INDUSTRIAL, OFFLINE
TERMINAL RAILROADS &
RAIL-MARINE OPERATIONS
OF BROOKLYN, QUEENS, STATEN
ISLAND, BRONX &
MANHATTAN:
COMPREHENSIVE
LIST OF TRANSFER BRIDGES AND FLOAT BRIDGES
LOCATED THROUGHOUT NEW YORK
HARBOR
1866 - Present
transfer float bridge Hudson / North River, Harlem River, East River, Upper New York Bay, Morris Canal, Wallabout Basin, Gowanus Bay and the Arthur Kill
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updated: |
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Service dates amended on NYNH&H Oak Point transfer bridges, citation added to footnotes. NYNH&H Oak Point pontoons added | 12 January 2024 |
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While accuracy is always paramount in any historical compendium; tabulating the dates on each individual transfer & float bridges located within New York Harbor is next to impossible.
We consider ourselves lucky just to have compiled what we think is the complete list. This in itself was no small undertaking, what with referencing various issues and decades of Port of New York Terminal Maps, Army Corp of Engineers Port Facilities Maps, aerial as well as local imagery, not to mention many issues of the City of New York Department of Docks & Wharves annual reports. Most of the historical dates are known through newspaper and trade articles, and we may never know an exact date when a particular float bridge was changed out at a particular location, even though photographic evidence shows us different bridges at that location a few years apart.
According to James B. French's "Development of the Car Float Transfer Bridges in New York Harbor", 1917; the first float bridge installed in New York Harbor was 1866 and was a wood Howe Truss bridge construction supported by a wood pontoon.
Further information was located in the (Trenton) Daily State Gazette, November 13, 1866, p. 3:
"CENTRAL RAILROAD: The Central Railroad Company [of New Jersey] are having a large scow constructed for the purpose of conveying the freighter cars directly from Communipaw to the New York side. It is large enough to hold eight cars which will be run in on rails from the track on this side. It will be in operation next week. The Western mail which has heretofore been carried by the Erie Railway has been transferred to the Central Road." |
As far as known, all float bridges located in New York Harbor between 1866 and 1888 were pontoon supported Howe Truss type. This would soon evolve.
As the in-depth histories and evolution of the railroad transfer bridge throughout New York Harbor has already been published on a companion page of this website, it is highly recommended you read it here:
If you have questions, information to submit or to offer corrections, please contact the authors at bedt14@aol.com or crossharbor11@gmail.com
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Data / Information Section
Float bridges are listed by borough and facility, progressing from north to south or east to west where applicable.
Each float bridge is listed for each terminal / location. Therefore four separate entries will be found for New York Central West 60th Street.
This compilation lists all known float bridge locations throughout history, however not all float bridges listed were in service at same time.
The first column lists the railroad that originally installed the float bridge. Successive operating railroads are (in parenthesis).
Second column lists the name of the terminal or facility.
Third column is the float bridge number or name.
Fourth column is the corresponding street location of the float bridge.
Fifth column denotes float bridge type. Where more than one is listed, float
bridges are listed with oldest or original installation on top, most recent
or surviving on bottom.
See
glossary for
illustrations of float bridge types:
Overhead suspension / separate apron also known as double apron;
Overhead suspension / contained apron, also known as French
patent or French type;
Overhead suspension / swivelling head block also known as Mallery
patent or Mallery type:
Pontoon types did not have overhead electric machinery or
counterweight gantries, but some early installations did have a light gantry
with chain & sheaves for raising the
float bridge for light / high riding carfloats. This gantry
is listed in the eighth column.
Sixth column list the dates of service. This is the column that suffers most
from lack of information. Most dates are not certain.
When a left guillemet « precedes a date, i.e.: «
1980 ; the usage start date is not known but end of service / scrapping
date is known.
When a right guillemet » follows a date, i.e.:
1918 » ; the usage start date is known but the end of service
/ scrapping date is not.
When both guillemets « » both precede and follow a
date, i.e.: « 1965 » ; the usage start date and the out of service
/ scrapping date is not known, but visual confirmation of
the particular float bridge has been recorded in an image on
the year listed.
Blank fields reflect no start or end date known for that float
bridge, but confirmation comes via undated image or listing in historical
accounting, hence it being listed.
Seventh column denotes current status. Where blank, float bridge is no longer at location and presumed scrapped.
Eighth column lists notes, miscellaneous or other pertinent information.
Rows highlighted in gray denote surviving but out of service or derelict float bridges.
Rows highlighted in green denote in service float bridges.
Rows highlighted in maroon denote float bridges of new construction but not yet placed in service.
Rows highlighted in yellow denote ongoing projects (under proposal, under construction, et al).
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Photo Section
Arranged in the same way as the data section,
by borough, north to south.
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State of New York
installing railroad (subsequent railroad) |
terminal | bridge # / name | location | type | dates of service | status | notes |
New York Central | Bronx Terminal Market | overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
built 1925 - in service 1935 - c1975 | ||||
Erie | Harlem Station | pontoon / plate girder | lifting gallows | ||||
Lehigh Valley | Bronx Terminal | pontoon / Howe Truss | replacement pontoon from float bridge in Jersey City and "transplanted" | ||||
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western | Harlem Transfer | pontoon / plate girder | |||||
Central RR of New Jersey | Bronx Terminal | pontoon / Howe truss | |||||
New York, New Haven & Hartford | Harlem River / Mott Haven |
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pontoon / plate girder | lifting gallows, three girder eastern most |
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New York, New Haven & Hartford | Harlem River / Mott Haven |
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pontoon / plate girder | lifting gallows, three girder | |||
New York, New Haven & Hartford | Harlem River / Mott Haven |
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pontoon / pony truss | lifting gallows, three truss | |||
New York, New Haven & Hartford | Harlem River / Mott Haven |
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pontoon / plate girder | lifting gallows, three girder western most |
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New York Central | Port Morris | pontoon / plate girder | « 1920 ? - c. 1950 | no carfloat service reflected on 1932 ACoE map. Abandoned float bridge seen in 1954 aerial possibly two float bridges at this location. |
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New York, New Haven & Hartford | Oak Point | 12 |
overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) |
1911 - 1965 | [1][13][24] gantry & bridge demolished by 1974 aerial | ||
New York, New Haven & Hartford | Oak Point | 11 |
overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) |
1911 - 1965 | [1][13][24] gantry & bridge demolished by 1974 aerial | ||
New York, New Haven & Hartford | Oak Point | 10 |
overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) |
1911 - 1965 | [1][13][24] gantry & bridge demolished by 1974 aerial | ||
New York, New Haven & Hartford | Oak Point | pontoon | 1900-1910 | built prior to the overhead suspended separate apron removed from service when first three bridges were opened for operation. | |||
New York, New Haven & Hartford | Oak Point | pontoon | 1900-1910 | built prior to the overhead suspended separate apron removed from service when first three bridges were opened for operation. | |||
New York, New Haven & Hartford | Oak Point | pontoon | 1900-1910 | built prior to the overhead suspended separate apron removed from service when first three bridges were opened for operation. | |||
New York, New Haven & Hartford | Oak Point | pontoon | 1900-1910 | built prior to the overhead suspended separate apron removed from service when first three bridges were opened for operation. | |||
New York, New Haven & Hartford | Oak Point | 5 |
overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) |
1911 - 1965 | [1][13][24] gantry &
bridge standing in 1974 aerial, gone by 1980 aerial |
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New York, New Haven & Hartford | Oak Point | 4 |
overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) |
1911 - 1965 | [1][13][24] gantry &
bridge standing in 1974 aerial, gone by 1980 aerial |
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New York, New Haven & Hartford | Oak Point | 3 |
overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) |
1910 - 1965 | [1][13][24] gantry &
bridge standing in 1974 aerial, gone by 1980 aerial |
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New York, New Haven & Hartford | Oak Point | 2 |
overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) |
1910 - 1965 | [1][13][24] gantry &
bridge standing in 1974 aerial, gone by 1980 aerial |
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New York, New Haven & Hartford | Oak Point | 1 |
overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) |
1910 - 1965 | [1][13][24]gantry &
bridge standing in 1974 aerial, gone by 1980 aerial |
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installing railroad (subsequent railroad) |
terminal | bridge # / name | location | type | dates of service | status | notes |
Long Island | Long Island City | 1 |
48th Avenue & East River |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
1924 - 1976 | restored / preserved | gantry restored in 1998 to 1950's appearance "Gantry Plaza State Park" |
Long Island | Long Island City | 2 |
48th Avenue & East River |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
1924 - 1976 | restored / preserved | gantry restored in 1998 to 1950's appearance "Gantry Plaza State Park" |
Long Island | Long Island City | 3 |
49th Avenue & East River |
pontoon / Howe truss | « 1924 - 1932 » ? | in use at time of 1924 aerial | |
Long Island | Long Island City | 4 |
49th Avenue & East River |
pontoon / ? | « - ca. 1924 | removed by 1924 aerial; not reflected on 1932 ACoE Map. | |
Long Island | Long Island City | (5) | 50th Avenue & East River | overhead suspension / swivelling head block (Mallery type) | 1904 - 1905 | suffered design failure described by French. Rebuilt. | |
Long Island | Long Island City | (5) | 50th Avenue & East River | overhead suspension / swivelling head block (modified Mallery type) | 1905 - ca. 1924? | original design modified by French | |
Long Island | Long Island City | 5 |
50th Avenue & East River |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
1925 - 1976 | restored / preserved | [11] gantry restored in 1998 to 1950's appearance "Gantry Plaza State Park" |
Long Island | Long Island City | (6) | 50th Avenue & East River | overhead suspension / swivelling head block (Mallery type) | 1904 - 1904 | suffered design failure described by French. Rebuilt. | |
Long Island | Long Island City | (6) | 50th Avenue & East River | overhead suspension / swivelling head block (modified Mallery type) | 1904 - ca. 1924 | original design modified by French | |
Long Island | Long Island City | 6 |
50th Avenue & East River |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
1925 - 1976 | restored / preserved | [11] gantry restored in 1998 to 1950's appearance "Gantry Plaza State Park" |
Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal | Pidgeon Street | pontoon / pony truss . pontoon / pony truss |
1906
- c1958? . . c1958 - 1978 |
abandoned half sunk |
two distinct bridges used at this location; both pony truss: first one with square ends, second with angled ends. . This second span was abandoned in place upon closure of yard in 1978. Ultimately disappeared 2016, presumed scrapped. |
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installing railroad (subsequent railroad) |
terminal | bridge # / name | location | support type span type |
dates of service | status | notes |
Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal | Kent Avenue | 9 Bridge | North 9th Street & East River |
pontoon / pony truss |
« 1983 | to Navy Yard, ca. 1983 | |
Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal | Kent Avenue | 6 Bridge | North 6th Street & East River |
pontoon / pony truss |
« 1980 | gone by 1980 | |
Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal | Kent Avenue | 5 Bridge | North 5th Street & East River |
pontoon / Howe Truss . pontoon / plate girder |
1876
» ? ? « 1983 |
[2] scrapped 2007 | |
Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal | Kent Avenue | 3 Bridge / "Austin Nichols Bridge" | North 4th Street & East River | pontoon / Howe Truss | in place by 1924; not in service by 1942 | presumably installed during or just after construction of Austin Nichols Building in 1915/1916. Shown in service 1932 ACoE Map. Technically at foot of North 4th Street, south of the south curbline. Not to be confused with Pennsylvania RR N4 Terminal float bridge half a block north. Abandoned in place - disintegrated | |
Pennsylvania | North 4th Street Freight Station | North 4th Street & East River |
pontoon / Howe Truss |
« 1953 | abandoned in place - disintegrated | ||
Baltimore & Ohio / New York, New Haven & Hartford |
North 1st Street | North 1st Street & East River |
pontoon / unknown |
1890 - 1918 | |||
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western | Wallabout Terminal | Washington Ave & Clymer Street Wallabout Basin |
pontoon / Howe Truss |
1901 - 1941 | overhead trolley wire to end of float bridge | ||
Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal | Wallabout Market Terminal | Clinton Ave Ext. Wallabout Basin |
pontoon / Howe Truss |
1935 - 1941 | removed for Navy Yard Expansion | ||
U. S. Navy New York Naval Shipyard |
Brooklyn Navy Yard | Wallabout Basin | pontoon / plate girder |
« 1916 - 1941 | steel lifting gallows [17] removed for Navy Yard Expansion replaced with entry below |
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U. S. Navy New York Naval Shipyard (Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal) |
Brooklyn Navy Yard |
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Wallabout Basin | overhead suspension /
contained apron (French) |
1941 - 1983 | abandoned half sunk |
[3] [4]
[17] gantry remains, original French span scrapped |
New York Cross Harbor | Brooklyn Navy Yard | Wallabout Basin | pontoon / plate girder |
1983 (not used) | abandoned sunk (partially visible) |
[4]
believed to be ex-DL&W Hoboken #2. Original gantry remains. |
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New York Cross Harbor | Brooklyn Navy Yard | Wallabout Basin | pontoon / pony truss |
8/1983 - 1992 | abandoned | [4]
ex-BEDT North 9th Street Original gantry remains. |
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Jay Street Connecting | Bridge Street & East River |
pontoon / composite pony plate girder w/ center truss |
« 1959 | [15] | |||
New York Dock | Fulton Terminal | n |
Montague Street & East River |
pontoon / pony truss |
1910 - ca. 1975 | removed ca. 1975 | wood lifting gallows |
New York Dock | Fulton Terminal | s |
Montague
Street & East River |
pontoon / pony truss . pontoon / plate girder |
1910
- 1969 . 1969 - a.i.p. |
abandoned half sunk |
wood lifting gallows only surviving float bridge at this location |
New York Dock | Baltic Terminal |
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Baltic Street & East River |
pontoon / pony truss |
1911 - 1962 | removed ca. 1962 | |
New York Dock (New York Cross Harbor) |
Atlantic Terminal |
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Ferris Street & Atlantic Basin |
pontoon / plate girder |
« 1992 | removed between May & August 2005 |
lead tracks on wood pier |
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western | 25th Street Terminal | 25th Street & Gowanus Bay | pontoon / Howe Truss . pontoon / pony truss |
1906
» ? . . ? « 1964 |
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U. S. Navy Fleet Supply Base |
39th Street | 39th Street & Upper New York Bay |
pontoon / pony truss |
1918 - 1930? | [5] | ||
U. S. Navy Fleet Supply Base |
39th Street | 39th Street & Upper New York Bay |
pontoon / pony truss |
1918 - 1930? | [5] | ||
Bush Terminal | Bush Terminal | Pier 6 |
1900 - 1912 | located at end of Pier 6 | |||
Bush Terminal (New York Dock) (New York Cross Harbor) (New York New Jersey Rail) |
Bush Terminal | "Bush 2" |
50th Street & Upper New York Bay |
pontoon / Howe Truss . pontoon / plate girder |
1912 -
1963 . 1963 - current |
. . . relocated to Greenville, NJ 2012 |
. . . two girder design sunk 1975, refloated redecked 1998 reconstructed (deck & pontoon) 2007 (north) relocated to Greenville, NJ following demolition of Greenville Gantries |
Bush Terminal |
Bush Terminal | "Bush 1" |
50th Street & Upper New York Bay |
pontoon / Howe Truss . pontoon / plate girder . pontoon / plate girder |
1912
- 1963 . . 1963 - 6/1978 . . 6/1978 - 1987 |
abandoned half sunk |
replaced w/ steel bridge . . three girder design . .. two girder design, ex- DL&W Hoboken #1 [20] (incl steel gallows) steel gallows removed ca. 1982 (south) |
New York Dock (New York Cross Harbor) |
Brooklyn Army Terminal |
|
64th Street
& Upper New York Bay |
pontoon / plate girder |
1978 - 1995 | built 1911 abandoned fell in c2000 half sunk |
ex-Erie RR West 28th
Street American Bridge |
New York, New Haven & Hartford / Long Island Rail Road | 65th Street |
"Davy" |
66th Street & Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
1918 - 1972 | demolished 1972 | [13] out of service
1970 (northernmost) |
New York, New Haven & Hartford / Long Island Rail Road | 65th Street | "Charlie" |
66th Street & Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
1918 - 1972 | demolished 1972 | [13] out of service 1970 |
New York, New Haven & Hartford / Long Island Rail Road | 65th Street | "Benny" |
66th Street & Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / self contained apron (French) |
1918 - 1972 | demolished 1972 | [13] out of service 1970 |
New York, New Haven & Hartford / Long Island Rail Road | 65th Street | "Abie" |
66th Street & Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / self contained apron (French) |
1918 - 1972 | demolished 1972 | [13] out of service
1970 (southernmost) |
New York New Jersey Rail | 65th Street |
2 |
65th Street & Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / single span cable lift plate girder |
1999 - current | in service as of 7/2012 |
a carfloat test was conducted
in 2009 In service by NYNJ Rail. |
New York New Jersey Rail | 65th Street |
1 |
65th Street & Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / single span cable lift plate girder |
1999 - current | in service 5/2019 |
activated with arrival of 4 track carfloats. |
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installing railroad (subsequent railroad) |
terminal | bridge # / name | location | type | dates of service | status | notes |
Independent Subway / New York City Transit |
East 207th Street | Harlem River | overhead suspension single span cable lift / plate girder |
1931 - ca. 1980's | [6] demolished |
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New York Central | West 60th Street | 4 |
West 70th
Street & Hudson River |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
3/1911 - c1968 | abandoned half sunk |
northernmost float bridge on National Register of Historic Places, under stabilization First constructed contained apron type in New York Harbor. |
New York Central | West 60th Street | 3 |
West 69th Street & Hudson River |
pontoon / pony truss |
« 1968 | abandoned half sunk |
center float bridge |
New York Central | West 60th Street | 2 |
West 68th
Street & Hudson River |
overhead suspension / Howe truss |
1901 - 1968 | abandoned half sunk |
southernmost float
bridge was fully enclosed transfer house, unique Howe Truss with center steel truss |
New York Central | West 60th Street | 1B | West 63th Street Hudson River |
removed prior to 1953 | serviced grain elevators and stock yard? | ||
Pennsylvania | West 37th Street | West 37 Street Hudson River |
overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) |
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New York Central | West 33rd Street | West 33 Street Hudson River |
overhead suspension / Howe truss? (Bensel) |
? - c1943 | fully enclosed transfer house |
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New York Central | West 33rd Street | West 33 Street Hudson River |
overhead suspension / Howe truss? (Bensel) |
? - c1943 | fully enclosed transfer house |
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Erie / Erie Lackawanna | West 28th Street | West 28th Street Hudson River |
pontoon / plate girder |
1911- | moved to Brooklyn Army Terminal ca. 1978 |
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Lehigh Valley | West 27th Street | West 27th Street Hudson River |
pontoon / plate girder pontoon / Howe Truss |
1900 -
c1924 . c1924 - c1970 |
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Baltimore & Ohio | West 26th Street |
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West 26th Street Hudson River | pontoon / pony truss . pontoon / Howe truss |
1898
- 1954 .. . 1954 - c1973 |
. . . restored |
. . . now used as a public dock |
Erie | West 23rd Street | West 23rd Street Hudson River |
pontoon / Howe truss? |
ca. 1890 - ca. 1902? | |||
Central Railroad of New Jersey |
West 15th Street | West 15th Street Hudson River |
pontoon / Howe truss? |
1897 - 1911? | |||
U. S. Army Governors Island |
n |
Buttermilk Channel | pontoon / Howe truss |
1919 - c1931 | removed ca. 1931 | ||
U. S. Army Governors Island |
s |
Buttermilk Channel | pontoon / Howe truss |
1919 - c1927 | partially sunk out of service ca. 1927 |
removed ca. 1931 | |
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installing railroad (subsequent railroad) |
terminal | bridge # / name | location | type | dates of service | status | notes |
B & O | St. George | Upper New York Bay | overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) |
1912 » gone by 1924 | [12] [23] | ||
B & O |
St. George | Upper New York Bay | overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) . pontoon / Howe truss? |
1912 - ? . . . |
. . . . |
[12][16] (northernmost) appears to have had fully enclosed gantry house. . . abandoned in place, appears to be sunk in 1951 aerial; disintegrated |
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B & O | St. George | Upper New York Bay | overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) pontoon / Howe truss |
1912 - ? . . . « ? » |
[12] (center) . . . abandoned in place, appears to be sunk in 1951 aerial; disintegrated |
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B & O | St. George | Upper New York Bay | overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) pony plate girder pontoon / Howe truss |
1912 - ? . . . « 1924 » . ca. 1950 > 1978 (1980?) |
[12] (southernmost) abandoned in place, disintegrated |
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Procter & Gamble | Port Ivory | Arthur Kill | pontoon / Howe Truss |
« 1924 - 1954 » | [7] | ||
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installing railroad (subsequent railroad) |
terminal | bridge # / name |
location | type | dates of service | status | notes |
New York, Susquehanna & Western | Edgewater | Hudson River | unknown, most likely pontoon | 1894 - 1901/1905 | not shown in 1932 Port & Harbor Facilities Map | ||
New York Central / West Shore |
Weehawken | 6 | Hudson River | « 1932 » | [12] north of main yard | ||
New York Central / West Shore |
Weehawken | 5 | Hudson River | [12] north of main yard | |||
New York Central / West Shore |
Weehawken | 4 |
Hudson River | overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
« 1917 - 1965 | south of main yard, adjacent to Ferry Terminal | |
New York Central / West Shore |
Weehawken | 3 |
Hudson River | overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
« 1917 - 1965 | south of main yard, adjacent to Ferry Terminal | |
New York Central / West Shore |
Weehawken | 2 |
Hudson River | overhead suspension / Howe Truss (Bensel) |
« 1905 - 1965 | fully enclosed transfer house south of main yard, adjacent to Ferry Terminal |
|
New York Central / West Shore |
Weehawken | 1 |
Hudson River | overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
« 1917 - 1965 | south of main yard, adjacent to Ferry Terminal | |
Erie | Weehawken | [12] not shown 1932 | |||||
Hoboken Manufacturers / Delaware, Lackawanna & Western |
11th Street Hoboken |
Hudson River | pontoon / plate girder |
« ca. 5/1970 | lead tracks on wood pier this bridge believed to have been relocated to DLW Hoboken Terminal #3 circa 5/1970 |
||
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western | Hoboken | 1 |
Hudson River | pontoon / Howe Truss pontoon / plate girder |
« 1964 . 1964 - ca. 1978 » |
removed by 1975 |
[18]. to Bush Terminal #1, 6/1978(?) |
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western | Hoboken | 2 |
Hudson River | pontoon / Howe Truss pontoon / plate girder |
« 1964
. 1964 » |
sunk by 11/1975 removed 1983? |
[18] possibly the abandoned bridge at Wallabout Basin / Brooklyn Navy Yard |
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western | Hoboken | 3 |
Hudson River | pontoon / plate girder | « 1964 - 1975 » | 1/1964 aerial shows this bridge missing 5/1970 former Hoboken Shore bridge believed to be relocated here. 11/1975 shows bridge minus pontoon held up by steel gallows. [18] |
|
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western | Hoboken | 4 |
Hudson River | pontoon / plate girder |
« 1975 » | 1/1964 aerial shows bridge
missing
[18] 11/1975 shows bridge in service [19] |
|
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western | Hoboken | 5 |
Hudson River | removed by 11/1975 [19] | 1956 aerial shows no gallows 1/1964 aerial shows this bridge missing but steel gallows frame present [18] |
||
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western | Hoboken | 6 |
Hudson River | pontoon / plate girder |
removed by 11/1975 [19] | ||
Erie | Long Dock | 7 |
Ninth Street Jersey City Hudson River |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
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Erie | Long Dock | 6 |
Ninth Street Jersey City Hudson River |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
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Erie | Long Dock | 5 |
Ninth Street Jersey City Hudson River |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
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Erie | Long Dock | [12] | |||||
Pennsylvania | Harsimus Cove | 9 |
Sixth Street Jersey City Hudson River |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
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Pennsylvania | Harsimus Cove | 8 |
Sixth Street Jersey City Hudson River |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
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Pennsylvania | Harsimus Cove | 7 |
Fifth Street Jersey City Hudson River |
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Pennsylvania | Harsimus Cove | 6 |
Fifth Street Jersey City Hudson River |
overhead suspension / separate apron (French) |
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Pennsylvania | Harsimus Cove | 5 |
Fifth Street Jersey City Hudson River |
overhead suspension / separate apron (French) |
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Pennsylvania | Harsimus Cove | 4 |
First Street Jersey City Hudson River |
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Pennsylvania | Harsimus Cove | 3 |
First Street Jersey City Hudson River |
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Pennsylvania | Harsimus Cove | 2 |
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Pennsylvania | Harsimus Cove | 1 |
overhead suspension / Howe Truss? (Bensel) |
1888 » | [8] | ||
Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal | Warren St |
Warren Street Morris Basin |
pontoon / unknown |
1910 - 1924 | |||
Lehigh Valley | Jersey City | 1E |
Johnson Street Jersey City Upper New York Bay |
pontoon / Howe Truss |
« 1940's » | ||
Lehigh Valley | Jersey City | 1D |
Johnson Street Jersey City Upper New York Bay |
pontoon / Howe Truss |
« 1940's » | ||
Lehigh Valley | Jersey City | 1C |
Johnson Street Jersey City Upper New York Bay |
pontoon / Howe Truss |
« 1940's » | ||
Lehigh Valley | Jersey City | 1B |
Johnson Street Jersey City Upper New York Bay |
pontoon / Howe Truss |
« 1940's » | ||
Lehigh Valley | Jersey City | 1A |
Johnson Street Jersey City Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
« 1976 | ||
Lehigh Valley | Jersey City | 1 |
Johnson Street Jersey City Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / contained apron (French) |
« 1976 | ||
Central RR of New Jersey | Port Liberty Jersey City |
1 |
Upper New York Bay | pontoon / Howe Truss pontoon / plate girder |
|||
Central RR of New Jersey | Port Liberty Jersey City |
2 |
Upper New York Bay | pontoon / Howe Truss |
|||
Central RR of New Jersey | Port Liberty Jersey City |
3 |
Upper New York Bay | pontoon / Howe Truss |
|||
Central RR of New Jersey | Port Liberty Jersey City |
4 |
Upper New York Bay |
pontoon / Howe Truss |
|||
Central RR of New Jersey Reading Baltimore Ohio |
Port Liberty Jersey City |
5 |
Upper New York Bay | pontoon / Howe Truss |
|||
Lehigh Valley | Black Tom | « 1920 » | [12] | ||||
Lehigh Valley | Black Tom | « 1920 » | [12] | ||||
Pennsylvania | Greenville | 9 ½ |
Colony Road / Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) |
11/9/1943
- c1968 |
out of service |
[9] [10] [20]
[21] . demolished 11/17/2012 |
Pennsylvania | Greenville | 10 |
Colony Road / Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / separate apron (Bensel) |
1925 -
1931 . 1931 - 1972 |
damaged in fire, rebuilt out of service |
[10] [14] [20] [21] demolished 11/17/2012 |
New York New Jersey Rail | Greenville | 10 |
Colony Road / Upper New York Bay |
"double
articulated" (overhead hydraulic separate apron) |
2/2015 | under construction |
|
Pennsylvania (Penn Central) (Conrail) (Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal) (New York Dock) (New York Cross Harbor) (New York New Jersey Rail) |
Greenville | 11 |
Colony Road / Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / Howe Truss overhead suspension / separate apron overhead suspension / separate apron. (all Bensel) |
1904 - 1931 1931? - 1941 1945 - 10/29/2012 |
burnt | [10] [14]
[20] [21] . . . Demolished 11/17/2012 |
New York New Jersey Rail | Greenville | "Greenville 11" |
pontoon / plate girder |
2012-present | in service | [22]
former Bush 2 Bridge (relocated November 2012) |
|
Pennsylvania (Penn Central) (Conrail) (Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal) (New York Dock) (New York Cross Harbor) |
Greenville | 12 |
Colony Road / Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / Howe Truss overhead suspension / separate apron overhead suspension / separate apron (all Bensel) |
1904
- 1931 . 1931? - 1945 . 1945 - 1992 |
burnt . rebuilt . out of service |
[10] [14]
[20]
[21] demolished 11/17/2012 |
Pennsylvania | Greenville | 13 |
Colony Road / Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / Howe Truss overhead suspension / separate apron (all Bensel) |
1904 -
1931 . 1931 - c1968 |
burnt . scrapped 1994 |
[10]
[14] Gantry collapsed
in 1991. Demolished 1997 |
Pennsylvania | Greenville | 14 |
Colony Road / Upper New York Bay |
overhead suspension / Howe Truss overhead suspension / separate apron (all Bensel) |
1910 -
1931 . 1931 - c1968 |
apron rebuilt
1919 scrapped 1994 |
[10]
[14] Gantry collapsed
in 1991. Demolished 1997 |
Port Authority NY & NJ Central RR of New Jersey Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania |
Port of Newark | Corbin Street & Elizabeth Channel |
pontoon / plate girder |
7/1964 | no longer listed as of 1971 |
Footnotes:
[1] | Oak Point had sufficient space between float bridge 10 and float bridge 5 for an additional four float bridges (two pairs of gantries: 6/7 & 8/9) but these were never constructed, hence the gap in numbering. |
[2] | This location would be the first float bridge to be located in Brooklyn. |
[3] | Facility was originally military operated, but float bridge operation was contracted to Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal. |
[4] | The original float bridge at this location
(overhead suspension / contained apron) was converted to pontoon type / plate
girder. Overhead gantry remained in place but not used. For as yet undetermined reason this float bridge was not compatible. So a second replacement float bridge was brought in, this one being a pontoon / pony truss. First replacement (plate girder) is believed to be from DL&W Hoboken #3 or New York Dock Fulton Terminal, north bridge. This bridge remains sunk in Wallabout Basin off to side of float bridge gantry. Second replacement is from Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal North 9th Street, which means this bridge was brought to this location post August 1983. |
[5] | Facility was originally military operated, but float bridge operation was not contracted out. |
[6] | "Private" (non-common carrier interchange) float bridge |
[7] | "Private" (non-common carrier interchange) float bridge |
[8] | Believed to be the first overhead suspended (non-pontoon) float bridge installed in New York Harbor. |
[9] | When the Harsimus Cove facility reached maximum capacity and could not be expanded any further, Pennsylvania Railroad built the Greenville Yard and float bridges 10 through 14. Further expansion took place and one more float bridge was added at Greenville. This float bridge location fell between the existing Harsimus Cove #9 and Greenville Yard #10 float bridges. This newest bridge was numbered 9½ to keep the bridge numbering sequential. |
[10] | Following the 1976 formation of Conrail, Conrail owned the facility, but leased float bridge & carfloating operations to Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal to service BEDT, New York Dock and Baltimore & Ohio St. George facility. |
[11] | Two float bridges of unusual design (Arlington Humphrey Mallery
type, patent 1903) were installed at Long Island City. The original Mallery
design failed to take into consideration certain forces and the float bridges
suffered catastrophic counterweight failures. One of these float bridges
was rebuilt in 1905, and the second was rebuilt in 1906. Soon after this
rebuild however, these two designs suffered additional difficulties and were
redesigned once again by James B. French, as his self-contained apron
design, patented 1911, but utilized the original Mallery gantries. It is
believed that these rebuilt float bridges are bridges 5 & 6. Images in
French's book show what is referred to as the "rebuilt" float
bridge matching the gantry construction design of the current #5. Also this
image shows #6 with a shorter gantry (part of the original design flaw),
but French states this images was taken prior to reconstruction. Current
bridge gantries for #5 & 6 are of identical construction. Bridges 1 &
2 were believed to be completely new construction French patent bridges,
and 3 & 4 were pontoon / Howe Trusses. But this early numbering sequence
is not confirmed. Aerial images studied by Paul Strubeck show an image dated 1924 with a single Howe Truss remaining in #3 position and corresponding empty space where #4 would be. This also means sufficient space existed between 1 & 2 and 5 & 6 gantries for an addition pair of gantries if necessary, but these were never constructed. |
[12] | Listed in 1920 New York, New Jersey Port & Harbor Development Commission. Additional information lacking. |
[13] | Overhead catenary strung to end of float bridge for electric locomotives |
[14] | The Greenville Yard Car Float Transfer Bridge Assembly was first
constructed in 1904 in conjunction with the building of the Greenville Yard.
In that year three transfer bridges, Nos. 11,12, and 13 were erected. In
1910, transfer bridge No. 14 was added to the south end of the structure,
and in 1925, transfer bridge No. 10 was added to the north end of the structure.
On January 1, 1931 a spectacular fire destroyed the entire facility. Following
the fire, several bridges, aprons, and other components were salvaged and
utilized in the reconstruction. In 1943, Bridge No. 9 was added to the north
end of the structure and in 1945 Bridge No. 12 was completely rebuilt.
The original three bridge transfer structure built at Greenville in 1904 was essentially an improved version of the Pennsylvania Railroad's innovative Harsimus Cove, New Jersey, car float transfer bridge facility built in 1888. The overall plan and design of the Greenville facility was a result of a study made by a committee of PRR line officers consisting of J. T. Richards, chief engineer maintenance of way; L. H. Barker, assistant chief engineer; R. M. Patterson and Wilson Brown, superintendents. The actual design and construction was under the direction of W. C. Bowles, assistant engineer of construction and F. C. Richardson, principle assistant engineer, both of whom reported to William H. Brown, chief engineer of the PRR. The "remarkable development in the machinery of the transfer house" was principally the work of F. L. DuBosque, assistant engineer of floating equipment for the PRR at Jersey City. DuBosque worked closely with the engineers and machinists at the Steele and Condict Company of Jersey City who built the lifting machinery. The other contractors involved in the project included Henry Steers, Inc. of New York City, builders of the foundations, steelwork, pile racks, bridges and aprons; the Cooper-Wigand-Cooke Company and the R.P. & J.H. Staats Company of New York, erectors of the transfer bridge superstructure and the transfer machinery housings. Following the completion of the Greenville yard, a detailed article on the facility, focusing on the state-of-the-art transfer bridge arrangement, appeared in the journal Railway Age. The article provided several photographs, plan and elevation drawings, and detailed drawings of the important mechanical components, and the reader is referred to that report for specifics about the facility as it existed prior to its destruction by fire in 1931. In 1910, to meet the increase in freight traffic along the line, a fourth transfer bridge, No. 14, was added to the south end of the group. The bridge, apron and superstructure work was contracted to Lewis F. Schoemaker & Company, Schuylkill Bridge Works Division of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Virtually all aspects of the structure and equipment were identical to the previous bridges. The sheet metal transfer house which sheltered both superstructures under one roof was of wood framing and matched the earlier structure. The apron for this bridge was rebuilt in 1919 following a new design which strengthened the floor and hinge connections. In 1924 plans were drawn for the addition of Bridge No.10 to the north end of the group which was built and completed in 1925. The new construction required the removal of the existing pile ice fence and construction of a new and longer fence slightly further north. As with Bridge No. 14, Bridge No. 10 blended in seamlessly with the older adjoining structure, and other than minor improvements in the strength and capacity of the structure, it was essentially a mechanical twin to the others. On January 1, 1931 at 4:30 pm, a fire broke out on the wooden superstructure over transfer bridge No. 10 during the loading of a car float with twenty five cars belonging to the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. A short circuit in an electric motor was ultimately blamed for the fire. High winds fanned the flames and within fifteen minutes the wood frame transfer house enclosing the two bridge suspension structures was completely engulfed in flames. The fire spread rapidly to the bridges and four car floats below. One injury, a fractured ankle, was sustained by an employee who was trapped by the flames and jumped down a burning stairway to escape. Three clerks, one of whom turned in the first alarm to the Jersey City fire department, managed to escape with their personal belongings and their typewriters. The fire department responded with nine pieces of equipment but as their were no roads out to the transfer bridges, hoses and firemen were loaded onto engines and tenders and taken by rail the one mile out to the fire. Twenty tugs and fire boats rushed to the scene from around the harbor and began pouring a deluge of water on the fire while more than fifty firemen fought the blaze from the shore side. As the fire continued to spread, a second alarm was sounded bringing more Jersey City firemen and equipment to the scene. Three blazing car floats were pulled out into the bay and extinguished, sustaining various amounts of damage . The just loaded NYNH&H car float and its load of cars was also pulled free and extinguished but was considered a total loss. The spectacular blaze, visible from other shore points around the Bay, raged out of control for two hours and threatened to spread to other shorefront structures along the heavily built-up Jersey shore. The fire was extinguished after two more hours of heavy firefighting. The total loss was estimated by the Pennsylvania Railroad at between 500,000 and 1 million dollars. Three hundred men were initially out of work, but within two days were put to work on the repair work or at the other PRR yards in Jersey City. The fire destroyed the entire superstructure of the transfer bridge facility as well as most of the machinery. Several of the wooden Howe truss bridges and the aprons were completely destroyed. The railroad salvaged and reused many of the components in order to get one of the bridges operating as quickly as possible. With the Greenville bridges completely out of service, the PRR immediately began rerouting freight cars through their Jersey City and Harsimus Cove transfer bridge facilities and the Lehigh Valley Railroad's car float terminal also in Jersey City. Within days of the fire, the American Bridge Company of Trenton, New Jersey was contracted to rebuild the entire transfer bridge facility and supply three new plate girder main spans and aprons for Bridges Nos. 10, 13, 14. The fact that the transfer bridges were rebuilt essentially identical to the old bridges is testimony to the soundness of the original design. The major changes that were made were in the interest of fireproofing the facility and included the elimination of wood framing in the superstructure; the building of two separate sheet metal "sheave houses" around the upper level of the bridge and apron superstructures; and the building of separate sheet metal operators houses at the second level between the bridges. The result was a more open facility with outside steel stairways and exposed structural steel framework instead of the one main "transfer house" which had sheltered the whole operation. In October 1939 the New York Bay Railroad Company (the division of the PRR which operated the carfloating and transfer bridges) authorized the complete rebuilding of bridge No. 12, including the replacement of the last remaining original wood Howe truss bridge dating from 1905. It is not clear from the plans whether the truss bridge was still in service at the time. As WWII expanded in Europe the reconstruction plans were put on indefinite hold. Following America's entrance into the war, demands to move carloads of war material across the bay to the Navy Yard and other facilities in Brooklyn, Long Island and the northeast increased dramatically and the decision was made to instead build a completely new transfer bridge (No. 9) at the north end of the facility. Construction of the new bridge could proceed with less interference with the operation of the other bridges. Following the completion of Bridge No. 9 and its placement in service on November 9, 1943, work on the rebuilding of bridge No. 12 was begun. The rebuilding of Bridge No. 12 totaled $185,000 which included a new steel plate girder main span, a new apron span, superstructure strengthening and underpinning with 132 new greenheart pilings, new concrete footings, and a new sheet pile and concrete abutment for the shore end of the main span. Machinery was also upgraded including a 10 h.p. General Electric/Lingerwood mooring winch; a 15 h.p. Clyde capstan; new counter weights of cast iron, steel and concrete construction, two weighing 42,000 pounds for the apron and four weighing 54,000 pounds for the bridge; two GE 100 h.p. operating motors. a 440 volt control panel; a control desk; motor brakes, lifting screws, counter weight cables and sheaves.
Bridges 9, 11, 12, and 14, manufactured by American Bridge Co. of
Trenton, New Jersey
HISTORY OF THE GREENVILLE YARD CAR FLOAT TRANSFER BRIDGE ASSEMBLY |
[15] | Unique pontoon supported "composite" design of two outer steel plate girders with steel lattice truss up center. |
[16] | Following the formation of Conrail in 1976, (which wanted no part of rail-marine operations), carfloating for B & O St. George from Greenvile, NJ was contracted to Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal Upon the merger of Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal and New York Dock, New York Dock commenced carfloating to and from St. George until the yard closed in 1980. |
[17] | The location for the pontoon float bridge was towards the north
end in the "old" Wallabout Basin with outshore end facing south. After the Navy Yard was expanded, the overhead suspended contained apron was placed in the "new" Wallabout Basin, (which was further east), and with the outshore end of the transfer bridge facing north |
[18] | 1956 aerial seen in "Hoboken's Lackawanna Terminal", by T. Scull 1/15/1964 aerial seen in "Jersey City's Hudson River Development" by C. Caldes |
[19] | 11/1975 aerial by T. Flagg |
[20] | Referencing B. Schaffer images & info, the steel gallows used to install Bush 1 bridge on 6/1978 came from DL&W Hoboken Terminal. |
[21] | Following Hurricane Sandy on 27 October 2012, the Greenville Transfer Bridges suffered significant damage including severe underscouring of the support pedestals and a barge being driven into 10 Bridges' support towers. Following several engineering surveys, the damage sustained was too extensive to consider repair and the gantries razed on 17 November 2012. |
[22] | Bush 2 pontoon float bridge relocated to Greenville to expedite resumption of carfloating service following Hurricane Sandy Ocotber 2012. |
[23] | Historical records reflect a total of four transfer bridges installed at St. George. Review of the 1924 aerial map show three, and by the 1951 aerial map, one remaining. Where the fourth bridge was located exactly is unknown, but presumed to be north of the McMyler coal dumper that was located north of northern most transfer bridge in the 1924 aerial. |
[24] | According to the revised 1965 (published 1966) US Army Corp of Engineers Data on Piers, Wharves & Docks - Port of New York and New Jersey, Volume 2, Part 2; carfloating to and from Oak Point ceased in 1965. |
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Independent Subway Line - 207th Street Yard float bridge - unknown date T. Flagg archives via J. Teichmoeller |
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