241st Street Viaduct, New York City

Does anyone know when the 241st Street bridge over the New York Central was built? It was built by the New York Central System.

That's an interesting question. Its date of construction probably goes back to the electrification of 1906. The first phase of the Harlem Division electrification was completed that year and extended just about to E.241st Street at Wakefield. A photo in an old Railway Age showed the motor storage tracks (at the temporary engine change point) deadended at the New Haven flyover. Total grade crossing elimination was part of the electric project so presumably -- if E.241st once upon a time crossed the Harlem at grade -- it was closed at that time or a little later.

Was that when the bridge was built?

The bridge appears in photos at least from the 1920s I think. The thing I wonder about is, did New York Central really pay for it? New York City paid for a lot of the grade crossing elimination when Central was electrifying. In fact that's what held up the extension of the electric zone to North White Plains and Harmon. The County of Westchester would not pay for the grade crossing elimination and Central would not extend third rail without it. I think eventually they agreed to split the cost 50/50 between the county and the railroad.

I used to walk that bridge all the time back in the 1980s. I believe the 241st Street bridge crosses (from east to west) some city land, then (what was) the New Haven Railroad, a sliver of private property, then (what was) New York Central, then the Bronx River and, finally the Bronx River Parkway, though the Parkway probably came after the bridge. So the bridge crosses a lot more than just the Harlem tracks so maybe Central would not have been responsible for all the cost. Maybe NYC and the NH shared the cost? With maybe the City kicking in too?

Maybe it was just the railroads that paid. Because, I believe, when the viaduct was rebuilt about 15 years ago, Metro-North did get stuck with the repair bill. I think I read that in a Metro-North Milepost.

I guess all of which is a longwinded way of saying I don't know when the 241st Viaduct was built.

Sorry.

I found the answer in a news archive that contains New York Times papers going back to the 1800s.

The East 241st Street Viaduct -- originally called the Bronx Valley Viaduct -- opened in the Fall of 1930. New York Central did not build the viaduct. Instead, New York Central, the New Haven, New York State and New York City each paid 25% of the estimated $800.000 cost.

As far back as 1918 Central fought paying any of the cost, as railroad lawyers argued the viaduct was necessary whether there were railroad tracks there or not. An examiner with the New York State Public Service Commission said he agreed with the railroad yet the law was clear. Central had to share the cost.

The City of New York wanted the City of Yonkers to pay part of the city's 25% share. Whether New York City was successful in that I could not discover.

Tommy Meehan wrote: The East 241st Street Viaduct -- originally called the Bronx Valley Viaduct -- opened in the Fall of 1930. New York Central did not build the viaduct. Instead, New York Central, the New Haven, New York State and New York City each paid 25% of the estimated $800.000 cost.

I won't swear to this but I think the viaduct that opened in 1930 is the 238th St (also called Nereid Ave.) viaduct. That's the very tall concrete arch structure south of the 241st St one. I believe the 241st St. viaduct is older than that

According to the New York Times article written in early 1930, construction of the viaduct at E.241st Street was underway and expected to be completed in the Fall. I'm not sure about the E.238th Street viaduct but my impression is it had not yet been started.

I can't post a link because the Proquest archive I accessed is through a local library and requires an account number, a username and password to open.

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Just a quick edit-

According to the Times both viaducts were under construction at the same time, 1929-1931. I copied a couple of the news articles (pdf format) so if anyone wants to see just email me off-list through the email link under my name in this message.

TCurtin wrote:I won't swear to this but I think the viaduct that opened in 1930 is the 238th St (also called Nereid Ave.) viaduct.

The E.238th Street viaduct opened in April 1931. Link to pretty good site below. I couldn't find one for the 241st Street viaduct.

http://www.bridgesnyc.com/2010/03/east- ... et-bridge/

From the New York State Transit Commission Annual Report 1922
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Case No 1929 - Carrying of East 241s Street across the tracks of the New York Central Railroad and the New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad at Wakefield Borough of The Bronx. The order directs that East 241st street shall be carried across the tracks of the two railroads by viaduct and changes made in the track layout. The track changes have already been made. Detail plans have been approved for an ornamental viaduct to harmonize with improvements contemplated for the Bronx Parkway. The Board of Estimate is deferring action on land easements which must be acquired as a preliminary to construction. In the meantime on July 27 1921, the New York Central Railroad Company petitioned the Commission for a modification of the final order substituting a short footbridge for the vehicular bridge. The petition however was denied