WR Draw, Railway swing bridge in Newark, United States.
The WR Draw is a railway swing bridge that crosses the Passaic River between Newark and the Arlington section of Kearny, using a plate girder mechanism that once swung open for river traffic. The structure has been permanently closed and stationary since passenger service stopped in 2002.
The bridge opened in 1897 as part of the New York and Greenwood Lake Railway, connecting Hudson River terminals with rail networks in northern New Jersey. Service operations ceased in 2002 and the structure now awaits repurposing as part of a regional greenway project.
The bridge shows how railways once connected the valley and moved people and goods across the river as a vital part of regional transportation. It stands as a reminder of when rail lines linked entire communities together.
The bridge is not currently open to visitor access and remains in a holding state as it awaits incorporation into a larger greenway project. The best view of the structure comes from nearby streets and river banks where you can see it from outside.
The nearby Midland Avenue takes its name from a predecessor bridge that once stood at this location, keeping alive a piece of the area's transport history. This naming connection shows how infrastructure shapes the identity of places long after the original structures are gone.
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