CRRNJ Newark Bay Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Newark Bay |
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The Central Railroad of New Jersey Newark Bay Bridge with its lifts raised (one of which had already been destroyed by collision); it was demolished in the 1980s
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| Coordinates | 40°39′16″N 74°09′00″W / 40.65444°N 74.15000°W |
| Carries | Central Railroad of New Jersey |
| Crosses | Newark Bay |
| Locale | New Jersey |
| Official name | Newark Bay |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Vertical lift bridge, through Parker truss |
| Total length | 2 miles (3.2 km) |
| Width | 4 tracks |
| Longest span | 299 feet (91 m) |
| Clearance above | 135 feet (41 m) |
| History | |
| Designer | John Alexander Low Waddell |
| Opened | 1926 |
| Closed | 1980-1988 |
The Newark Bay Bridge was a very important railroad bridge in New Jersey. It belonged to the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ). This bridge had four tracks for trains and four special sections that could lift up. It opened in 1926. Before that, older bridges had stood in the same spot since 1864. The bridge helped connect Elizabethport and Bayonne across Newark Bay. It was designed by a famous engineer named J. A. L. Waddell.
Contents
The Bridge's Design and How It Worked
This bridge was special because it had "lift" spans. These are parts of the bridge that can move straight up. This allowed tall ships to pass underneath. There were two main lift spans over two different shipping channels. The longer span was about 299 feet (91 meters) long. The shorter one was about 210 feet (64 meters) long.
When the lift spans were open, ships had about 135 feet (41 meters) of space to pass. When closed, there was still about 35 feet (11 meters) of space. Each lift span could move on its own. They could also move together. A special building on the bridge controlled all the movements and signals for trains and ships.
Important Events and Challenges
Even with its clever design, the bridge faced challenges. As more ships used the bay, and ships became larger, the bridge became a tricky obstacle for them. At the same time, fewer trains were using the bridge.
A very sad event happened on September 15, 1958. A commuter train went off the bridge. This happened because a lift span was open for a ship. This accident showed how dangerous the bridge could be.
Years later, on May 19, 1966, a large French ship called the S.S. Washington hit one of the lift spans. This damaged two of the bridge's four tracks. Because fewer trains were using the bridge by then, these tracks were never fixed.
The End of the Bridge
After 1967, only a few passenger trains used the bridge. The last freight train crossed in 1976. The very last passenger train left Bayonne on August 6, 1978.
Even though people in Bayonne wanted to save the bridge, it was declared a danger to ships. So, in July 1980, the main lift spans were taken down. The rest of the bridge, including its long approaches, was removed between 1987 and 1988. This was because building a new bridge in its place was no longer needed. The last parts of the bridge, its piers in the water, started to be removed in 2012.
Images for kids
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Newark Bay Railroad Bridge (1904)
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