Hear that rumble? That’s not just any train. It’s history rolling over the Delair Bridge.
The Delair Bridge is a railroad bridge. It crosses the Delaware River. It connects Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Pennsauken Township, New Jersey. This steel structure wasn’t just built for trains. It was the first bridge of any kind to link Philadelphia and New Jersey.
Picture this. The year is 1896. The Pennsylvania Railroad, or PRR, finished building the Delair Bridge. It was a game changer. The Delair Bridge connected PRR tracks in North Philadelphia to southern New Jersey. This made it easier to transport goods and people. The original bridge had three fixed Pennsylvania truss spans. It also had a swing-span drawbridge. This totaled 1,943 feet. Approach trestles added even more length. The Pennsylvania side had 2,129 feet of trestles. New Jersey had 324 feet. This brought the total length to 4,396 feet.
But the story of the Delair Bridge doesn’t end there.
Fast forward to 1958. The PRR decided the Delair Bridge needed an upgrade. They converted it to a vertical-lift span. This allowed for more clearance for ships on the river. The movable link is 542 feet long. It was floated into place as one piece. This minimized delays. The work was completed in 1960. At the time, the Delair Bridge was the longest and heaviest double-track lift bridge in the world. Only the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge was longer. It was longer by just two feet.
Now imagine the trains.
In the late 1930s, the Delair Bridge was electrified. Electric locomotives hauled freight trains. They accessed the Pavonia Yard in Camden, New Jersey. They came from the Northeast Corridor. Electrification was removed in 1967. It was restored in 1973. Conrail stopped electric freight operations in 1981. They removed the wires.
Think about the passengers.
Passenger train traffic stopped in 1969. This happened when Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines service was cut. Service ended at Lindenwold station. This was after the PATCO Speedline was completed. But passenger service returned in 1989. Amtrak began the Atlantic City Express service. Amtrak service ended in 1995. New Jersey Transit Atlantic City Line service has used the Delair Bridge since 1993.
There are two tracks on the Delair Bridge. The southern track was for freight traffic. The northern track was for the Atlantic City Line. The Pennsauken Transit Center project changed this. Platforms were built on both tracks. Now both passenger and freight trains use both tracks.
In 2011, the Delair Bridge received an $18.5 million grant. It was a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant. The South Jersey Port Corporation received the grant. It was used to rehabilitate the Delair Bridge. These improvements have been completed.
Today, the Delair Bridge stands as a testament to engineering. It is a vital link for freight and passenger trains. It connects Philadelphia and New Jersey. As you stand here, remember the history beneath your feet. Remember the trains that have crossed this bridge. Remember the visionaries who made it all possible. The Delair Bridge is more than just steel and tracks. It’s a symbol of connection. It is a symbol of progress.