Documentary Premiere: Railroad on Water - The Legend of the SS Badger

Name: Documentary Premiere: Railroad on Water - The Legend of the SS Badger
Start: 2026-05-17T15:00:00-05:00
Location: UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus

Schedule

Sun, 17 May, 2026 at 03:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus | Manitowoc, WI

Railroad on Water: The Legend of the SS Badger will be presented at the UW–Green Bay Manitowoc Campus Theater on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM (Central Time).
This feature-length documentary explores the history of the SS Badger and the system of railroad carferries that operated across Lake Michigan. For decades, these vessels provided an alternative to rail congestion in Chicago by transporting entire railcars across the lake.
The film traces the rise of carferry operations beginning in the 1890s, their peak in the early 20th century, and their eventual decline, concluding with the end of cross-lake rail service in 1990. It also examines the continued operation of the SS Badger, which remains in service today.
Built in 1952 and entering service in 1953, the SS Badger was the largest carferry of its kind and is notable for still operating with its original coal-fired boilers and Skinner Unaflow steam engines. The documentary also features archival footage, including previously unseen builder’s material, along with interviews with historians and former crew members.
Attendees have the opportunity to observe the SS Badger in Manitowoc on the same day, with an arrival scheduled for 12:00 PM and departure at 2:00 PM, an hour before the screening.
This screening offers a detailed look at a unique aspect of Great Lakes transportation history and the continued operation of one of its last remaining vessels.
Runtime: 2 hours and 13 minutes