Locking Through Wilson Dam

Here they come: 15 barges and the Riverboat. They are coming upstream, so the lock is emptied...

...and the river side gate opened. Then they shove 'em in there. Notice the clearance on each side...or rather, the lack of it.

Now thats a tight fit!

Only nine at a time can go, so break 'em apart,

...close the gate,

...and raise 'em up.

Sure enough, thats how it works!

Then get 'em out, and close the gate. Wait a minute...how did they get them out? The riverboat is still down on the river!

Fortunately, we were able to talk to one of the barge hands. Seems they take the opportunity when locking through to take on supplies, make phone calls home, and the like. He told us there is a device called a "mule" that is like a hook on a large feedscrew (not really sure how they do it, but that could be one way) that they tie the downstream end of the barges to, and it slowly moves the length of the lock, pulling the whole mess out. That doo-hickey in the center of the picture on the upper lip of the lock is the "mule", being retracted.

Then you do it all over again. This time the boat gets to come along. Nice looking rig! Then the barges get lashed back together, and off they go. This group was headed all the way to Knoxville, so they still had Wheeler, Guntersville, Nickajack, Chickamauga, and Watts Bar to negotiate. The barge hand was dreading Chickamauga: the only lock there is the original small one, and the barges are sent through one at a time. He said that was an all day affair. He didn't mention Watts Bar...maybe it has a newer lock?