Hell Gate Bridge, Railway arch bridge in Queens and The Bronx, United States
Description
Hell Gate Bridge is a railway crossing over the East River between Queens and The Bronx, measuring 310 meters (about 1000 feet) long and rising 93 meters (around 305 feet) high. The steel structure carries four parallel tracks for passenger and freight service along the Northeast Corridor route.
History
The crossing opened on March 9, 1917, as the longest steel arch span in the world at that time. Construction created the first continuous rail link between New York and New England, eliminating the need for trains to transfer onto ferries.
Culture
The name comes from Hellegat, a dangerous strait where many ships once wrecked before blasting work in the 1800s made passage safer. Today passenger and freight trains cross above while boats move through calmer water below, linking neighborhoods on either side.
Practical
The structure is visible from many waterfront points in Astoria and Randalls Island, especially during sunrise or sunset over the water. Only rail traffic crosses it, but walkers find nearby parks with clear views of the arch above the river.
Did you know?
German saboteurs planned to destroy the crossing during World War II to cripple rail traffic along the East Coast. Today around 40 Amtrak trains pass through daily, carrying thousands of travelers between Boston and Washington.
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