Max Hiller Between serving lunch and preparing dinner on the mv. Rich McCarty, Max Hiller sits down at the table in the galley and writes the next chapter in his… Read More
Features
Stories on some of the unique and colorful people who populate the barge industry. Human-interest articles on companies and individuals who make a difference in people’s lives, all while keeping the boats and barges moving.
Colton Broadway was 29 years old when he went to work as a deckhand for American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL). For Broadway, it wasn’t a “let’s see what happens” decision. Read More
When it comes to towboats and other watercraft, most crewmembers learn through any hands-on experience that comes their way. Tom Craig is one such engineer. It was by chance that… Read More
I handled crew and towboat operations at Madison Coal & Supply Company (MCS), now known as Amherst Madison, from 1990 until my retirement in 2023. Smitty was chief engineer of… Read More
When editor Frank McCormack approached me about writing a piece about my father, Edward “Smitty” Smith, for this edition of The Waterways Journal, I told him that I would have… Read More
For the most part, life aboard a towing vessel is marked by separation from friends and family. It’s a natural and necessary part of a job that can be both… Read More
When fans of the World War II destroyer U.S.S. Kidd hear that the ship is heading to drydock soon for about a year, they sometimes get the wrong impression… Read More
By Ken Kolb When the container ship Dali crashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, the entire country was reminded of the importance of maintaining safe… Read More
Jennifer Carpenter, president and CEO of The American Waterways Operators since 2020 and a 34-year veteran of the organization, reflected on AWO’s 80 years of service to its members… Read More
On a small island on the western bank of the Upper Mississippi River, at Mile 535.5, about halfway between Davenport and Dubuque, sits the little town of Sabula, population… Read More
