A Day On the New York Cross Harbor

New York Cross Harbor; Greenville, N.J.; July 2000

Note: We'll get back to the big Western Trip in the next post later this week. In the meantime, we're going to set the clock back to July 2000.

Much of New York City is located on islands, and back when the city was largely industrial the only way to get railroad service to many places was by barge, usually from New Jersey across New York Harbor. Times have changed, and much of the industrial base has vanished. There are still some industries in Brooklyn, however, that still rely on rail service. And those industries continue to get their railcars by way of the lone remaining carfloat operation from New Jersey, the New York Cross Harbor Railroad. In July 2000 I spent a day on the NYCH, accompanied by noted railroad photographer Joe Greenstein (who, sadly, has passed away since).

The morning started in Brooklyn at the NYCH float bridge. On this day there were no outbound cars heading for New Jersey, so we were greeted by an empty carfloat barge.

New York Cross Harbor; Brooklyn, N.Y.; July 2000

Soon the tug Huntington was tied to the barge. It was time to untie from the dock and set sail across New York Harbor.

New York Cross Harbor; Brooklyn, N.Y.; July 2000

Captain Mike expertly guided the Huntington and its barge out of the dock and into open water. Moran's tug Diana L. Moran is sitting nearby. While the Huntington could be steered using joystick controllers, Captain Mike preferred the old-fashioned use of the wheel to guide the boat.

New York Cross Harbor; Brooklyn, N.Y.; July 2000

N.Y. Cross Harbor; Greenville, N.J.

Soon we were out on the harbor on a very pleasant day. It wasn't long before the float bridge on the opposite side of the harbor at Greenville, N.J., was in view and we steered towards it.


Our boat was built by Ira S. Bushy & Sons of Brooklyn in 1951 as the Huntington for Red Star Towing. By the time of this trip, it had been purchased by Kosnac Floating Derrick Corporation, retaining its name. Subsequent to this trip, it was sold and renamed Nathan S. It is said to be currently laid up in the Great Lakes. The Diana L. Moran (pictured above) was built in 1956 for Moran Towing Company and was scrapped 50 years later in 2006.










Approaching the Greenville float bridge, we get lined up for the middle berth. It looks like some tank cars and a boxcar are awaiting our arrival.

New York Cross Harbor; Greenville, N.J.; July 2000

Once docked and tied down, cars are carefully placed on the carfloat. It is a delicate operation to keep the barge balanced as heavy railcars are shuffled onto three tracks.

New York Cross Harbor; Greenville, N.J.; July 2000

Last car on is a boxcar from Kansas City Southern. A graffiti-splattered switcher from General Motors' Electro-Motive Division (EMD) has the honor of performing the switching for the railroad on the New Jersey side.

New York Cross Harbor; Greenville, N.J.; July 2000

Once everything is loaded, we pull out of the dock and spin around for the trip back to Brooklyn. Looking ahead through the July humidity we see the skyline of lower Manhattan.

New York Cross Harbor; Greenville, N.J.; July 2000

Looking back along the side of the Huntington we see the receding Greenville floatbridge.

New York Cross Harbor; Greenville, N.J.; July 2000

Back on the Brooklyn side, a switcher from the American Locomotive Company (Alco) comes out to unload the barge.

New York Cross Harbor; Brooklyn, N.Y.; July 2000

With our boxcar in tow, the Alco and its crew negotiate the busy streets of Brooklyn. The train does not have to dodge traffic, as it cannot move from its rails -- instead, traffic had to dodge the train.

New York Cross Harbor; Brooklyn, N.Y.; July 2000

Finally we get to the customer. The locomotive runs around the boxcar and pushes it into the customer's siding. With this task complete, the work is done for the day and it is time to head back to the engine house, concluding a land-and-sea day on the New York Cross Harbor Railroad.

New York Cross Harbor; Brooklyn, N.Y.; July 2000