Erie itself. The original Erie (1825-1862) and the enlarged Erie (1862-1918) were both towpath canals - partly because the fragile banks of both canals couldn't stand up to the churning caused by steam-driven paddle wheels. The Hudson River on the other hand, did NOT have a towpath. Without steam-powered tugs like the one above and on the right to complete the journey, the Erie's legendary impact on our nation would no doubt have been less.
Heavy tugs like the Governor Cleveland are still needed in especially the eastern section today.
