I missed my Sunday deadline this week as I was at the Panama Canal Society Reunion which was a great time.  Prior to the reunion, CZ Images contributor Bill Fall sent me this photo of the Balboa Dry Dock as it looks today.  There is a dredge being services within the dry dock which is probably one of the contract dredges being used in the widening project.  It appears that most of the old Balboa Shops have been demolished to make way for the shipping container port.  The old large black crane is still in service.  This crane goes way back in time and has been essential in the operation of the dry dock. I was pleased to see the old crane still in service.  

Below is a scan of an old colorized post card showing almost the same scene back in the early days.  The coal plant was in full operation shown in the lower right corner.  The same dock is shown above with a multiple mast boat.  As you can see in the old post card, all the buildings which made up the Balboa Shops are all in place.  The Balboa Shops were the heart throb of ship and equipment repair in the early days and up until the treaty went through.  I had the opportunity to go into the shops several times when they were in operation and I was more than impressed at what they could do in those shops.  Massive machinery that could build just about any part needed.  Those days are gone like most others of Canal Zone fame.

Thank you Bill for sending these images in.