Alfred H. Smith Memorial Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Alfred H. Smith Memorial Bridge is a railroad bridge spanning the Hudson River
at Castleton-on-Hudson
and Selkirk
, New York
in the United States
.
The bridge is owned by CSX Transportation
and was originally built for the New York Central Railroad
, which was subsequently merged into the Penn Central and then Conrail before being acquired by CSX. The bridge forms part of the Castleton Subdivision
of CSX.
The bridge is named in honor of Alfred Holland Smith
, the president of the New York Central Railroad who authorized the construction of this bridge as part of an extensive project known as the Castleton Cut-Off. He died in a horse-riding accident in Central Park
in 1924, prior to the completion of the bridge in that same year. He is sometimes confused with Alfred E. Smith, New York's governor at the time.
The bridge has been the southernmost rail freight route across the Hudson River since 1974, after a fire damaged the Poughkeepsie Bridge
, 55 miles further south. Rail freight traveling between New York City
or Long Island
and all points south must take a 280-mile detour along the Hudson River and across the bridge, a route known as the Selkirk hurdle
. The Cross-Harbor Rail Tunnel
project has been proposed as a direct route between Long Island and the US mainland, cutting across New York Harbor
.
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
at Castleton-on-Hudson
Castleton-on-Hudson, New York
Castleton-on-Hudson is a village located in the southwestern part of the town of Schodack in Rensselaer County, New York. The population was 1,619 at the 2000 census. The village is southeast of Albany, New York.- History :...
and Selkirk
Selkirk, New York
Selkirk is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, Albany County, New York. It is located south of the city of Albany, it is an suburb of that city....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The bridge is owned by CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
and was originally built for the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
, which was subsequently merged into the Penn Central and then Conrail before being acquired by CSX. The bridge forms part of the Castleton Subdivision
Castleton Subdivision
The Castleton Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of New York. The line runs from Schodack northwest to Selkirk along a former New York Central Railroad line. At its southeast end, it junctions with the Berkshire Subdivision and Schodack...
of CSX.
The bridge is named in honor of Alfred Holland Smith
Alfred Holland Smith
Alfred Holland Smith was the President of New York Central Railroad from January 1914 to May 1918 and from June 1919 until his death. The entirety of Smith's forty-five year career was dedicated to the railroads...
, the president of the New York Central Railroad who authorized the construction of this bridge as part of an extensive project known as the Castleton Cut-Off. He died in a horse-riding accident in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
in 1924, prior to the completion of the bridge in that same year. He is sometimes confused with Alfred E. Smith, New York's governor at the time.
The bridge has been the southernmost rail freight route across the Hudson River since 1974, after a fire damaged the Poughkeepsie Bridge
Poughkeepsie Bridge
The Poughkeepsie Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge spanning the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie, New York on the east bank and Highland, New York on the west bank...
, 55 miles further south. Rail freight traveling between New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
or Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
and all points south must take a 280-mile detour along the Hudson River and across the bridge, a route known as the Selkirk hurdle
Selkirk hurdle
The Selkirk Hurdle is the term used by urban planners, railroad employees, politicians and others to describe the route that must be taken by freight trains traveling between New York City or other points in downstate New York and points in the United States west of the Hudson River...
. The Cross-Harbor Rail Tunnel
Cross-Harbor Rail Tunnel
The Cross-Harbor Rail Tunnel is a proposed freight rail transport tunnel under Upper New York Bay in the Port of New York and New Jersey between northeastern New Jersey and Long Island, including southern and eastern New York City.-Background:Direct connections for rail freight between Long Island...
project has been proposed as a direct route between Long Island and the US mainland, cutting across New York Harbor
New York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
.