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CRRNJ Newark Bay Bridge

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Not to be confused with Newark Bay Bridge. Bridge in New Jersey
Newark Bay
Coordinates40°39′16″N 74°09′00″W / 40.6545°N 74.15°W / 40.6545; -74.15
CarriesCentral Railroad of New Jersey
CrossesNewark Bay
LocaleNew Jersey
Official nameNewark Bay
Characteristics
DesignVertical lift bridge, through Parker truss
Total length2 miles (3.2 km)
Width4 tracks
Longest span299 feet (91 m)
Clearance above216 feet (66 m)
History
DesignerJohn Alexander Low Waddell
Opened1926
Closed1980-1988
Location

The Newark Bay Bridge of the Central Railroad of New Jersey was a four track railroad bridge that had four main lift spans. It opened in 1926, replacing an outdated two track bascule span built in 1901, that in turn had replaced a wooden draw bridge that originally opened on July 29, 1864. The bridge connected Elizabethport and Bayonne at the southern end of Newark Bay. The designer of this bridge was J.A.L. Waddell. On September 15, 1958, a commuter train plunged off the south span which had been opened for marine traffic, killing 48 people, including former New York Yankees second baseman Snuffy Stirnweiss. In 1966 the French freighter S.S. Washington collided with the north east lift span, rendering two tracks unusable. When the Aldene Plan went into effect in May of 1967 the only passenger service on the bridge was the Bayonne-Cranford shuttle, known commonly as the "Scoot". The last freight train crossed the bridge in 1976 just prior to the formation of Conrail, and the last passenger train left Bayonne's Eighth Street Station on August 6, 1978. Despite Bayonne's efforts to save the bridge, demolition of the central lift spans began in July 1980 after the United States Coast Guard declared the structure a navigational hazard to ships. The trestle and approaches were removed in 1987-1988 when it became apparent that a replacement span was no longer feasible.

Map of rail lines around Essex, Hudson, and Union counties in New Jersey. The grey CNJ line from Bayonne to Elizabeth was carried by the CNJ's Newark Bay Bridge
Bridges of the Newark Bay
Upstream
Lehigh Valley Draw Bridge
Newark Bay Bridge
Downstream
CRRNJ Newark Bay Bridge
(demolished)

Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridge
(Arthur Kill)


Bayonne Bridge
(Kill Van Kull)

See also


References

  1. ^ Baugn, James (2009). "Newark Bay Lift Bridge". Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  2. Bianculli, Anthony J. (2008). Iron Rails in the Garden State: Tales of New Jersey Railroading. Indiana University Press. p. 106–107. ISBN 9780253351746.
  3. Conway, Neal J. "Jersey Central: Newark Bay Bridge". Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  4. "TheDeadballEra.com :: SNUFFY STIRNWEISS' OBIT". Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  5. Heininger, Claire (September 15, 2007). "Looking Back: 48 killed as train plunges off Newark Bay drawbridge - NJ.com: Star-Ledger updates". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2009-04-18. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. Haine, Edgar A. (1993). Railroad Wrecks. Associated University Presses. p. 134. ISBN 0845348442. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  7. ^ Thorpe, Steve. "CONRAIL/NJ D.O.T. Draws the Curtain on the Bayonne Shuttle". Retrieved 2009-04-23.
  8. "X. HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN ELEMENT" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-04-18.

External links

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