Drayton Blackgrove. Photo from “Railroad on Water: The Legend of the SS Badger”
LUDINGTON — A new indepndently-produed documentary chronicling the history of the SS Badger and the Great Lakes railroad carferry era will premiere in Ludington and Manitowoc this spring.
“Railroad on Water: The Legend of the SS Badger,” produced by Delay In Block Productions, will debut with special screenings Saturday, May 16, at the Ludington Area Center for the Arts, 107 S. Harrison St., followed by a Sunday, May 17 showing at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay’s Manitowoc Campus Theater.
Two screenings are scheduled in Ludington on May 16 at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The timing allows attendees to also experience the SS Badger’s daily sailing schedule, including its 9 a.m. departure and approximately 7 p.m. return.
A matinee screening will take place May 17 at 3 p.m. in Manitowoc, with the ferry scheduled to arrive at noon and depart at 2 p.m. Central time.
Following the morning screening in Ludington, a panel discussion will be held at the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Panelists will include director and producer Drayton Blackgrove, railroad historian Jonathon Leese, Lake Michigan Carferry public relations representative Thom Hawley and others.
The discussion will focus on the making of the film, the historical research behind it and the vessel’s legacy, followed by a question-and-answer session.
The panel discussion event is included with ticketed admission to the museum but separate from the screenings.
The documentary explores the rise and decline of railroad carferry service on the Great Lakes, highlighting Ludington’s role as a major transportation hub for more than 150 years.
Operated originally by the Flint & Pere Marquette Railway, followed by the Pere Marquette Railway and later the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, the ferries allowed railroads to bypass Chicago congestion prior to modern freight logistics.
Launched in 1952 and entering service in 1953, the SS Badger is the largest railroad carferry ever built, capable of carrying up to 34 railcars. It remains the last coal-fired steamship in operation in the United States.
The film includes rare archival footage of the Badger and its sister ship, SS Spartan, along with interviews featuring historians, sailors and former crew members.
“This film has been a labor of love over the past three years,” said director and producer Drayton Blackgrove. “I’m excited to finally share the story of this remarkable ship and her crew with the world.”
Blackgrove grew up in Jackson and now resides in Chattanooga, Tenn. He has operated the YouTube channel, Delay In Block Productions, since he was 13 years old. The YouTube channel explores various railroads and has over 240,000 followers.
Blackgrove said he became interested in the Badger when a friend of his who lives in Manistee mentioned the ship to him.
“My friend is quite a boat nerd and told me about the Badger,” Blackgrove said. “I had heard of it prior but didn’t realize that it had been a railroad ferry and that it was the last coal fired steamship in North America.”
Blackgrove began filming the documentary in 2023. Since that time, Blackgrove has spent the last three years filming on the ship, interviewing various historians, enthusiasts and personnel who have an interest in the Badger.
Tickets for the premiere are available at www.TicketSource.com/DelayInBlock.
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