Brooklyn Navy Yard Railway - New York Naval Shipyard - Military Railroads of the New York Metropolitan Area

MILITARY RAILROADS
OF THE NEW YORK METROPOLITAN AREA:

BROOKLYN NAVY YARD /
NEW YORK NAVAL SHIPYARD
Fort Greene & Williamsburg, Brooklyn

BNY NYNY

updated: SATURDAY, 18 APRIL 2009 - 14:00
update summary	date
float bridge chapter and images added, 1938 and 1940 maps added, current photos of #3 & #4 locos added	05/08/09
BNY 1917 photo of unidentified loco (with submarine)	04/04/08

.
.

.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard, the popular and unofficial name for the New York Naval Shipyard, was organized in 1801 and is located north of the Manhattan Bridge and in Wallabout Channel at a bend in the East River and was a United States Government Military Installation (Department of the Navy / Department of Defense).

A brief maritime history of this installation includes the construction of Robert Fulton's steam powered frigate "Fulton" (launched 1915), and the BNY would build several of the US Navy's most famous and recognizable warships, including but not limited to the:
.

ACR-1 "Maine" (sunk at Havana)
BB39 "Arizona" (sunk at Pearl Harbor)
BB61 "Iowa"
BB63 "Missouri" (capitulation of Japan)

The Brooklyn Navy Yard received ship building supplies and coal as well as general freight via carfloat. It would be responsible not only for the hull construction of a vessel, but all the interior spaces as well, which basically means anything that was required in the construction of those vessels, was brought in.

The Brooklyn Navy Yard, was large enough to have constructed a roundhouse with a turntable. Paul Strubeck located the following photographs on the 'net.

August 31, 1916
courtesy of New York Naval Yard historical archives
...

August 18, 1936
courtesy of New York Naval Yard historical archives

By 1916, the Navy Yard comprised over 255 acres, and would come to have over 30 miles of railroad track. It is unknown at this time if included in this figure is the aggregate total of both the 18 foot and 37 foot gauge trackage for the huge cranes that wound there way around the berths and drydocks.

Tom Flagg, graciously allowed the use of the following image ascertained from his research. It is a map of the New York Naval Shipyard Base dated 1961. Please click on the map for a large size graphic with the corresponding key for the building numbers.

The BNY would own many steam locomotives throughout it's history of several different configurations, but unfortunately extremely few photos are known.

Recently discovered in Lima Locomotive Company builder's records that this author has obtained, Brooklyn Navy Yard at one time; operated a 2 Truck, 25 Ton Shay. In addition to that Shay, the BNY would operate steam locomotives constructed by Vulcan, H. K. Porter and American Locomotive.

Ironically, BNY numbers 3 and 4 would become BEDT 12 and 13 respectively; and while many photographs of those locomotives operating for the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal (BEDT) are published, all locomotives in BNY livery are scarce. This is somewhat surprising, as the BNY and the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal, which carfloated for the Navy Yard, were quite close geographically.

Tom Flagg was kind enough to furnish the following maps. The first appears to be facility map from 1938. Click on the map below to view large scan. Please note: Use your back arrow to return you here.

1938
courtesy of T. Flagg
added 08 May 2009

The second map, is an excerpt from an inspection report performed on the the infrastructure within the Navy Yard. This map better shows the relationship of the Brooklyn Navy Yard float bridge to the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal float bridge, and the interim track connection installed to interchange between the two.

Again, click on the image for a large scale scan. Use the back arrow on your browser to return you here.

1940
courtesy of T. Flagg
added 08 May 2009

Speaking of the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal, the US Government would contract with the BEDT to transport carfloats to and from the Navy Yard property after 1940-41, however the Brooklyn Navy Yard would have their own switchers execute switching and car movements. Eventually, BEDT would also go on to take over rail operations within the Navy Yard in the mid 1960's (possibly 1966 when the Brooklyn Navy Yard was transferred from military control to civilian ownership).

Float Bridges

The first float bridge installed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, was a pontoon supported pony truss with overhead support gantry. The trestle at right, is for the direct dumping of loose excavation material (sand, stone, etc) into scows for removal.

The following image, courtesy of Tom Flagg, shows the float bridge as it appeared in 1916:

Brooklyn Navy Yard float bridge - 1916
National Archives
T. Flagg collection
added 07 May 2009

The Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal would install a float bridge of their own to serve their Wallabout Market Terminal, but this float bridge was not located on but adjacent to the Brooklyn Navy Yard on Clinton Avenue. For more information on this operation click here.

The second Brooklyn Navy Yard floatbridge, would been installed circa 1941-1942 upon the completion of the Wallabout Basin expansion. This type was an electrically powered overhead suspension "French" / contained apron type seen below:

1977
T. Flagg photo
added 07 May 2009

This float bridge was modified somewhat in the early to mid 1980's when the overhead supported dual spans seen in the image above were replaced with a pontoon supported float bridge. Actually, there were two pontoon supported float bridges installed.

The first pontoon supported float bridge was a pony plate girder type. However, this float bridge developed an as yet undetermined conflict, necessitating a replacement.

The second pontoon supported float bridge, a pony truss would be installed instead, and the pony plate girder would be abandoned next to the bulkhead to the left.
.

The float bridge was last used in 1995 by New York Cross Harbor RR for a subway car rebuilder that located to the Navy Yard.
The pony truss float bridge remains in place at this location to this day, although the decking is mostly destroyed, and the pontoon is no longer buoyant.
It should be noted that neither of the pontoon supported float bridge required overhead suspension, and therefore the cables were never attached, but the overhead gantry was left standing,
Also, these pontoon supported float bridges were installed after the Brooklyn Navy Yard was
no longer under military control and relinquished to civilian ownership.

(looking west)
Live Search Maps
added 07 May 2009

(looking north)
Live Search Maps
added 07 May 2009

Locomotives

As far as it is known only two of the Brooklyn Navy Yard steam locomotives survived: #7 and #12.

#7 which after serving for the Navy Yard was employed by American Creosote as their #7 as well. This locomotive is currently under restoration at the Illinois Railroad Museum shops located in Union, Illinois.

#12 which has been cosmetically restored, currently resides at the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in New York.

#3 and #4, which became Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal locomotives #12 and #13 also survive to this day, having been converted to oil fired by the BEDT and serving this widely recognized railroad faithfully until 1962.

#3 (BEDT #12) now resides in the Florida Railroad Museum and is undergoing a cosmetic restoration top BEDT livery.

#4 (BEDT #13) resides in the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum, and is not quite as photogenic, but it survives none the less.

The Brooklyn Navy Yard would dieselize their operations in 1940 through 1944, with the procurement of two Atlas and several Whitcomb locomotives during those years. The Atlas locomotives would be surplused in 1948, as would the Whitcombs, being shipped to the Naval Supply Depot in Bayonne, NJ; where they would be put up for sale. Several were purchased by private owners for industrial line use.

In 1968 through 1981, after the Brooklyn Navy Yard was released from military control; this location would be home to Seatrain Shipbuilding, (see that page on Seatrain Shipbuilding here), which operated General Electric 44 ton locomotives on a portion of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Trackage, and utilized the float bridge.

As for the other locomotives listed, unless otherwise stated, their disposition in unknown at this time.

_______________________________________________

WANTED!

I am seeking all information on procurement dates, and subsequent dates of sale, and perhaps more importantly:
these locomotives in H. K. Porter builders photos or
photos of these locomotives in New York Navy Yard prior to the BEDT.

Naturally, I will pay a rather handsome finders fee for these photographs
pertaining to these locomotives in either their builders photos or photos in New York Navy Yard livery.

The New York Navy Yard, also commonly known as the Brooklyn Navy Yard, purchased two of the BEDT locomotives new from H. K. Porter. A four unit order of identical locomotives for the New York Navy Yard was ordered; the two that where sold to the BEDT are #3 and #4, and the disposition of #1 and #2 are unknown.

unidentified BNY loco and rolling stock - 1904
"BNY Railroad: BNY had its own railroad system for hauling heavy material around the yard.
Here one of the yard's trains is returning empty gunpowder canisters to a storehouse in 1904."

June 27, 1917
(note steam locomotive with crew above bow of submarine on left edge of image
also the Pennsylvania RR Wallabout Station Pier on right side of image)
added 04 Apr 09

#3 - March 1919 - H. K. Porters builders photo
(to be BEDT #12)
Kalmbach Memorial Library archives
authors collection

#3 (BEDT#12) Railroad Museum of Florida; Parrish, FL; - February 2007
P. Masterson photo

#4 (BEDT #13) - Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA; - 2002
photo by author

....
#7 - September 2004
both photos: Illinois RR Museum shops, Union, IL
courtesy of Donald Nute

#14 - Fireless
SMU E. L. DeGolyer Library archives
author's collection

#12 - current
photo courtesy of Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum

#16 - builders photo - 1940
authors collection

.
Brooklyn (New York) Navy Yard Locomotive Roster

builder	c/n	build date	gauge	wheel arrangement	wheel dia	cylinders	acquired	number / name	disposition	notes	ref
Rhode Island	861	6/1880	?	2-4-2T	39"	11" x 16"	used		sold 5/1898	ex-New York Elevated #276 wgt: 42,450 lbs.	[14] [33]
Vulcan	187	8/1891	§ 36"	§ 0-4-0T	36"	10" x 14"	new	"Hercules"			[8] [33]
H. K. Porter	1958	1/1899	std.	0-4-0		9" x 14"	new	"Bee"			[3]
Baldwin	22726	8/1903	std.?	2-4-2T	42"	12" x 18"		#3	to Southern Iron & Equipment #1729, (broker) to T. F. Cary Co.; sold 6/7/1922 to Riverside Lmbr. #1, Beach, GA (as 0-4-2T)	built new for Yard & Docks, NYNY	[2] [33]
H. K. Porter	2942	10/1903	std.	0-4-0T		10" x 14"	new
H. K. Porter	3368	1/1906	std.	0-4-0T		12" x 16"	new
Davenport	499	9/1906	36"	0-4-0T		10" x 16"	used		to United Engineering & Construction, Lockport, NY	from Holbrook, Cabot & Rollins, PA; used by private contractor in NYNY,	[5] [33]
Vulcan	1416	11/1909	unk	0-4-0T	37"	14" x 20"	new			wgt: 70,000 lbs.	[8] [33]
Lima	2214	11/1909	36"	24T 2t Shay	26 1/2"	8" x 8"	used			from Holbrook, Cabot & Rollins, PA to Moon Lumber Curtis, WV	[12]
Davenport	1014	4/1910	36"	0-4-0T		9" x 14"	new		to Moran Towing & Transport, Brooklyn, NY	from Holbrook, Cabot & Rollins, PA; used by private contractor in NYNY,	[5] [33]
ALCo	56439	2/1917	std.	0-4-0T		14" x 22"	new	#6		wgt: 152,000 lbs.	[1]
Vulcan	2644	4/1917	unk	0-4-0T	37"	14" x 20	new	#7	to: The Foundation Co., Racine, Quebec, 1/31/1942; to: American Creosote Co. #7, Jackson, TN, 2//4/1942; currently at Illinois RR Musuem since 1971, under restoration	wgt: 78,000 lbs. l: 27' w: 9' 4" h: 11' 4" t.e.: 16,200 lbs. BR&L list shows this as USN #2 Brooklyn Navy Yard	[8] [7] [36]
ALCo	55816	5/1917	std.	0-4-0T		12" x 18"	new	#8		wgt: 101,000 lbs.	[1] [33]
Vulcan	2677	8/1917	std.	0-4-0T	37"	14" x 20"	new	#9	to: T. F. Carey (broker) to: The Foundation Co., Racine, Quebec 10/10/1941	BR&L records shows this as USN #1 Brooklyn Navy Yard	[8] [7] [33]
ALCo	56974	8/1917	std.	0-4-0T		14" x 22"		#10		wgt: 152,000 lbs.	[1] [33]
ALCo	56994	12/1917	std.	0-4-0T		12" x 18"		#11		wgt: 101,000 lbs.	[1] [33]
Vulcan	2822	7/1918	36"	0-4-0T			new				[8]
Vulcan	2854	9/1918	std.	0-4-0ST	42"	15" x 24"	new	#12	sold 5/1947 to Dexter & Northern #12, Dexter, NY; sold to Abe Cooper, Watertown, NY; to Bob Smith; to Tioga Transportation Museum; to Rochester & Genesee Valley RR Museum, on display	wgt: 90,000 lbs. [a]	[8]} [33]
Vulcan	2865	10/1918	std.	0-4-0T	42"	15" x 24"	new	#13	sold to Harrisburg Pipe & Bending, new VIW boiler 11/1940; sold 6/1942 to Hammond Coal, Girardville, PA	wgt: 90,000 lbs.	[8] [33]
H. K. Porter	6366	3/1919	std.	0-6-0T	46"	18" x 24"	new	#1	unknown	wgt: 128,000 lbs. ¤	[3]
H. K. Porter	6367	4/1919	std.	0-6-0T	46"	18" x 24"	new	#2	unknown	wgt: 128,000 lbs. ¤	[3]
H. K. Porter	6368	3/1919	std.	0-6-0T	46"	18" x 24"	new	#3	to BEDT #12; to R. Zeil; to R. Most; currently at FRR Museum	wgt: 128,000 lbs. ¤	[3] [11]
H. K. Porter	6369	3/1919	std.	0-6-0T	46"	18" x 24"	new	#4	to BEDT #13; to G. Hart; to RRMPa 12/1976; on display	wgt: 128,000 lbs. ¤	[3] [11]
H. K. Porter	7208	4/1934	std.	0-4-0FG	41"	16" x 16"	new	#14	to Newport Chemical, #60, Oakdale, LA; scrapped 1966	60T Fireless Gear Timken Bearings	[3] [33]
Vulcan	4249	12/1938	std.	B			new	#15	sold 4/1948 to Cacchette & Sons, Sunbury, ONT	spur gear drive 30T - 175 hp - D/M wgt: 62,500 lbs.	[8] [33]
Atlas	2182	8/1940	std.	B-B			new	#16	to USN SupDep Bayonne, NJ 2/48; to American Aggregate Corp, New Miami, OH	class E4625 50T - 300 hp - D/E wgt: 100,000 lbs.	[13]
Vulcan	4309	6/1941	std.	0-4-0T				#2025	New Hope Valley Rwy & NC Railroad Museum, New Hill, NC	listed in builders records as NY Shipbuilding (Camden, NJ), but used at USN Yard, NY; Carbon Limestone #17, Carbon, PA; WV Northern RR #17;	[8] [33]
H. K. Porter	7314	7/1941	std.	B-B			new	#18 #65-00466	sold 2/3/1959 to B. M. Weiss & Co. (dealer); to Equip Co .of America (dealer); to Union Carbine ca. 1971 via Long Island Equip.; to Elkem Metals; at Historic Harmar Bridge Co, OH	45T - 300 hp - D/E wgt: 90,000 lbs.	[3] [37] [33] [b]
H. K. Porter	7315	7/1941	std.	B-B			new	#65-00163	transferred 7/7/1950 to Naval Reserve Shipyard, Kearny, NJ; moved back to Brooklyn unk date; sold 1/27/1960 to Equipment Co. of America, but stored in Bklyn. For sale ca. 1961-62. Trucks sold to Striegel Supply & Equip, Baltimore MD. remainder scrapped (another report states loco was sold for scrap 1/27/1960)	45T - 300 hp - D/E wgt: 90,000 lbs.	[3] [33]
H. K. Porter	7316	7/1941	std.	B-B			new	#65-00164	sold ca. 1965 to Pittsburgh, Allegheny & McKees Rocks, #6, rebuilt & re#16; sold 11/25/1975 to Vulcan Detinning, Neville Island, PA	45T - 300 hp - D/E wgt: 90,000 lbs.	[3] [37] [33] [b]
Atlas	2295	8/1941	std.	B-B			new	#28	to USN Supply Depot, Bayonne, NJ, 3/48; to E. Kinney, Elizabeth, NJ; unknown date to American Aggregate Corp, IN, unknown date	class E6629 50T - 300 hp D/E wgt: 100,000 lbs.	[13] [33]
Whitcomb	60097	10/1941	std.	B-B			new	#20 #65-00165	sold unknown date to Heppenstall Steel Co., Pittsburgh, PA; MCP Co., Pittsburgh, PA; Durabond Protective Coatings, Export, PA; Durabond Protective Coatings, Allentown, PA; Jersey Shore Steel, Avis, PA; seen burnt out 12/69?	45DE28 45T - 300hp wgt: 90,000 lbs.	[13] [34] [33]
Whitcomb	60098	10/1941	std.	B-B			new	#21 #65-00166	P.W. Duffy (dealer), Columbus, OH	45DE28 45T - 300hp wgt: 90,000 lbs.	[13]
Whitcomb	60099	10/1941	std.	B-B			new	#22 #65-00167	sold 4/1960? to Alter Scrap, Bridgeport, CT?; sold 4/60 to J. L. Case, Bettendorf, IA #802; Burlington River Term; to Farmington & Western, Ft. Madison, IA	45DE28 45T - 300hp wgt: 90,000 lbs.	[13] [34] [33]
H. K. Porter	7383	6/1942	std.	B-B			new	#?	to Bethlehem Steel	44T	[3]
Whitcomb	60165	9/1942	std.	B-B			new	#65-00170	sold 1962, to Pittsburgh Allegany & McKees Rock #5; scrapped ca. 1976	45DE28A 45T - 300hp wgt: 90,000 lbs.	[13] [33]
Whitcomb	60219	3/1943	std.	B-B			new	#65-00168	built for Missouri Portland Cement, St. Louis MO; diverted at Whitcomb to BNY; transferred to N.A.S. @ Quonset Pt. RI and for sale there ca. 1/1968	50DE58A 50T - 300hp wgt: 100,000 lbs.	[13] [34] [33]
Whitcomb	60325	8/1943	std.	B-B			new	#65-00169	transferred to Navy Yard Philadelphia, PA; to US Army Ammo plant, Burlington, NJ; for sale on 8/1968; to Guyon Pipe & Valve, Harrison, NJ; to Wolfsboro RR #67, Wolfboro, NH; to Brummer Car #67, Renovo, PA	45DE27B 45 T - 300hp wgt: 90,000 lbs.	[13] [34] [33]
Whitcomb	60326	6/1944	std.	B-B			new	#65-00220 or #65-00252		45DE27B 50 T - ?hp	[34]
GE	15038	9/1942	std.	B-B			new		sold late 1950's to Becker Sand & Gravel	44 T

Locomotive Footnotes:

§ = The first Vulcan shown; c/n 187, has very little info recorded; however, locomotives preceding it and built after are 0-4-0T, and 36"gauge. I can only hazard a guess that the BNY locomotive was one in that that group of loco built to those specifications.

¤ = these four locomotives have consecutive construction numbers: 6366, 6367, 6368, 6369;
and are identical sisters. C/n's 6368 and 6369 to BEDT #12 and #13 respectively. Disposition of c/n's 6366 and 6367 are unknown.

[b] = photos of these locomotives in their post US Navy liveries can be viewed at: NorthEast Rails Porter 25-45T Industrial Railroad Locomotives

[a] = Thanks to the R&GV RR Museum website, this is known about BNY #12:

built:	1918	Vulcan Loco Works, Wilkes Barre, PA
new boiler:	1931	Brooklyn Navy Yard
end of service (BNY):	ca. 1947	went to Dexter & Northern RR
new flues:	1955	New York Central (contracted out)
	ca. 1970	to Amusement Park, Owego, NY
	1971 - 1991	to Tioga Transportation Museum, Flemingville, NY
	1997	to Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum

(dates courtesy of R&GV website)

Military Railroads of the NY Metro Area - Main Page
Brooklyn Navy Yard	Brooklyn Army Terminal	Governors Island	Fort Hamilton	Fort Tilden
Fort Wadsworth	Fort Schuyler		Fort Terry	Fort Hancock (NJ)

This website, the individual webpages contained therein;
as well as the text, images and graphics contained therein are copyrighted.

Use for educational and historical references, (including railroad forums)
that are not-for-profit is allowed and encouraged, provided:

the owner of that photograph is credited as well, and:
this website receives credit,and where possible a link or URL address listed.

If in your viewing this website and it's associated pages, and you:

notice a photograph that you are due credit for and have not received such
know the date and/or photographer, where "unknown" is listed
want to offer the use of photographs;
want to point out an error and/or offer a correction,
want to offer a suggestion; or
desire more information,

then please do not hesitate to contact me and email me at: