Erie Lackawanna
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From: tommy meehan tmeehan0421 AT gmail DOT com
Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2023 16:48:45 -0500
Subject: Former Lackawanna Broad Street Freight Yard
"Broad_St_circa_1904_NPL.jpg" - image/jpeg, 559x446 (24bit)

I thank Wes White for posting some more information on the old Lackawanna
Broad Street freight yard. The images, especially X4472 and X4532, are very
revealing. I get the digest so I haven't seen any messages that might have
been posted today, but the suggestion was made that the spur shown on the
1911 map running east of the freight yard might be what remained of the
former main line, ending where the former Passaic River bridge was located.
That seems quite likely.

Lackawanna put a new double-deck Passaic River bridge in service in March
1901, located thirty-five south of the present location. This is well
documented by an article in the January 1, 1904 edition of RAILROAD
GAZETTE. The article details how Lackawanna built the bridge thirty-five
feet south of today's location, to serve the existing route, then began the
work of constructing a new elevated line between Harrison and Newark. By
December 1903 the new elevated line between Harrison and Newark was ready,
as was the new Newark passenger station, the same one that's there today.
On Sunday December 20, 1903 the 1,000 ton bridge was moved to its new
location, using barges and jacks. DL&W Chief Engineer Lincoln Bush was in
charge. Moving the bridge took less than a day. Work began in the early
morning hours, the old route being closed to traffic after 2am Sunday
morning. The bridge was in the new position and ready for trains by 8pm
Sunday evening. The new Broad Street station was then opened to the public
with Lackawanna and Newark officials attending a ceremony. Scheduled train
service was restarted about 9pm.

To the west, the new route intersected the old route near High Street about
500 feet west of the new station. I found a photo on the Newark Public
Library site, undated but apparently from early 1904. It shows what I
believe is the old main track passing to the south of the Broad Street
station. It looks like crews are taking up the old line. Visible are
crossing gates where the old line crossed what I believe was then called
Plane Street.

tommy meehan


Broad_St_circa_1904_NPL.jpg

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