Editing Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (section)

===Traffic regulations===
Boats were to keep to the right. Certain craft had preference over others: "boats had the right of way over rafts, descending boats over ascending craft, packets over freight boats at all times, and packets carrying the mail over all others",<ref>[[#Unrau|Unrau]] p. 365</ref> and later, repair boats actively involved in repair had preference over everybody else.<ref>[[#Unrau|Unrau]] p. 367</ref> The boat which did not have preference would slow down the mule team, the rope would sink to the bottom of the canal, and the other boat would float over it, and the mules would walk over also. The towline of the one boat would be unhitched so the lines would not tangle, but sometimes they did. There is one report of a towline snagging on the other boat, and the boatman running the boat into the towpath so as not to drag the other mules into the canal.<ref>[[#hahn-boatmen|Hahn, boatmen]] p. 40</ref>

It was forbidden to moor boats, rafts, or anything on the towpath side of the canal (which would, of course, impede any traffic at night).<ref>[[#Unrau|Unrau]] p. 383</ref> For that reason, boats would tie up on the berm side for the night.

Due to problems, on April 1, 1851, the company printed a 47-page booklet with new traffic regulations on the canal, detailing every aspect of operation, as well as fines for violations, and were printed in great numbers and distributed to boatmen and company officials.<ref>[[#Unrau|Unrau]] p. 808</ref>

The typical boating season ran from April until late November or December when the canal froze over.<ref>[[#hahn-boatmen|Hahn, Boatmen]] p. 76</ref> There were some occasions, for instance, during the Civil War, where the company tried to keep the canal open all year round.<ref name="Unrau724">[[#Unrau|Unrau]] p. 724</ref>