Trains on the Newark Industrial...

JLo wrote:The bascule bridge hasn't been operated in something like 15 or 20 years. I doubt it still works without major maintenance. In my 16 years in Newark, I've never seen it moved.

From what I read once is that a fire broke out in the machinery room that was started by locals kids. The fire apparently destroyed the machanics inside the bridge while it was in the open position and it was left that way ever sense.

JLo wrote:The bascule bridge hasn't been operated in something like 15 or 20 years. I doubt it still works without major maintenance. In my 16 years in Newark, I've never seen it moved.

I'd say more like 22+ years.

Lackawanna484 wrote:

Dougster wrote:.

I remember the box company on Rt. 3 but I also do not remember the name. they haven't received cars in years.

Union Camp --->International Paper ---->Shorewood (Div of IP)

You're right. I believe the property is for sale. Will prob become a Wal-Mart, or other big box retailer.

Wasn't there a bit of a grade battle to get the boxcars up from below ?

BlockLine_4111 wrote:

Lackawanna484 wrote:

Dougster wrote:.

I remember the box company on Rt. 3 but I also do not remember the name. they haven't received cars in years.

Union Camp --->International Paper ---->Shorewood (Div of IP)

You're right. I believe the property is for sale. Will prob become a Wal-Mart, or other big box retailer.

Wasn't there a bit of a grade battle to get the boxcars up from below ?

Yeah its like a 40 or 50 foot climb in a very short distance...

Saw a NS utility truck the kind the eletricians use on ROW by Washington Ave. Nutley. I guess thats a good sign that they are maintianing the trackage a little.

Did Hoffmann LaRoche used to get many shipments back in hey day ?

Does anyone recall doubletrack or a siding near Clifton HS which may have been in existance 20-25 yrs. ago ?

I imagine the Brighton and Allwood Sections of Clifton generated or consumed many carloads back in the day.

The bridge controls and all the electrical equipment was taken/removed years ago and bridge tenders room burned out. I don't know if the actual structure of the bridge is sound or not. Hard to tell.

The company along route 3 I spoke about in an earlier post is being torn down as I type.

Friday night 12/10 around 1030 heard NJT Main Line Dispatcher talking to NS H56 about going onto the Newark Industrial.

Just a few notes on the Bascule Bridge.

Where there is now a Used Car Lot at the base of the bridge, there used to be a Auto Repair Shop, and one of the guys who worked there was friends of my family. He also got to be friends with the bridge tenders who were assigned to it over the years. After "Conrail Day" there still was a M-F Day Shift Tender posted at the bridge. In November of '77 he was given orders on a Friday to report to the yard office for a new assignment
on Monday. That was the last time that the bridge was used and it has been in the open position since. According to Gene (at the Auto Repair Shop) the bridge remained untouched through the winter of '77-'78, but by the time the warmer weather arrived, the tenders shack became a popular hang out spot for local kids and the mechanical equipment was destroyed.

Fast Forward to the mid-80's, and as many of you know, the bridge was a film set for the movie Annie, still in the open position, the movie extras and stunt people could be seen climbing along the tracks. The entire bridge was lit up with giant spotlights that cast a very erie glow in the night sky.

To my knowledge the tenders shack was gutted by fire after this point.

I wonder if prior to the movie shoot any additional steps were taken to ensure that the bridge would not slam shut, and given the amount of time that the bridge was been in the open position could it still slam shut at some point in the future??

It also surprises me that the Coast Guard does not require NS to maintain navigation lights on the bridge.

Ken

I looked at the CFR covering the Passaic River bridges, and this bridge is not listed. There is probably a Coast Guard order that lists it out of service indefinitely. The clearances are significant with it being in the permanant open position so it may not require lighting given it doesn't block the channel in either dimension.

Your friend is right, the shack has had at least 2 fires since Annie was filmed. The bridge has had several fires on it over the years it has been abandoned.

How is the bridge held up anyway? Anyone know?

The marker lights for navigation on the bridge have come oand gone since the time the bridge was left up. I recall at leat 1 time new lights were placed on the fenders. Needless to say they are no longer there.

The car place you speak of, was it called Jeep Co.?

The marker lights for navigation on the bridge have come oand gone since the time the bridge was left up. I recall at leat 1 time new lights were placed on the fenders. Needless to say they are no longer there.

The car place you speak of, was it called Jeep Co.?

How is the bridge held up anyway? Anyone know?

Massive concrete counterweight. See http://www.childs-ceng.demon.co.uk/pics/plank.html

[quote="The car place you speak of, was it called Jeep Co.?[/quote]

That was it, if I am not mistaken they sold mostly used Jeeps, and had the general repair shop as well. There was an AMC Dealership on Kearny Avenue that sold new Jeeps.

I asked the question about navigation lights on the bridge as I remember when the H & M Bridge was still in place (and long sat abandoned) every so often new navagation lights would be installed. However the H & M span was a swing type bridge and thus more a threat to boat traffic than a Bascule Type bridge.

Considering the traffic congestion that occurs around this spot on River Road, I am surprised that no one ever suggested retrofitting this bridge so it could be used as a car span. Although by now could it be salvaged for any use?

Ken