,,american ,,society ,,of ,,civil       
,,engineers  ,,instituted #aheb         
,,transactions  ,paper ,no4 #aaec       
,,the ,,new ,,york ,,tunnel ,,extension 
,,of ,,the ,,pennsylvania ,,railroad4   
,,meadows ,,division ,,and ,,harrison   
,,transfer ,,yard4,a  ,,by ,e4 ,b4      
,,temple1 ,m4 ,,am4 ,,soc4 ,c4 ,e4      
,the ,new ,york ,tunnel ,extension of   
the ,pennsylvania ,railroad diverges    
from the ,new ,york ,division in the    
,town of ,harrison1 ,n4 ,j41 and1       
ascending on a #j4e grade1 crosses over 
the tracks of the ,new ,york ,division  
and the main line of the ,delaware1     
,lackawanna and ,western ,railroad4     
,thence it continues1 with light        
undulating grades1 across the           
,hackensack ,meadows to a point just    
east of the ,northern ,railroad of ,new 
,jersey and the ,new ,york1 ,susquehanna
 and ,western ,railroad1 where it       
descends to the tunnels under ,bergen   
,hill and the ,north ,river4 7,plate    
,,xvi47  ,illustration3 ,,plate         

,,xvi4--,plan and ,profile of the       
,pennsylvania ,tunnel  ,terminal ,r4    
,r41 from ,harrison1 ,n4 ,j41 to the    
,hudson ,river  ,that portion of the    
line lying west of the portals of the   
,bergen ,hill ,tunnels has been divided 
into two sections3 ,first1 the most     
westerly1 known as the ,harrison        
,transfer ,station and ,yard 7,plate    
,,xvii71 which is located on the        
southern side of the ,new ,york         
,division1 ,pennsylvania ,railroad1 and 
extends from the connection with the    
,new ,york ,division tracks at grade up 
to the point of crossing the same1 where
 the ,pennsylvania ,tunnel and ,terminal
 ,railroad has its beginning2 second1   
the ,meadows ,division of the           
,pennsylvania ,tunnel and ,terminal     
,railroad1 which is a double-track      
railroad1 #e4jh miles long1 extending   
from a point just west of the bridge    
over the ,new ,york ,division to a point
 #cjj ft4 west of the western portals of
 the ,bergen ,hill ,tunnels4  ,harrison 

,transfer ,station and ,yard4--,the     
necessities for the ,harrison           
improvements are two-fold3 ,first1 as a 
place to change motive power from steam 
to electric1 and vice versa2 second1 as 
a transfer for passengers from trains   
destined to the new ,station at ,seventh
 ,avenue and #cc;d ,street1 ,new ,york  
,city1 to steam or rapid transit trains 
destined to the present ,jersey ,city   
,station1 or to the lower part of ,new  
,york ,city via the ,hudson and         
,manhattan ,tunnels1 and vice versa4    
,all steam trains from ,philadelphia1   
the ,south1 and the ,west1 from ,new    
,jersey seashore resorts1 and local     
trains on the ,new ,york ,division bound
 for the new ,pennsylvania ,station1    
will change their motive power from     
steam to electric engines at the        
,harrison ,transfer ,station4 ,likewise1
 all trains from the ,tunnel ,line will 
change from electric to steam motive    
power there1 and passengers coming from 
,jersey ,city and the southern section  

of ,new ,york ,city can take through    
trains at the ,harrison ,transfer       
platforms4 ,it is estimated that the    
time required to make this change of    
motive power1 or to transfer passengers1
 will not exceed #c-a_/b min4  ,the plan
 at ,harrison provides at present for   
two platforms1 each #a1ajj ft4 long and 
#bh ft4 wide1 and having ample shelters 
and waiting rooms1 connected by a       
#ab-;ft4 tunnel under the tracks1       
provision being made for two additional 
platforms when necessity requires their 
construction4 ,the platforms are        
supported on walls of reinforced        
concrete1 with an overhang to provide a 
refuge for employees from passing       
trains4 ,the concrete walls are         
supported on wooden piles1 prevented    
from spreading by #g_/h-;in4 tie-rods at
 #aj-;ft4 intervals1 and embedded in    
concrete under the paving of the        
platform4 ,as the elevation of the top  
of the platform is #ba4hc1 and the top  
of the piles is #ad4ed above mean tide1 

the piles will1 of course1 decay2 but1  
as the embankment has been completed for
 some time and is well packed and       
settled1 the concrete being deposited   
directly on the embankment1 very little 
trouble from settlement is anticipated  
when the piles decay4 ,the surface of   
the platforms1 with the exception of the
 edges1 is to be of brick1 on a concrete
 base2 and1 if settlement occurs1 the   
bricks can be taken up and re-surfaced4 
,the tops of the platforms are #c ft4   
#aj in4 above the top of the rail and on
 a level with the floors of the cars1 so
 that passengers may enter or leave     
trains without using steps1 as all cars 
which will enter the ,pennsylvania      
,station1 ,new ,york ,city1 are to be   
provided with vestibules having         
trap-doors in the floor to give access  
to either high or low platforms4        
,details of the platforms are shown on  
,plates ,,xviii and ,,xix4  ,as planned 
at present1 there will be four main     
running tracks1 one adjacent to each    

side of the two platforms1 providing    
standing room for four of the longest   
trains1 two in each direction1 or double
 the number of trains of ordinary       
length1 so that passengers having to    
transfer from a train destined to the   
,pennsylvania ,station at #cc;d ,street 
to a train destined for the ,jersey     
,city ,station or the ,hudson and       
,manhattan ,tunnels will merely cross   
the platform4 ,between the two interior 
main tracks are two shifting tracks1 so 
that between the platforms there will be
 two passenger tracks on which trains   
will stop to change motive power and    
transfer passengers1 and two shifting   
tracks for rapid despatching of the     
empty engines and motors1 each of the   
four tracks being #ae ft4 from center to
 center to allow for uncoupling and     
inspection of cars4  ,an efficient      
system of connections and cross-overs is
 provided for all tracks1 and there is  
ample storage capacity for #aj steam    
engines at the western end of the       

platforms and #bj electric motors at the
 eastern end1 both of which are         
conveniently located for quick movement1
 with provision for additional storage  
tracks1 if required4 ,steam engines1    
upon being disconnected1 can be quickly 
sent to the main engine storage yard1   
and by the use of a loop track no       
turntable is required4 ,the main engine 
storage yard is located south of the    
running tracks adjoining the bulkhead   
along the ,passaic ,river1 where        
provision is made for the storage of #bj
 engines4 ,there are two #ej1jjj-;gal4  
water tanks1 an ash-pit1 inspection-pit1
 work-pit1 sand-hopper1 and the         
necessary buildings4 ,water is brought  
from the city water main in the ,meadows
 ,yard1 on the ,new ,york ,division1    
about #h1bjj ft4 eastward from the      
center of this yard4  ,it was at first  
planned to locate a power-house and car 
and engine repair shops in the yard1 but
 as the ultimate extent of the          
electrification of the ,new ,york       

,division cannot now be determined1 the 
facilities in the large power-house in  
,long ,island ,city1 and in the shop and
 round-house in the ,meadows ,yard of   
the ,new ,york ,division1 were increased
 to provide for the power and repairs   
necessary for the next few years4 ,in   
order to reach the ,meadows shops and   
round-house without interfering with the
 present passenger and freight tracks1  
it was necessary to build track         
connections with the ,meadows ,yard4    
,twelve stalls of the existing          
round-house were extended to accommodate
 the motive power2 a large transfer     
table and pit were increased in size1   
and an additional ash-pit and engine    
storage tracks were constructed4  ,any  
extensive repairs to the electric       
engines will be made for the present in 
the ,jamaica ,shops1 ,long ,island2 and 
the large shops at ,trenton1 on the ,new
 ,york ,division1 as well as the        
,meadows ,shops1 will be available for  
repairs to the steam locomotives4 ,there

 is ample room at ,harrison1 and plans  
have been prepared providing for storage
 and light repair of cars1 locomotives1 
electric motors1 and rapid transit      
trains1 if the future demands require   
such construction at this place4  ,the  
rapid transit line will extend from     
,park ,place1 ,newark1 to ,harrison1 and
 thence over the present line of the    
,pennsylvania ,railroad1 which will be  
electrified1 to a junction with the     
,hudson and ,manhattan ,railroad        
,company's tunnel tracks at ,prior      
,street1 ,jersey ,city4 ,it will be     
constructed and owned by the            
,pennsylvania ,railroad ,company4 ,a    
joint and frequent through service will 
be conducted by both companies between  
,park ,place1 ,newark1 and the terminal 
of the ,hudson and ,manhattan ,railroad1
 in ,new ,york ,city1 by the use of     
multiple-unit trains similar to those   
now being operated in the ,hudson and   
,manhattan tunnels4 ,these trains will  
pick up and discharge ,pennsylvania     

,railroad passengers at the ,harrison   
,transfer ,station1 so that all         
passengers bound for lower ,new ,york   
,city1 who desire to use the tunnel     
service1 will make the change at        
,harrison instead of at ,jersey ,city as
 at present4 ,provision is made for two 
additional platforms1 each #a1ajj ft4   
long1 to accommodate the rapid transit  
trains when the present platforms prove 
inadequate4 ,the existing passenger     
tracks between the ,harrison ,transfer  
,yard and ,summit ,avenue1 ,jersey      
,city1 where a new local passenger      
station will be constructed1 will be    
used jointly by steam and electric      
trains4  ,the embankment for the        
,harrison ,yard was made1 under contract
 dated ,july #bast1 #aijf1 with ,henry  
,steers1 ,incorporated1 of ,new ,york   
,city1 of cellar earth from ,new ,york  
,city1 and with rock and earth excavated
 from the ,pennsylvania ,station and    
cross-town tunnels4 ,it was necessary to
 construct #a1jjj ft4 of stone and crib 

bulkhead along the bank of the ,passaic 
,river4 ,the plan of the yard was       
prepared by a committee of operating1   
electrical1 and engineering officers1   
consisting of ,mr4 ,f4 ,l4 ,sheppard1   
,general ,superintendent1 ,new ,jersey  
,division1 ,pennsylvania ,railroad      
,company2 ,george ,gibbs1 ,m4 ,am4 ,soc4
 ,c4 ,e41 ,chief ,engineer1 ,electric   
,traction and ,terminal ,station        
,construction1 ,pennsylvania ,tunnel and
 ,terminal ,railroad ,company2 ,mr4 ,j4 
,a4 ,mc,crea1 ,general ,superintendent1 
,long ,island ,railroad ,company2 ,mr4  
,c4 ,s4 ,krick1 ,superintendent1        
,pennsylvania ,tunnel and ,terminal     
,railroad ,company2 ,mr4 ,a4 ,m4        
,parker1 then ,principal ,assistant     
,engineer1 ,new ,jersey ,division1      
,pennsylvania ,railroad ,company1 now   
,superintendent1 ,hudson ,division2 and 
approved by ,mr4 ,a4 ,c4 ,shand1 ,chief 
,engineer1 ,pennsylvania ,railroad      
,company1 and ,chief ,engineer1 ,meadows
 ,division1 ,pennsylvania ,tunnel and   

,terminal ,railroad ,company4           
,illustration3 ,,plate ,,xvii4--,plan of
 ,harrison ,yard  ,meadows ,division1   
,pennsylvania ,tunnel and ,terminal     
,railroad4--,the two main tracks        
ascending through the ,harrison ,yard   
continue on an embankment to a point    
#ejj ft4 west of the west abutment of   
the bridge over the ,new ,york ,division
 tracks1 which is the point of beginning
 of the ,pennsylvania ,tunnel and       
,terminal ,railroad4 ,from this point   
the line extends in a general           
northeasterly direction1 crossing the   
,hackensack ,river1 skirting the base of
 ,snake ,hill1 and thence to the        
approach cut to ,bergen ,hill ,tunnels4 
,the embankment varies in height from   
#be to #cj ft4 above the surface of the 
meadows4  ,in this ,division the        
following bridges were necessary3       
,pennsylvania ,railroad1 ,new ,york     
,division1 ,passenger and ,newark       
,freight ,tracks2       ,delaware1      
,lackawanna and ,western ,railroad1     

,morris and ,essex      ,division2      
,newark and ,jersey ,city ,turnpike2    
,public ,service ,corporation ,right of 
,way2       ,erie ,railroad1 ,newark and
 ,paterson ,branch2       ,belleville   
,road1 and ,jersey ,city ,water         
,company's ,pipe ,line2       ,greenwood
 ,lake ,railroad 7,erie ,railroad71     
,arlington ,branch2       ,hackensack   
,river2       ,greenwood ,lake ,railroad
 7,erie ,railroad71 ,reconstructed      
,line2       ,delaware1 ,lackawanna and 
,western ,railroad1 ,boonton ,branch2   
,erie ,railroad1 ,passenger ,tracks2    
,bridge of #aa spans over proposed yard 
tracks1 ,erie ,railroad2       ,county  
,road2       ,secaucus ,road2       ,new
 ,york1 ,susquehanna and ,western       
,railroad2       ,northern ,railroad of 
,new ,jersey4  ,the alignment for this  
distance consists of #c4eg miles of     
tangent and three curves1 two of which  
are #j #cj' each1 one of the latter     
being at the western end of the         
,division1 and the other adjoining      

,snake ,hill2 the third is a regular    
curve of #a #ed' on the east-bound      
track1 and a compound curve with a      
maximum of #b on the west-bound track1  
the variation being due to the track    
spacing of #cg ft4 from center to center
 in the ,bergen ,hill ,tunnels1 while on
 the ,meadows ,division it is #ac ft4   
from center to center4  ,the profile was
 adopted to give #ah ft4 of clearance   
from the under side of the bridges to   
the top of the rail of the ,erie        
,railroad branches1 #ba ft4 to the top  
of the rail of its main line1 #ai ft4 to
 the top of the rail of the ,delaware1  
,lackawanna and ,western ,railroad1 and 
a clearance of #bd ft4 above high water 
in the ,hackensack ,river4 ,with the    
exception of that portion of the line   
adjoining the ,bergen ,hill ,tunnels1   
where it was necessary to continue the  
#a4c grade up to the bridge over the    
,northern ,railroad of ,new ,jersey1 and
 the east-bound ascending grade of #j4e 
from the ,harrison platforms to the     

bridge over the ,new ,york ,division    
tracks1 the grades do not exceed #j4c   
per cent4  ,when the construction of the
 embankment was commenced1 it was       
expected that there would be            
considerable trouble by settlement due  
to the displacement of the soft material
 underlying the surface of the meadows  
to a depth of from #aj to #ae ft42 but1 
with the exception of the trouble the   
contractors had in maintaining their    
temporary trestles1 the embankment as   
completed has settled very little4 ,the 
section east of the ,hackensack ,river  
was made1 in great part1 of rock        
excavated from a borrow-pit in the ,town
 of ,secaucus1 north of the eastern end 
of the ,division4 ,the embankment was   
built under two contracts1 one for the  
work east of the crossing of the        
,boonton ,branch of the ,delaware1      
,lackawanna and ,western ,railroad1     
under contract dated ,january #aeth1    
#aijg1 with ,h4 ,s4 ,kerbaugh1          
,incorporated1 the material being taken 

from the borrow-pit in narrow-gauge cars
 and dumped from a strong pile trestle  
along the total length of the section1  
the same being completed in #ai months2 
the other for the embankment west of the
 ,boonton ,branch1 ,delaware1           
,lackawanna and ,western ,railroad1     
under contract dated ,april #ajth1      
#aijf1 with ,henry ,steers1             
,incorporated1 of ,new ,york ,city1 the 
material1 consisting partly of cellar   
earth1 and partly of rock and earth     
excavated from other sections of the    
,pennsylvania ,tunnel and ,terminal     
,railroad1 being brought on scows up the
 ,hackensack and ,passaic ,rivers from  
,new ,york ,city4 ,the material was     
handled expeditiously from the scows by 
orange-peel buckets operated from the   
shore1 deposited in standard-gauge      
dump-cars1 and transported by           
locomotives at one time used on the     
elevated railroads in ,new ,york ,city4 
,no excavation whatever was required on 
the ,meadows ,division or in the        

,harrison ,yard4  ,illustration3 ,,plate
 ,,xviii4--,details of ,shelters and    
,platforms1 ,harrison ,transfer         
,station4  ,illustration3 ,,plate       
,,xix4--,details of ,shelters and       
,platforms1 ,harrison ,transfer         
,station4  ,the substructures for all   
the bridges1 except the ,hackensack     
,river ,draw-bridge1 are of concrete1   
without reinforcement1 heavy enough to  
withstand the ordinary earth pressure   
for the exposed height4 ,with the       
exception of three bridges1 foundations 
were built on clay and sand2 these      
three1 on account of excessive depth of 
soft material1 were built on piles4 ,in 
some cases loose stone was deposited    
back of the foundations for a width of  
#aj or #ab ft4 after the mud had been   
removed4 ,this precaution has prevented 
trouble due to the thrust of the high   
embankments on the saturated material4  
,masonry for all these bridges was      
constructed under contract dated ,august
 #bast1 #aije1 with ,mc,mullen and      

,mc,dermott1 of ,new ,york ,city4 ,the  
superstructure consisted principally of 
half-through girders1 floor of ,i-beams1
 filled solid with concrete1 on top of  
which were placed five layers of ,hydrex
 felt1 and water-proofing compound1     
protected by a layer of sand and grouted
 brick from the stone ballast4  ,the    
bridges over the ,new ,york ,division   
passenger and ,newark freight tracks of 
the ,pennsylvania ,railroad1 and the    
main-line tracks of the ,delaware1      
,lackawanna and ,western ,railroad1 at  
the west end of the ,meadows ,division1 
are separated by #cjj ft4 of embankment4
 ,the skew angle is #i1 the total length
 of each bridge being about #dej ft4    
,the floors consist of ,i-beams embedded
 in concrete4  ,the ,hackensack ,river  
,draw-bridge consists of six spans of   
deck plate girders1 each #aaj ft4 long1 
and a draw-span #cjj ft4 long1 operated 
by two #gj-;h4p4 electric motors4 ,the  
masonry was constructed under contract  
dated ,august #beth1 #aije1 with the    

,drake and ,stratton ,company1 of       
,philadelphia2 and the steelwork was    
furnished and erected by the            
,pennsylvania ,steel ,company1 of       
,steelton1 ,pa4 ,an important and       
interesting feature of the draw-bridge  
is the lift rail1 and new rail-locking  
device4 ,mitered rails are used1 with   
sufficient opening between the ends to  
prevent binding at times of expansion4  
,it was deemed advisable that the       
mitered joint should occur on the       
abutment1 or fixed span1 instead of at  
the opening at the end of the draw4 ,the
 lift rail1 therefore1 was a necessity2 
and the design1 as shown on ,plate ,,xx1
 was perfected4 ,it consists of         
lift-rails1 #h ft4 #d in4 long1 moving  
vertically #h in4 at the free end1      
reinforced on both sides by sliding     
steel castings1 which are lifted with   
the rail2 when the latter is dropped in 
place1 the wedges on the castings engage
 at the abutment and heel joints and at 
one intermediate point in dove-tailed   

wedge seats1 insuring tight contact with
 the rail1 and absolute fastening to the
 deck of the bridge4 ,the objection to  
the ordinary lift-rail1 which in        
lowering must make its own joint by     
seating in tight boxes1 has been that   
any slight deviation from a true line   
would prevent the rail from seating     
itself properly4 ,this objection has    
been entirely overcome in this design1  
by allowing liberal clearance on all    
seats1 and securing rigidity by the     
sliding bars and wedges which are       
connected with the inter-locking system1
 so that it is impossible for a clear   
signal to be given unless the lift-rails
 and wedges are in their proper         
positions4 ,this device has been        
operated successfully on the ,new ,york 
and ,long ,branch ,railroad bridge over 
,raritan ,bay for the last #ah months4  
,each of the two main tracks on the     
,meadows ,division1 and all the main    
tracks in the ,harrison ,transfer ,yard1
 are of standard construction1 with     

,pennsylvania ,section1 #aiji1 #ajj-lb41
 open-hearth steel rails1 and stone     
ballast4 ,every fifth tie is made #i ft4
 #e in4 long1 to carry the third rail   
for the electric current1 and all joints
 of the running rails are bonded for the
 same purpose4 ,track-laying on the     
,meadows1 and in ,harrison ,transfer    
,yard1 has been done under contract     
dated ,april #bfth1 #aiji1 with ,henry  
,steers1 ,incorporated1 of ,new ,york   
,city4  ,samuel ,rea1 ,m4 ,am4 ,soc4 ,c4
 ,e41 ,second ,vice-,president1         
,pennsylvania ,railroad ,company1 is the
 executive officer under whose direction
 the work has been carried on4 ,mr4     
,william ,h4 ,brown1 ,chief ,engineer1  
,pennsylvania ,railroad ,company1 and   
,chief ,engineer of the ,meadows        
,division1 also a ,member of the ,board 
of ,consulting ,engineers for the tunnel
 extension1 until his retirement by age 
limit on ,february #bhth1 #aijf1 located
 and started the construction of the    
line from ,harrison to the western      

portals of the ,bergen ,hill ,tunnels1  
which latter point was the westernmost  
limit of authority of the ,board of     
,consulting ,engineers4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,c4    
,shand succeeded ,mr4 ,brown as ,chief  
,engineer of the ,pennsylvania ,railroad
 ,company1 and as ,chief ,engineer of   
the ,meadows ,division1 with the writer1
 who was ,assistant ,chief ,engineer of 
the ,pennsylvania ,railroad ,company1   
and had been closely associated with    
,mr4 ,brown at the time of the location 
of the line and its earlier period of   
construction4 ,h4 ,e4 ,leonard1 ,m4 ,am4
 ,soc4 ,c4 ,e41 ,engineer of ,bridges   
and ,buildings1 ,pennsylvania ,railroad 
,company1 designed the ,hackensack      
,river ,bridge1 the superstructures of  
the other bridges1 and the rail-locking 
device on the ,hackensack ,river        
,draw-bridge4 ,the surveys and          
construction of the ,meadows ,division  
and of the ,harrison ,transfer ,yard    
have been in charge of ,mr4 ,william ,c4
 ,bowles1 ,engineer of ,construction4   

,illustration3 ,,plate ,,xx1 ,,fig4     
#a4--,,lift ,,rail ,,and ,,locking      
,,device1 ,,draw ,,partly ,,open4       
,illustration3 ,,plate ,,xx1 ,,fig4     
#b4--,,lift ,,rail ,,and ,,locking      
,,device1 ,,draw ,,closed4  ,,footnotes3
  ,footnote ,a3 ,presented at the       
meeting of ,june #ast1 #aiaj4