All Things Portal Bridge: Amtrak and NJT Status and Replacement Discussion

They'll build a temp runaround. Probbably nothing near as amazing as the Peck one was. That's fun when you look down the end of the car and see open air out the window

Don31 wrote:You work for NJTPD and you don't know Portal??? I can't believe that!

Its the swing bridge over the Hackensack River.

I said I WORKED for njtpd, do not work there any longer. It was for 2 months and i was on mids. There's lots of things i dont know where they are.

"Due to Portal Bridge problems, service is temporarily suspended in and out of PSNY. NEC and NJC service in/out of Newark Penn is subject to 60 minute delays. Cross honoring with PATH and NJT Bus."

A whole slew of trains in/out of NYP are cancelled due to "Portal Bridge problem" or "Portal Bridge opening".

Did the bridge open for a ship and was not able to close?

Anyone know if this will be fixed soon (ie for the evening rush)?

Jul 25, 2006 05:03:39 PM
Rail service in and out of New York has been restored after earlier Amtrak Portal Bridge problems and NJ TRANSIT will be resuming a normal service schedule shortly. Passengers may experience residual delays.

Guess they really want to drill it into your head that service is restored....


Jul 25, 2006 05:24:02 PM
Service between Newark and NYPS has been restored and operating on or close to schedule.

Jul 25, 2006 05:22:29 PM
Service between Newark and NYPS has been restored and operating on or close to schedule.

Jul 25, 2006 05:21:07 PM
Service between Newark and NYPS has been restored and operating on or close to schedule.

Jul 25, 2006 05:19:05 PM
Service from between Newark and NYPS has been restored and operating on or close to schedule.

If only it weren't such a blatant lie (speficically the on-or-close to schedule):

Jul 25, 2006 06:28:29 PM
Northeast Corridor #3870 (6:13pm from Trenton) Cancelled, passengers to #3898 (6:22pm)

Jul 25, 2006 06:28:24 PM
Northeast Corridor #3855 (3:33pm from NYPS) Operating 80 minutes late due to earlier Portal bridge problem.

I'm assuming that these two turn for each other? My friend was due to be on 3870... oops.

Like usual the 2300 series trains came though - 2305, only 10 minutes late out of Newark Penn, ran on its normal express schedule. 4140 in the lead, btw

Has "DOCK" east of Newark Penn Station ever got stuck open?

the question should be when was the last time Dock was opened!!!

Between the recent electrical problems and now this, its safe to assume the NEC hates NJT

jimzim66 wrote:Between the recent electrical problems and now this, its safe to assume the NEC hates NJT

Yes it's posesessed by an engineer who went mad one day a drove his train right off the tracks and straight to hell.

Jtgshu wrote:the question should be when was the last time Dock was opened!!!

It's amazing how massive that bridge is,it looks really old too,does it open?

I got the "delay" message from NJT on my cell just before I left work.

Fortunately, I was able to ride 5435 to Bound Brook instead of my usual (and likely VERY late) 3865 to Jersey Ave.

It's amazing how massive that bridge is,it looks really old too,does it open?

Yes. I worked next to Newark Penn for 12 years. I saw it open and close several times over the years, almost always for barges with construction equipment on them. I never saw it get stuck although, once, both the Bridge St. and Rt 280 bridges got stuck. The 280 bridge closed after a little bit of effort, but Bridge St was stuck for quite a while.

I was stuck on 3503 (3:23 out of NYP) yesterday. We pulled out of Secaucus, and stopped. The crew announced several times over the span of about an hour that they were having trouble locking Portal bridge closed. At about 4:40, they backed the the train into Secaucus, where I went to get a train to Hoboken, from whence I was planning to get the PATH to Newark Penn to get a bus home.
While I was waiting for it to arrive, it was announced over the PA that service would be resuming in about 10 to 15 minutes, and of course the enormous crowds on the lower level platforms went roaring back up the stairs.
I still went off to Hoboken, got the 5:13 Bay Head express to Newark Penn (which was a scene of total mayhem at 5:30, and the trains were most certainly NOT on time), took the new Broad St. Branch of the Newark Light Rail off to Washington Park and to my bus home, at 6:40. Three hours and 17 minutes, not too shabby...
It's not every day that I get to take a NY Subway, three trains, one light rail, and one bus to get home! I had a good time, but then again, I'm insane