PD Draw
| PD Draw | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°43′23″N 74°07′17″W / 40.72295°N 74.12126°WCoordinates: 40°43′23″N 74°07′17″W / 40.72295°N 74.12126°W |
| Carries |
Central Railroad of New Jersey Newark and New York Newark and Elizabeth Branch (1912-1967) |
| Crosses | Passaic River |
| Locale |
Newark and Kearny Northeastern New Jersey, USA |
| Owner | Conrail |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Swing bridge |
| Longest span | 212 feet (65 m) (removed) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1912 |
| Closed | 1976 |
 PD Draw
The first crossing of the Passaic River 1.2 miles from the river mouth at Newark Bay in the Port of New York and New Jersey,
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The PD Draw is a partially dismantled railroad bridge on the Passaic River between Newark and Kearny in the US state of New Jersey. It was built as part of Central Railroad of New Jersey branch known as the Newark and New York Railroad. The swing bridge is the first crossing upstream from Newark Bay at mile point 1.2.
At the north end of the bay at Kearny Point, the mouths of both the Passaic and the Hackensack River meet at the tip of a peninsula once known as New Barbadoes Neck. In order to build the line, the CNJ built bridges across the rivers, with service beginning in 1869. The original bridge was replaced in 1888. In 1912, the 212-foot (65 m) swing span was relocated 185 feet (56 m) upstream to create another bridge on a new alignment. The entire line across the rivers and Kearny Point was raised about 30 feet (9.1 m) to avoid conflicts with maritime traffic in the newly developing Port Newark.
In February 1946, a freighter damaged the HD Draw over the Hackensack, and when it was decided not to repair that bridge the railroad discontinued through service from its Communipaw Terminal in Jersey City. To minimize maintenance costs, the bridge over the Pasaic was reduced from two tracks to one in 1955.
In October 1970, in what was determined to be an act of sabotage, a 22-car freight train that included five engines was secretly assembled at the nearby railyard and intentionally let plunge from the bridge left in the open position, a standard procedure during overnight hours.
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