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Because of the high cost of fuel the size of barge strings on the river have been curtailed ;-)
@kentborg The twin propellers are in steel tubes called Kort nozzles with rudders across both ends. This gives a lot of control over the torque the boat can develop. The boats push almost always. The towboat term is from steam days.
@kentborg the barges are all tied together with large pins that mesh if loaded the same depth and/or 1 inch steel cables wenching them tightly into a unit. Worked as a deckhand one summer and many in my family had careers on the rivers.
