as an avid river kayaker and resident of marina city, i can confirm that all branches of the chicago river still see barge traffic, though it is rather rare on the main branch. most barges that i've encountered while paddling also seem to go through downtown in the evening hours. i don't know if that's by design to avoid the busiest times of the tourist boats or if it's just coincidence, but it's a pattern i've noticed.
i've also seen that big blue barge that cbotnyse posted. it's cool seeing a barge that big navigate through the bends at wabash.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Downtown
As barges aren't used on the open lake,
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that's incorrect, there are a number of barges that are used out on the open water of the great lakes' shipping lanes. they are operated as an integrated tug and barge system where the barge actually has a notch in the back end to accommodate the hull of the tug (as seen in the picture cbotnyse posted). from a distance they can resemble a conventional lake freighter, but they are in fact tug and barge set-ups. what you won't see out on the open water of the great lakes are rafted barge set-ups like you see on the mississippi river, where a number of smaller barges are rafted together and pushed by a single tug.
for reference, here's an image of one of the typical great lakes integrated tug & barges (ITB) that routinely ply the open waters of the great lakes.
source:
http://www.boatnerd.com/
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I believe the word is riprap.
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