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Orchard Street

Bridges: Orchard Street


 
Facing south, uphill, here is the through-girder bridge that carried the RVRR mainline over Orchard Street. This bridge was immediately parallel to the bridge seen in the picture on the right. Photo taken by Jeff Jargosch. Facing north, downhill, here is the deck-girder bridge that carried a siding over Orchard Street. This bridge was immediately parallel to the bridge seen in the picture on the left. Photo taken Jeff Jargosch.

Wm. Wyer & Co.
Report on Rahway Valley Railroad
August 1944

Over Shun Pike Road or Orchard St. One span thru plate girder skew bridge for main track. One span deck plate girder bridge for side track. Length of girders 44'-0". Underclearance 12'9" (painted on bridge). Condition good.

On the Rahway Valley Railroad's final approach into Summit it crossed over Orchard Street. In fact there were two seperate, but parallel, bridges over the roadway. One bridge, of the through-girder type, carried the main track over the road while the other bridge, of the deck-girder type, carried a siding over the road. The siding was the loading track of the Houdaille Stone Quarry.

The original bridge here was contructed in 1913 when Shunpike Road was realigned and the roadway depressed into the mountain.

After the railroad was officially closed in 1992, the bridges were removed leaving only the concrete abutments in place.

See what remains of the Orchard Street Bridges today.

 

 
Facing south, uphill, here is the through-girder bridge that carried the RV mainline over Orchard Street.  1990. Photo taken by Peter Thornton, courtesy of Don Maxton.
Here we see the two Orchard Street bridges, side by side. The bridge on the right is the main track while the one on the left is the side track. We are looking towards Summit. Photo taken by Peter Thornton, courtesy of Don Maxton.

 

This view, from the quarry side of the roadway, shows both bridges side-by-side. The bridge carrying the main track is on the left and the bridge carrying the siding is on the right. We are looking towards Springfield. Circa 1964.


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