Legislation
SECTION 5
Belt lines
Development of Port of New York 43/22 (DPN) CHAPTER ROOT
§ 5. Belt lines. The numbers hereinafter used correspond with the
numbers which have been placed on the map of the comprehensive plan to
identify the various belt lines and marginal railroads.
Number 1. Middle belt line. Connects New Jersey and Staten Island and
the railroads on the westerly side of the port with Brooklyn, Queens,
the Bronx and the railroads on the easterly side of the port. Connects
with the New York Central railroad in the Bronx; with the New York, New
Haven and Hartford railroad in the Bronx; with the Long Island railroad
in Queens and Brooklyn; with the Baltimore and Ohio railroad near
Elizabethport and in Staten Island; with the Central Railroad Company of
New Jersey at Elizabethport and at points in Newark and Jersey City;
with the Pennsylvania railroad in Newark and Jersey City; with the
Lehigh Valley railroad in Newark and Jersey City; with the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western railroad in Jersey City and the Secaucus meadows;
with the Erie railroad in Jersey City and the Secaucus meadows; with the
New York, Susquehanna and Western, the New York, Ontario and Western and
the West Shore railroads on the westerly side of the Palisades above the
Weehawken tunnel.
The route of the middle belt line as shown on said map is in general
as follows: Commencing at the Hudson river at Spuyten Duyvil running
easterly and southerly generally along the easterly side of the Harlem
river, utilizing existing lines so far as practicable and improving and
adding where necessary, to a connection with Hell Gate bridge and the
New Haven railroad, a distance of approximately seven miles; thence
continuing in a general southerly direction, utilizing existing lines
and improving and adding where necessary, to a point near Bay Ridge, a
distance of approximately eighteen and one-half miles; thence by a new
tunnel under New York bay in a northwesterly direction to a portal in
Jersey City or Bayonne, a distance of approximately five miles, to a
connection with the tracks of the Pennsylvania and Lehigh Valley
railroads; thence in a generally northerly direction along the easterly
side of Newark bay and the Hackensack river at the westerly foot of the
Palisades, utilizing existing tracks and improving and adding where
necessary, making connections with the Jersey Central, Pennsylvania,
Lehigh Valley, Delaware, Lackawanna and Western, Erie, New York,
Susquehanna and Western, New York, Ontario and Western, and West Shore
railroads, a distance of approximately ten miles. From the westerly
portal of the Bay tunnel and from the line along the easterly side of
Newark bay by the bridges of the Central railroad of New Jersey
(crossing the Hackensack and Passaic rivers) and of the Pennsylvania and
Lehigh Valley railroads (crossing Newark bay) to the line of the central
railroad of New Jersey running along the westerly side of Newark bay and
thence southerly along this line to a connection with the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad south of Elizabethport, utilizing existing lines so far as
practicable and improving and adding where necessary, a distance of
approximately twelve miles; thence in an easterly direction crossing the
Arthur kill, utilizing existing lines so far as practicable and
improving and adding where necessary, along the northerly and easterly
shores of Staten Island to the new city piers and to a connection, if
the city of New York consent thereto, with the tunnel under the Narrows
to Brooklyn provided for under chapter seven hundred of the laws of the
state of New York for nineteen hundred and twenty-one.
Number 2. A marginal railroad to the Bronx extending along the shore
of the East river and Westchester creek connecting with the middle belt
line (number one), and with the New York, New Haven and Hartford
railroad in the vicinity of Westchester.
Number 3. A marginal railroad in Queens and Brooklyn extending along
Flushing creek, Flushing bay, the East river and the upper New York bay.
Connects with the middle belt line (number one), by lines number four,
number five, number six and directly at the southerly end at Bay Ridge.
Existing lines to be utilized and improved and added to and new lines
built where lines do not now exist.
Number 4. An existing line to be improved and added to where
necessary. Connects the middle belt line (number one), with the marginal
railroad number three near its northeasterly end.
Number 5. An existing line to be improved and added to where
necessary. Connects the middle belt line (number one), with the marginal
railroad number three in Long Island City.
Number 6. Connects the middle belt line (number one), with the
marginal railroad number three in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn.
The existing portion to be improved and added to where necessary.
Number 7. A marginal railroad surrounding the northerly and westerly
shores of Jamaica bay. A new line. Connects with the middle belt line
(number one).
Number 8. An existing line, to be improved and added to where
necessary. Extends along the southeasterly shore of Staten Island.
Connects with middle belt line (number one).
Number 9. A marginal railroad extending along the westerly shore of
Staten Island and a branch connection with number eight. Connects with
the middle belt line (number one), and with a branch from the outer belt
line (number fifteen).
Number 10. A line made up mainly of existing lines, to be improved and
added to where necessary. Connects with the middle belt line (number
one) by way of marginal railroad number eleven. Extends along the
southerly shore of Raritan bay and through the territory south of the
Raritan river reaching New Brunswick.
Number 11. A marginal railroad extending from a connection with the
proposed outer belt line (number fifteen) near New Brunswick along the
northerly shore of the Raritan river to Perth Amboy, thence northerly
along the westerly side of the Arthur kill to a connection with the
middle belt line (number one) south of Elizabethport. The portion of
this line which exists to be improved and added to where necessary.
Number 12. A marginal railroad extending along the easterly shore of
Newark bay and the Hackensack river and connects with the middle belt
line (number one). A new line.
Number 13. A marginal railroad extending along the westerly side of
the Hudson river and the Upper New York bay. Made up mainly of existing
lines----the Erie Terminals, Jersey Junction, Hoboken Shore, and
National Docks railroads. To be improved and added to where necessary.
To be connected with middle belt line (number one).
Number 14. A marginal railroad connecting with the middle belt line
(number one), and extending through the Hackensack and Secaucus meadows.
Number 15. An outer belt line, extending around the westerly limits of
the port district beyond the congested section. Northerly terminus on
the Hudson river at Piermont. Connects by marginal railroads at the
southerly end with the harbor waters below the congested section. By
spurs connects with the middle belt line (number one) on the westerly
shore of Newark bay and with the marginal railroad on the westerly shore
of Staten Island (number nine).
Number 16. The automatic electric system for serving Manhattan Island.
Its yards to connect with the middle belt line and with all the
railroads of the port district. A standard gauge underground railroad
deep enough in Manhattan to permit of two levels of rapid transit
subways to pass over it. Standard railroad cars to be brought through to
Manhattan terminals for perishables and food products in refrigerator
cars. Cars with merchandise freight to be stopped at its yards. Freight
from standard cars to be transferred onto wheeled containers, thence to
special electrically propelled cars which will bear it to Manhattan.
Freight to be kept on wheels between the door of the standard freight
car at the transfer point and the tail board of the truck at the
Manhattan terminal or the store door as may be elected by the shipper or
consignee, eliminating extra handling.
Union terminal stations to be located on Manhattan in zones as far as
practicable of equal trucking distance, as to pickups and deliveries, to
be served by this system. Terminals to contain storage space and space
for other facilities. The system to bring all the railroads of the port
to Manhattan.
numbers which have been placed on the map of the comprehensive plan to
identify the various belt lines and marginal railroads.
Number 1. Middle belt line. Connects New Jersey and Staten Island and
the railroads on the westerly side of the port with Brooklyn, Queens,
the Bronx and the railroads on the easterly side of the port. Connects
with the New York Central railroad in the Bronx; with the New York, New
Haven and Hartford railroad in the Bronx; with the Long Island railroad
in Queens and Brooklyn; with the Baltimore and Ohio railroad near
Elizabethport and in Staten Island; with the Central Railroad Company of
New Jersey at Elizabethport and at points in Newark and Jersey City;
with the Pennsylvania railroad in Newark and Jersey City; with the
Lehigh Valley railroad in Newark and Jersey City; with the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western railroad in Jersey City and the Secaucus meadows;
with the Erie railroad in Jersey City and the Secaucus meadows; with the
New York, Susquehanna and Western, the New York, Ontario and Western and
the West Shore railroads on the westerly side of the Palisades above the
Weehawken tunnel.
The route of the middle belt line as shown on said map is in general
as follows: Commencing at the Hudson river at Spuyten Duyvil running
easterly and southerly generally along the easterly side of the Harlem
river, utilizing existing lines so far as practicable and improving and
adding where necessary, to a connection with Hell Gate bridge and the
New Haven railroad, a distance of approximately seven miles; thence
continuing in a general southerly direction, utilizing existing lines
and improving and adding where necessary, to a point near Bay Ridge, a
distance of approximately eighteen and one-half miles; thence by a new
tunnel under New York bay in a northwesterly direction to a portal in
Jersey City or Bayonne, a distance of approximately five miles, to a
connection with the tracks of the Pennsylvania and Lehigh Valley
railroads; thence in a generally northerly direction along the easterly
side of Newark bay and the Hackensack river at the westerly foot of the
Palisades, utilizing existing tracks and improving and adding where
necessary, making connections with the Jersey Central, Pennsylvania,
Lehigh Valley, Delaware, Lackawanna and Western, Erie, New York,
Susquehanna and Western, New York, Ontario and Western, and West Shore
railroads, a distance of approximately ten miles. From the westerly
portal of the Bay tunnel and from the line along the easterly side of
Newark bay by the bridges of the Central railroad of New Jersey
(crossing the Hackensack and Passaic rivers) and of the Pennsylvania and
Lehigh Valley railroads (crossing Newark bay) to the line of the central
railroad of New Jersey running along the westerly side of Newark bay and
thence southerly along this line to a connection with the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad south of Elizabethport, utilizing existing lines so far as
practicable and improving and adding where necessary, a distance of
approximately twelve miles; thence in an easterly direction crossing the
Arthur kill, utilizing existing lines so far as practicable and
improving and adding where necessary, along the northerly and easterly
shores of Staten Island to the new city piers and to a connection, if
the city of New York consent thereto, with the tunnel under the Narrows
to Brooklyn provided for under chapter seven hundred of the laws of the
state of New York for nineteen hundred and twenty-one.
Number 2. A marginal railroad to the Bronx extending along the shore
of the East river and Westchester creek connecting with the middle belt
line (number one), and with the New York, New Haven and Hartford
railroad in the vicinity of Westchester.
Number 3. A marginal railroad in Queens and Brooklyn extending along
Flushing creek, Flushing bay, the East river and the upper New York bay.
Connects with the middle belt line (number one), by lines number four,
number five, number six and directly at the southerly end at Bay Ridge.
Existing lines to be utilized and improved and added to and new lines
built where lines do not now exist.
Number 4. An existing line to be improved and added to where
necessary. Connects the middle belt line (number one), with the marginal
railroad number three near its northeasterly end.
Number 5. An existing line to be improved and added to where
necessary. Connects the middle belt line (number one), with the marginal
railroad number three in Long Island City.
Number 6. Connects the middle belt line (number one), with the
marginal railroad number three in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn.
The existing portion to be improved and added to where necessary.
Number 7. A marginal railroad surrounding the northerly and westerly
shores of Jamaica bay. A new line. Connects with the middle belt line
(number one).
Number 8. An existing line, to be improved and added to where
necessary. Extends along the southeasterly shore of Staten Island.
Connects with middle belt line (number one).
Number 9. A marginal railroad extending along the westerly shore of
Staten Island and a branch connection with number eight. Connects with
the middle belt line (number one), and with a branch from the outer belt
line (number fifteen).
Number 10. A line made up mainly of existing lines, to be improved and
added to where necessary. Connects with the middle belt line (number
one) by way of marginal railroad number eleven. Extends along the
southerly shore of Raritan bay and through the territory south of the
Raritan river reaching New Brunswick.
Number 11. A marginal railroad extending from a connection with the
proposed outer belt line (number fifteen) near New Brunswick along the
northerly shore of the Raritan river to Perth Amboy, thence northerly
along the westerly side of the Arthur kill to a connection with the
middle belt line (number one) south of Elizabethport. The portion of
this line which exists to be improved and added to where necessary.
Number 12. A marginal railroad extending along the easterly shore of
Newark bay and the Hackensack river and connects with the middle belt
line (number one). A new line.
Number 13. A marginal railroad extending along the westerly side of
the Hudson river and the Upper New York bay. Made up mainly of existing
lines----the Erie Terminals, Jersey Junction, Hoboken Shore, and
National Docks railroads. To be improved and added to where necessary.
To be connected with middle belt line (number one).
Number 14. A marginal railroad connecting with the middle belt line
(number one), and extending through the Hackensack and Secaucus meadows.
Number 15. An outer belt line, extending around the westerly limits of
the port district beyond the congested section. Northerly terminus on
the Hudson river at Piermont. Connects by marginal railroads at the
southerly end with the harbor waters below the congested section. By
spurs connects with the middle belt line (number one) on the westerly
shore of Newark bay and with the marginal railroad on the westerly shore
of Staten Island (number nine).
Number 16. The automatic electric system for serving Manhattan Island.
Its yards to connect with the middle belt line and with all the
railroads of the port district. A standard gauge underground railroad
deep enough in Manhattan to permit of two levels of rapid transit
subways to pass over it. Standard railroad cars to be brought through to
Manhattan terminals for perishables and food products in refrigerator
cars. Cars with merchandise freight to be stopped at its yards. Freight
from standard cars to be transferred onto wheeled containers, thence to
special electrically propelled cars which will bear it to Manhattan.
Freight to be kept on wheels between the door of the standard freight
car at the transfer point and the tail board of the truck at the
Manhattan terminal or the store door as may be elected by the shipper or
consignee, eliminating extra handling.
Union terminal stations to be located on Manhattan in zones as far as
practicable of equal trucking distance, as to pickups and deliveries, to
be served by this system. Terminals to contain storage space and space
for other facilities. The system to bring all the railroads of the port
to Manhattan.