Portal Bridge, Railway bridge in New Jersey Meadowlands, United States
Portal Bridge crosses the Hackensack River on two parallel tracks, linking Kearny to Secaucus through a rotating center span. The structure rests on heavy piers rising from the riverbed, while the movable middle section swings aside when waterway clearance is needed.
Pennsylvania Railroad built this crossing in 1910 to carry trains into Pennsylvania Station in New York City. The span became part of the busiest rail corridor along the East Coast at that time.
This bridge represents the evolution of American railroad engineering, standing as a testament to early 20th-century industrial infrastructure in the Northeast Corridor.
The span opens for river traffic outside morning rush hours from 5 to 10 AM and evening periods from 3 to 8 PM, requiring two hours advance notice. Around 450 trains cross daily, carrying roughly 200,000 passengers over the water.
The swing mechanism occasionally fails in open position, halting train service along one of North America's busiest rail lines. Despite repeated breakdowns, the crossing remains in service while replacement plans move forward.
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