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Metro-North to rehab Harlem River Lift Bridge
The replacement of the Harlem River Bridge, owned by the New York Central System, was a boondoggle “of-the-first-order”, paid for by NYCS. There is virtually no river traffic on the Harlem. This rehab is a total waste. Cut the cables and sell the towers for scrap! If the bridge can be o/os for six-months, it is not necessary. Removal of lead-based paint is silly. How many kids climb on it and chew the paint? MTA doesn’t have the funds for this silliness. Now, another boondoggle!
Shut the bridges down, in the closed position. There is no marine traffic on the Harlem River. Scrap the towers, and cables. That will keep the local kids from eating the lead paint.
An aside: how often are the M-NR Harlem River Bridges lifted, and why? As a long time commuter on the Harlem Line, and the New Haven Line (even on the old swing bridge), I never encountered a delay on the bridge because of “River traffic”. Sounds like another “Corps of Engineers” scam.
Not a very appropriate illustration – is not this bridge in third rail territory?
Yar, John. The bridges are in the old Electric Division, south of the NYC junction of the Harlem and Hudson Divisions (Mott Haven). Straight under-running third rail operations. The New Haven trains join the ex-NYC lines at Woodlawn, about 10 miles north, and run on the 3d rail from Pelham into GCT. RIP, DPM.
Mr. Hays, are you not aware that the MTA spends millions upon millions on silliness? When it comes down to spending it on necessary things like the riding public and it’s employees it claims it’s broke and blames it’s financial troubles on labor costs without disclosing how much it really spends on unnecessary things unrelated. They constantly pull this because the public has a sorry memory span. Yes labor costs money, how else does the system operate? And nowhere near what they claim/blame. There’s tons of non essential employees in management they hide and continue to hire at far greater expense than what the labor force earns for a living who actually operate and maintain the trains, subways, busses and infrastructure. They are accountable to no one so they get away with it.
Another poor picture accompanying the article. In this day of instant photo collection and transimssion, why can’t TRAINS take a real picture of the bridge??