Practically everybody knows about the two giant train ferrys the Southern Pacific once had, plying the Carquinez Straights between Port Costa and Benicia. One was named SOLANO and another that came later was named CONTRA COSTA. They were the largest train ferries in the entire world. The CONTRA COSTA was about seven feet longer than the SOLANO.

Now then, just how BIG were they ??

According to the NFL, the official dimensions for a professional football field are :

160 feet (48.5 m) wide and 360 feet (109.1 m) in length (53.3 yards, 120 yards respectively), including the two 10 yard (9.2 m) end zones ...

The SOLANO was 424 feet long --- and 116 feet wide ... Pretty damn BIG, huh ?
Can you imagine something this big on the water route only about one mile across ?

The SOLANO and the CONTRA COSTA were very busy boats. Why ??

The Solano docking operation must have been very fast indeed, for according to the 1905 Scientific American article on the Solano, in 1904 she was making 36 to 46 crossings every 24 hours, and had carried approximately 115,000 freight cars and 56,000 passenger cars that year. That calculates out to the Solano leaving the dock every 31 to 40 minutes, and carrying an average of 315 frieght cars and 153 passenger cars every 24 hours. In October 1909, there were 23 scheduled passenger trains crossing on the Solano per day, as she carried the trancontinental trains, the SF to Sacramento locals and the SF to Portland trains. It must have been a very busy place indeed!

The SOLANO could hold 24 Passenger Cars plus a Road Engine and a Switch Engine..

It could also transport 48 Freight cars plus a Road Engine and a Switch Engine..

Very busy boat crews and dock workers for over fifty-years, every 24-hours. AMAZING !!

Cheers.

KRK