Looking NW from Clark Bridge.
<p>Towboat "Ralph E. Plagge" upbound with tank barge "Chotin 2781".
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteenth_Street_Bridge_(Ohio_River)" class="extiw" title="w:Fourteenth Street Bridge (Ohio River)">Conrail (later L&amp;I) Bridge</a> and upper gates of McAlpine Dam in distance.
</p><p>Twin screw towboat "Ralph E. Plagge" (doc. # 572403, length 138 feet, breadth 44 feet, GM 16-645E7B diesels, 6120 hp.) was built in 1976 by <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/small/stlouisboats.htm">St. Louis Ship</a>, St. Louis, Mo.
It was owned by <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.marinelink.com/news/article/midland-enterprises-expands-with-the/320131.aspx">Midland Enterprises</a>, Cincinnati, Ohio, until 2002, when it was sold to <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ingrambarge.com/">Ingram Barge Co.</a>, Nashville, Tenn.
Still operating in 2017
.
On the outer deck, back near the rudder room, there are three steps leading up to the raised deck at the stern.
Years ago, a fellow boat-watcher at the old McAlpine Locks observation deck told me that all towboats built by St. Louis Ship have those steps (instead of a ramp like some other builders use).
So far as I know, that guy was right.
</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_River" class="extiw" title="w:Ohio River">Ohio River</a> mile 604.
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisville,_Kentucky" class="extiw" title="w:Louisville, Kentucky">Louisville, Kentucky</a>.
Dec. 1987.
File # 87l003.
.
35 mm Kodachrome.
Plustek OpticFilm 7600i and Silverfast 8.
Picture Window 6.
</p>
JPEG quality 95.
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/70020260@N04">William Alden</a> from Louisville, Kentucky, USA
CC BY-SA 2.0
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/bill_alden/8541834554/">87l003: Ralph E. Plagge upbound on Ohio River at Clark Bridge</a>