Smithtown Trestle

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Smithtown Trestle
NY 25 Approaching W End NY 25A Overlap.jpg
The west end of the Smithtown Trestle, as seen from Jericho Turnpike (NY 25)
Coordinates 40°51′37″N73°12′44″W / 40.860224°N 73.212255°W / 40.860224; -73.212255
Carries LIRR Port Jefferson Branch
Crosses Nissequogue River
Locale Smithtown, Suffolk County, New York
Other name(s)Nissequogue River Trestle
Owner Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Maintained by Long Island Rail Road
Characteristics
DesignSteel stringer bridge
Material Steel
Total length484 feet (148 meters)
Height50 feet (15 meters)
Rail characteristics
No. of tracks 1
Track gauge 4 feet, 8+12 inches (220 millimeters) (Standard gauge)
History
Opened1902 (current bridge)
1873 (original bridge)
Location
Smithtown Trestle

The Smithtown Trestle (also known as the Smithtown Viaduct and the Nissequogue River Trestle) is a railroad trestle carrying the Port Jefferson Branch of the Long Island Rail Road over the Nissequogue River in Smithtown, Suffolk County, New York.

Contents

Overview

View of the Nissequogue River from a train crossing the trestle in 2024 Nissequogue River from LIRR.jpg
View of the Nissequogue River from a train crossing the trestle in 2024

Standing at a height of approximately 50 feet (15 meters) and measuring 484 feet (148 meters) in length, the Smithtown Trestle carries the LIRR's Port Jefferson Branch over the valley below, Jericho Turnpike (NY 25), and the Nissequogue River. [1] [2] [3] [4] The viaduct is constructed of steel and consists of 12 spans. [3] [4]

The bridge's NYSDOT bridge identification number is 7060810. [3]

History

The original Smithtown Trestle opened in 1873, as part of the Smithtown and Port Jefferson Railroad – an LIRR subsidiary chartered in 1870 to construct an extension of today's Port Jefferson Branch from Northport east to Port Jefferson. [1] [2] [5] [6] This wooden bridge – one of the largest bridges on Long Island at the time of its erection – was replaced by the current steel trestle in 1902. [1] [3] The steel trestle was subsequently rebuilt in 1937. [1] [3] [7]

The trestle's construction was critical in extending the LIRR east to Port Jefferson, as the Nissequogue River and the valley prevented the tracks from running at-grade. [4] With the opening of the bridge, LIRR extension, and the community's nearby train station, Smithtown – at the time largely consisting of farms – experienced growth and gained a rail connection to New York City to the west and Port Jefferson to the east. [1] [2] [5] [6]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Keller, David; Lynch, Steven (2005). Revisiting the Long Island Rail Road: 1925-1975. Images of Rail. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN   9780738538297.
  2. 1 2 3 Seyfried, Vincent F. (1975). "Part Six The Golden Age 1881-1900". The Long Island Rail Road: A Comprehensive History. Long Island: Vincent F. Seyfried. Archived from the original on April 19, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "NYSDOT Bridges". data.gis.ny.gov. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  4. 1 2 3 Howard, Marianne (2017-10-20). "Transportation key to Smithtown development | TBR News Media". Times of Smithtown. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  5. 1 2 "PRR Chronology, 1873" (PDF). (100  KiB), February 2005 Edition
  6. 1 2 "LIRR Branch Notes". www.trainsarefun.com. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  7. Longi, Mohammad S. (1988). "Long Island Rail Road Bridge Infrastructure" (PDF). Transportation Research Record. 1177: 113–123. Retrieved 2025-01-05.