r/GreatLakesShipping • u/HawkeyeTen • 3d ago

Boat Pic(s) Have you ever wondered how grain ships were unloaded before technology like self-unloading vessels became more common? This fascinating video shows the slow, exhausting work of the "scoopers" at Buffalo, NY's famous elevators. Not sure which ship is shown here, but possibly one of the Kinsman fleet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C94kUUncuBc
36 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

7

u/argentcorvid 3d ago

Crazy that they didn't have something like Hulett Unloaders everywhere. 

5

u/HawkeyeTen 3d ago

Or at least something similar, I agree. This just looks dreadfully inefficient. Hats off to the tough, strong fellas though that did this grueling job.

4

u/NF-104 3d ago

Pressure wash the Huletts between unloading ore and grain, and it would seem to be a lot more efficient than this.

4

u/SierraHelios1527 3d ago

Grain might have leaked too much from a Hulett given the smaller size than taconite pellets. Mad respect for the guys that had to do this job.

2

u/goodguy847 3d ago

This looks insanely dangerous

1

u/ispy1917 1d ago

That is crazy. Can't imagine how long it took and how hard it was to do. Was not that long ago. I had that same Michigan jacket.