A Mighty Bridge

Photo by Dave Frieder

The Hell Gate Bridge is part of the New York Connecting Railroad, built by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1912 to 1916, the finishing touches on what we call today the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington, DC.  According to Wikipedia, the bridge is 1,017 feet long, one of the longest steel arch bridges in the world.  The famous  Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia derived its design from the Hell Gate Bridge.  It is said that is was built so strong, it could survive for nearly 1,000 years if the human race were to perish. 

The term "Hell's Gate" stems from the Dutch for "clear strait."  It was hazardous to navigation as it was the confluence of tidal currents from Long Island Sound, the Harlem River and from Upper New York Bay.  

As part of the approach to New York's Penn Station, the long approach viaduct over Randall's and Wards Islands is the first views of the skyline of Manhattan for train riders.  Today, Amtrak runs passenger trains over the bridge, including its Acela Express and Northeast Regional services.  Freight trains are operated by CSX and the Providence and Worcester Railroad. 

The bridge is a thing of beauty to engineers and others.  (All photos by the author, except as noted.)

View of the Hell Gate Bridge from the train approaching the bridge.

The massive ironwork of the arch, as seen from the rear platform of the train.

View back at the massive concrete tower framing the Astoria, Queens end of the span.

Same view back in  August 25, 1963, showing a New Haven Railroad freight train crossing the bridge.  Photo by Paul Yurko.

High above Astoria, Queens, on the long approach viaduct and descending towards Penn Station in Manhattan.  To the left, the parallel suspension bridge section of the Triborough Bridge is visible.