New-York tribune., 1902-12-14
RAISING THE TRACKS.
WORK IN BRIDGEPORI.
Great Task U7iU Not Be Completed
for q Year and Halt,

Not for a year and half" said one OF the engi-
neers in charge OF the work Of elevating the rail-
road tracks Of the New-York, New-faven and
Hartford Railroad al Bridgeport the other cay
asked when the task would be done
we have been greatly delayed in getting stone
Why. some OF those piers out there in the river
have been Ike that since last Christmas
There have been few track raisings to compare
with the BRIDGEPORT work 1t is not often that
plans are conceived, the execution OF wnlch shaH
elevate the whole roadbed of four track railroad
sixteen in air for nearly four miles carrying
it over twenty-five streets and river, and taxing
It Of the ground one side Of city ana prIhsl"s
II down again on the other. Begun in the fali OF
1899 the work Of elevating the railroad tracks at
Bridgeport is still long from being completed
There is every excuse for him who marVels al the
magnitude OF the work Bridgeport, for even
among engineers TO whom grades and elevations
are a part OF everyday life, the Bridgeport "olA n
is out OF the ordinary. But it is good. solid SUBJ
stanrial building that is being done Nothlng Ihdl
can contribute 10 the safety OF the pubic Is oeiis
sacrificed 10 beauty Of design. When az last tue
work is done and the trains go whizztng over Ihe
busy Bridgeport waterfront. they viii run over
roadbed as solid as all known means and pres
ent cay knowledge OF engineering problems can
make Il.
All work Of this sort is expensive, and $4,000
the estimated cost of this work is considered none
too large for its proper execution. OF the tota4
amount the city of Bridgeport bears one-sixth
s6s5 55s The remainder. S.3S3.S34 is paid py inc
New-York New-Havel and Hartford fallroau
Company Under the laws of Connecticut the
State is exempt from any of the cost entaiieo
through the alteration of grade on ralIroaos
Because of the fact that the tracks must cross
the Pequonnock River and for mile run along
that waterway, the engineering problem presen'eu
by the elevation Of the tracks at Bridgeport was
a difficult one The old city of Bridgeport lay Iot
the most part along the river front, and the rea
business centre of the city is still in that region
Main-st. following the line OF the river runs
almost due north and south. The New-York, New
Haven and Hartford Railroad approaches the city
from the west and runs almost due east crossing
Nair-st the road swings around with sharp tarh'
running along the west bank of the river 10 the
station, after passing which IL sweeps aoioSS eie
river in a broad curve and again heads almost due
east.
For something over mile the tracks run aloiis
the river front Track raising near the water is
never Easy work and that at Bridgeport has pre-
eentes MANY difficulties to be overcome When the
work was first undertaken IL became OBVIOUS mat
the CITY could not be moved No more cooic Inc
river and so the engineers and tnelr men nave
iahored in the mud and slime OF the fequohhocA'
sinking caissons and building founoauohs ieaN
ing 2 row OF toaerIIke granite structures peHiiIo
them as they slowly wormed along a. et'Nei s4u'
of This river work in both of the city. other
armies OF men have been at "oiA q, 80 -, -
grade crossings building great hollow granite
squares and tr,angleg between the streets Wheh
The e,on.ro-l &C. done these will be filed in and
solid roadbed afforded.
The RridRerort track raising does not fi'eai 'ii"I
the conditions at the many street CROSSINGS are
the only features Of railroad trafnc IN thal cry
TO be bettered although OF course tne elimination
OF the grade crossings is the chief object OF the
ehanxe- gor instance. there u to be new staHoe