Delair Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Delair Bridge is a lift bridge carrying the New Jersey Transit
Atlantic City Line
and a former Conrail line, now a shared asset between Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Transportation. It crosses the Delaware River
between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
and Pennsauken Township
, New Jersey
, just south of the Betsy Ross Bridge
. The bridge's southern track is currently reserved for freight traffic, and the northern track is currently reserved for the Atlantic City Line. As part of the upcoming Pennsauken Transit Center project, which will involve building a station complex where the River LINE
passes under the Delair Bridge's approach, a station will be constructed on the NJ approach. Since the Atlantic City Line
station portion will use both tracks, both tracks will be used for passenger service in the future, with freight traffic also gaining use of both tracks.
The Delair Bridge, built by the Pennsylvania Railroad
(PRR) in 1895–1896, was the first bridge of any sort between Philadelphia and New Jersey. The steel span connected PRR tracks in North Philadelphia to southern New Jersey. It consisted of three fixed Pennsylvania truss spans and a through-truss swing drawbridge
totaling 1943 feet (592.2 m). Approach trestles of 2129 feet (648.9 m) on the Pennsylvania side and 324 feet (98.8 m) on the New Jersey side bring its total length to 4396 feet (1,339.9 m).
Starting in 1958, the PRR converted the bridge into a vertical lift span to increase clearance for river traffic. The 542 feet (165.2 m) movable link was floated into place in one piece to facilitate installation and minimize delay. Work was completed in 1960. The Delair Bridge was the longest and heaviest double-track lift bridge in the world at the time.
The bridge was also electrified in the late 1930s, allowing freight trains hauled by electric locomotive
s to access the Pavonia Yard
in Camden, New Jersey
from the Northeast Corridor
. Electrification was removed by January, 1967 but was restored in mid-1973. However, Conrail ceased electric freight operations in 1981 and removed the wires several years later.
Passenger traffic on the bridge ceased in 1969, but was restored in 1990.
A brief shot of the bridge can be seen in the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
from the defunct PECO
Richmond power station on the Pennsylvania side of the river.
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
Atlantic City Line
Atlantic City Line
The Atlantic City Line is a rail line operated by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage that was controlled by both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Pennsylvania-Reading...
and a former Conrail line, now a shared asset between Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Transportation. It crosses the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and Pennsauken Township
Pennsauken Township, New Jersey
Pennsauken Township is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, USA, and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 35,885....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, just south of the Betsy Ross Bridge
Betsy Ross Bridge
The Betsy Ross Bridge is a continuous truss bridge spanning the Delaware River from Philadelphia to Pennsauken, New Jersey. It was originally planned as the Delair Bridge, after a paralleling vertical lift bridge owned by Pennsylvania Railroad , but was instead named for Betsy Ross, reputed creator...
. The bridge's southern track is currently reserved for freight traffic, and the northern track is currently reserved for the Atlantic City Line. As part of the upcoming Pennsauken Transit Center project, which will involve building a station complex where the River LINE
River LINE
The River Line is a diesel light rail system in New Jersey, United States, that connects the cities of Camden and Trenton, New Jersey's capital. It is operated for New Jersey Transit by the Southern New Jersey Rail Group , which originally included Bechtel Group and Bombardier...
passes under the Delair Bridge's approach, a station will be constructed on the NJ approach. Since the Atlantic City Line
Atlantic City Line
The Atlantic City Line is a rail line operated by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage that was controlled by both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Pennsylvania-Reading...
station portion will use both tracks, both tracks will be used for passenger service in the future, with freight traffic also gaining use of both tracks.
History
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(PRR) in 1895–1896, was the first bridge of any sort between Philadelphia and New Jersey. The steel span connected PRR tracks in North Philadelphia to southern New Jersey. It consisted of three fixed Pennsylvania truss spans and a through-truss swing drawbridge
Drawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
totaling 1943 feet (592.2 m). Approach trestles of 2129 feet (648.9 m) on the Pennsylvania side and 324 feet (98.8 m) on the New Jersey side bring its total length to 4396 feet (1,339.9 m).
Starting in 1958, the PRR converted the bridge into a vertical lift span to increase clearance for river traffic. The 542 feet (165.2 m) movable link was floated into place in one piece to facilitate installation and minimize delay. Work was completed in 1960. The Delair Bridge was the longest and heaviest double-track lift bridge in the world at the time.
The bridge was also electrified in the late 1930s, allowing freight trains hauled by electric locomotive
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
s to access the Pavonia Yard
Pavonia Yard
Pavonia Yard is a rail yard in Camden, New Jersey. It was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad and opened in 1888.The yard was used to interchange with the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad during 1896 to 1932, and with the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines during 1932 to 1976. Initially the PRR...
in Camden, New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
from the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
. Electrification was removed by January, 1967 but was restored in mid-1973. However, Conrail ceased electric freight operations in 1981 and removed the wires several years later.
Passenger traffic on the bridge ceased in 1969, but was restored in 1990.
A brief shot of the bridge can be seen in the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a 2009 American science fiction-action film directed by Michael Bay and produced by Steven Spielberg. It is the sequel to the 2007 film Transformers and the second installment in the live-action Transformers series...
from the defunct PECO
PECO Energy Company
PECO is an energy company founded in 1881 and incorporated in 1929. It became part of Exelon Corporation in 2000 when it merged with Unicom. The company has approximately 2,300 employees; its call center and field craft personnel are members of IBEW Local 614...
Richmond power station on the Pennsylvania side of the river.