Erie's 1922-77 NX (Annie) Bridge over the Passaic River

(Bridge Hunter, Historic Bridges, HAER, Wikipedia)

"Some scenes from the film ANNIE were shot on this bridge in 1982." [Jeffs4653]

A photo inside the machine room

3D Satellite

Photo by Geoff Hubbs May 2019 via Bridge Hunter, License: Released into public domain
looking north from Clay Street

Taheer Seldon posted
New Jersey "between Newark and East Newark/Kearny"
Crossing the Passaic River

James G Duffy Jr

Former Erie Newark Branch. That bridge had been up in that position I believe since 1980. It’s not considered a hazard to navigation, so there it stands.

Carl Englund

If this type of bridge is balanced correctly, a small electric motor is all that is needed to open and close it. When the lite rails on the JM Bascule bridge were replaced with heavier rails, the MOW had to add additional weight to the bridge counter weight to keep it balanced correctly.

John Wood

Looks like high water

James G Duffy Jr

John Wood

 Passaic is a tidal river. Just running a bit high for some reason.

Joe Dockrill shared

Kevin Dunwoodie posted

Ken Allen posted some pictures with the comment:

One of the more famous, (or infamous) abandoned movable railroad bridges is the former Erie Railroad NX bridge that once spanned the Passaic River between Kearny, and Newark, NJ. The bridge saw it's last commuter train in October of '66, and it's last freight in November of '77, and it has been in the open position since. In the summer of '78 vandals destroyed the equipment used to raise and lower the bridge. In 1982 scene for the movie Annie was filmed at the bridge, hence the structure is sometimes called the "Annie Bridge". As for when the counter weights fail, and the structure itself starts to list (I doubt it will slam shut, as the gears are way too rusted) is anyone's guess.

One of the comments mention the WR Draw further upstream as a bridge that will be removed before this one is. (My satellite links are guesses; but they are the only two abandoned bridges I spotted on the river.)

1

4

2

Two of the three photos posted by Silvere L. Testa with the comment: "Kearny New Jersey...The Annie Bridge Shot with a Newer Drone."
Cornelius Jonson To cut costs, CR abandoned the bridge and served the line from both ends. Then CR abandoned the line east of the bridge after the customers closed up. The line west of the bridge is rarely used.
Henri Charles If that part of the bridge has been disused and left raised for such a long time, it's probably rusted into place!
Cornelius Jonson Henri Charles Actually people tell me that the cement weights are ready to break off and the bridge come crashing down. CR abandoned the bridge circa 1980 so they would not have to spend money on maintenance or pay the salary to the bridge tender. The story goes that one day the bridge tender was on duty and the phone rang and he was told he was reassigned somewhere else. CR Stop paying property taxes on the bridge and let the municipality of Harrison take it.

Tim Shanahan shared.

1

2

 

Douglas Butler posted
Unknown source NX Erie New York Branch Division Railroad Strauss Bascule Bridge better known as Annie is abandoned and located in Newark, NJ.

This bridge is on the left side of this map extract.

Aban RR Map