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

[jlr3266]

Your glass is clearly half-full!

[Sirsonic]

The problem was not that the bridge would not close, but rather they could not get indication that the bridge was locked. It is not possible to run trains over the bridge if they have an unlock indication due to safety reasons.

The same problem has occurred, rarely, at the Passaic River Draw (the movable bridge at Dock). Usually when that bridge has problems, however, it is only the track 2-3-4 bridge that will not lock, so it is still possible to run trains over the track 1 bridge.

[ApproachMedium]

I would assume locking the bridge might have something to do with the overhead wire lock as well. If the bridge can't lock its base or the overhead wire can't lock in then trains can't run accross. If theres a gap there in the wire run would cause the pans to snag or fly up. Im not an expert on bridges but I have been around them alot with boating. Some of these old ones when it gets really hot swell and they have to sweat them down with water to get them to close. Old stuff it happens. Althought I don't recall ever seeing the Brielle bridge down here on the NJCL ever getting stuck open or closed. Newer bridges compensate this with expansion joints not only on the bridge deck but also where moving parts are as well to prevent such a heat failure.

[Bay Head Local]

God forbid Dock ever gets stuck open,the entire Newark Division and all of its passengers would be screwed,no trains,no path,no nothing,the only service gettiing into Penn would be Midtown Direct.Maybe they would run shuttle buses between Penn Station and Broad St

[geoffand]

WD-40 and some duct tape, close that thing right down again and keep it down

[CNJGeep]

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

Ah, it must have been rotated, it was on 2303 Monday, and...4201? Tuesday...

[jersey_emt]

God forbid Dock ever gets stuck open,the entire Newark Division and all of its passengers would be screwed,no trains,no path,no nothing,the only service gettiing into Penn would be Midtown Direct.Maybe they would run shuttle buses between Penn Station and Broad St

Or use the Newark subway / light rail

[Steve F45]

God forbid Dock ever gets stuck open,the entire Newark Division and all of its passengers would be screwed,no trains,no path,no nothing,the only service gettiing into Penn would be Midtown Direct.Maybe they would run shuttle buses between Penn Station and Broad St

Macgyver could fix it with duct tape, his shoe laces and stick of bubble gum.

[MNRR_RTC]

Before I left to work for the Mets, I worked as a Dock Tower train director and Sect. A dispatcher fro Amtrak. My experience, especially at Dock, was when the temperature was high, we would lose the bridge indication on the south span (tracks 2,3 and 4). Portal gave me headaches, but at least there is a deal in place (not sure if it is true now, it has been over 2 years for me) that Amtrak made with the Coast Guard. Portal was to remain closed between 630 am to 9 am and 4 to 7 pm. If Jtgshu remembers the one night we had portal stuck open and I wound up having to back up a few trains during the late summer. Then again, it happened quite often, I am pretty sure he won't remember which one I am talking about.

[Wanderer]

Amtrak seriously needs to do something about Portal Bridge. If I had a dollar for everytime in my life that thing has gotten stuck open or couldn't get locking indication, I'd be a pretty rich guy.

And that's the sad thing is, this actually is far from unusual...

[Jtgshu]

Actually I do think i remember that night, as I had a fellow Amtrak dispatcher on the train (at the time he usually worked CTEC 8 second trick - initials are RS) and he was trying to explain to the passengers who were sitting in the area what the problem was - i finally told him to just give it up - it wasn't worth his breath.........

that was funny -

I do remember the night you held an opening of Portal for my train to go by = THAT was nice!!!

[MNRR_RTC]

Actually I do think i remember that night, as I had a fellow Amtrak dispatcher on the train (at the time he usually worked CTEC 8 second trick - initials are RS) and he was trying to explain to the passengers who were sitting in the area what the problem was - i finally told him to just give it up - it wasn't worth his breath.........

that was funny -

I do remember the night you held an opening of Portal for my train to go by = THAT was nice!!!

I always did (and still do) go out of my way for the train crews that I like.

[PRRTechFan]

The problem was not that the bridge would not close, but rather they could not get indication that the bridge was locked. It is not possible to run trains over the bridge if they have an unlock indication due to safety reasons.

Exactly correct. My experience isn't with a rail lift bridge, but a rail swing (center pivot) bridge. The South Channel bridge carries the NYCTA "A" train across Jamaica Bay from Broad Channel to Far Rockaway. The NJT NJCL Raritan River bridge is a swing bridge, and the two are similar. The South Channel bridge was built circa 1951, and the mechanical and electrical systems were completely overhauled and replaced several years ago. But the bridge locking system and associated interlocks are essentially the same as installed in 1951.

At each end of the moveable span there are mitre rails, also known as lift rails. The "shore" end of these rails raise so that they clear the stationary rails on the fixed pier; this allows the bridge to rotate. The lift rails when seated mate like two interlocking Vs... -->>-- This joint is considered a type of frog, and the rails are not considered mated until the moveable rail is fully lowered and level with the stationary rail. There are US&S U5 circuit controllers, which are probably the world's best most extremely heavy duty cam switches; one associated with every lift rail. These switches are adjusted so that they will open if the lift rail rises an eighth of an inch of more from the fully seated position. There are eight of these switches.

At each end of a swing bridge, there are two giant wedges. These wedges are driven toward the shore piers where they engage the span "seats". The seats are slightly tapered, and as the wedges are driven into the seats, the ends of the moveable span are wedged upward several inches until the moveable span is level with the stationary pier and rails. The ends of the span are then rigidly supported at both ends. In order to level and lock the bridge, the wedges must be driven in a particular distance. Another set of U5 circuit controllers are connected such that they will open if the wedges are more than a half-inch from the completely seated position.

A similar situation exists at the center pier. Although the bridge turns on a set of 36-inch diameter concave/convex disks, there are a set of center wedges and seats that act when the wedges are driven to transfer the weight of the span off of the pivot onto the wedge and seat and further lock the bridge. These wedges also have circuit controllers to check proper wedge position.

Lastly, the bridge control system is arranged such that when power is applied to the controls, another interlock contact opens.

The South Channel bridge has eight rail position switches, six wedge position switches and a control system interlock contact all wired in series and interconnected with the rail signal system. If any one of those switches do not close; or if one switch opens even momentarily, the "Bridge Lock" status is lost, the signals governing movement across the bridge drop to "stop" and all movements are halted. The bridge home signals are considered Interlocking home signals, so "Stop" is "Stop", not "Stop and Proceed". Not knowing what the exact cause of a "bridge unlock" is, trains cannot be permitted to cross the bridge until it is determined that the bridge is actually mechanically fully locked or a failed or out of adjustment switch is fixed, the bridge lock indication is restored, and signals can again be displayed for train movement.

It was my experience that the rail lift switches took the greatest abuse. Although the lift rails are held down when closed with 4,000 pounds of spring tension and the moveable and stationary rails are interlocked together, they are not rigidly bolted together and as wheelsets pass over the joint, the two rails can still move slightly in relation to each other. Watch a bolted rail joint the next time a train passes; even a bolted joint will flex slightly.

The circuit controllers cannot be mounted to the ground, as the rails and ties will move slightly. The controllers are mounted to the ties that support the rails, so the controllers move and bounce with the ties and rails. They take a tremendous pounding and I am amazed that they operate properly as long as they do. This is a problem with any moveable bridge, and I do not know of a better solution short of welding the bridge shut and installing continuous rail...

McGyver could fix it with duct tape, his shoe laces and stick of bubble gum...

Been there, done that!

[Sirsonic]

Phew! Thanks for the detailed description of how things work. I have often heard after a problem with a rail lock indication at a movable bridge that the problem was corrected by adjusting the U5 switch. Now I finally know what that means. You really do learn something new every day...

[7 Train]

One thing the keep in mind: Portal was built in 1910 and is OVER 95 years old. In fact, the engineers who built it probably didn't even expect it to survive this long. You must give thanks to the men who designed and built it.