Passenger Trains > New Portal Bridge In Service Early

According to local news, due to downed wires and "a bent pole", on or near the old Portal Bridge, all trains are using the new Portal Bridge to get around the problem.  Quite the twist of fate in having the new bridge ready to go just at the right time.  Yesterday the big-wigs and VIP's got their inaugural ride over the bridge with the usual media coverage.

Last week somebody poo-poohed the one minute gain in time keeping with the new bridge.  That;'s only part of the benefit. The bridge frequently won't lock in place after opening for boats, which causes massive delays. The bridge crews have sledge hammers to bang the errant rails into connection. For a while the bridge was averaging one failure per week during the summer. Not good.

Two quick screen grabs from the local ABC news program

The bent pole

The first revenue train over the new bridge, probably from Trenton.  Train was moving from right to left inbound to NYP.

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Section B disp giving Form Ds for trains operating TK 3 Swift-Portal 50 mph.
Andy

Posted from Android

thebluecomet Wrote:
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> Two quick screen grabs from the local ABC news
> program
>
> The bent pole

Looks like something may have put pressure on the tied off 138kv lines. The active 138kv feeders appear to have already been relocated.

>
> The first revenue train over the new bridge,
> probably from Trenton.  Train was moving from
> right to left inbound to NYP.

Oh man, the constellation of transit YouTubers are going to be pissed they didn't get to cram onto a 4am train on the official opening day.

twropr Wrote:
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> Section B disp giving Form Ds for trains operating
> TK 3 Swift-Portal 50 mph.
> Andy
>
> Posted from Android

Signaling system not working Form D's or placing the track in service Form D?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/26 10:39 by mbrotzman.

Never  a  dull  day!!

I am on 97 and I do not know if the issue has been rectified, but I am thinking not.  We are stopped at the Seacaucus Transfer station at the moment after an on time departure.  A regional just passed us, headed for NYC, and a NJ tranist train is a couple of tracks over from us.  I believe it is outbound.

NYPS - NWK took #97 40 minutes, not too bad considering. 

We might scoff at a minute saved, but how many person-trips are made across that bridge each day? 

joemagruder Wrote:
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> We might scoff at a minute saved, but how many
> person-trips are made across that bridge each
> day? 

Just NJT, about 90,000 each way per weekday to Manhattan. There is some ridership turnover at Secaucus, east of the bridge. . 

mbrotzman Wrote:
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> Signaling system not working Form D's or placing
> the track in service Form D?

Its unlikely that the control screen at PSCC was updated yet for the new bridge, and the PTC system was also probably not in service yet.  That's stuff that usually happens on the cutover weekend.