New York City, New York State //
The Hell Gate
Climbing New York's East River arch bridge
Date September 2009
Posted November 2010
Posted November 2010
Our host and occasional driver Todd slowed the giant pick-up and stopped outside one of many general stores in Harlem just long enough for us all to disembark, before roaring off southward back to Queens. This time Shane had brought a guest, a model he'd met somewhere with whom he intended to shoot some nudes up on the latticework of Hell Gate Bridge. Also with us were of course Eric and Moe, clutching various provisions. We paid for the mass of chips, junk food and beer and stepped back out into the evening sunshine.
The Wikipedia page on this bridge is a good place to start if you're looking for more information on the structure itself. In brief, this 310m long steel through arch railway bridge connects Astonia (Queens) and Randall's/Wards islands. The span takes it's present name from the narrow tidal strait that it crosses, carrying both Amtrak passenger trains and various freight ones too. Worth noting also is that the bridge inspired the design of Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia. It's estimated that if Hell Gate Bridge was left unmaintained, it would stand for another 1000 years.
Earlier inspection of the base of the arch proved it unclimbable so instead we needed an alternative route. Several of the locals had been up there before, reaching the bridge along the viaduct, and so they led the way to where a stack of pallets put an access ladder within reach. At the top a steel hatch had to be thrown open, and then we were trackside, somewhere between the station at Randall's Island Park and the Hell Gate.
All those foolish enough to do what the upstanding citizens won't, and venture down the lines of an active railway, know better than to be seen doing so by train drivers. With this in mind we hadn't bothered to climb up until trains had passed in both directions - conveniently for us they came at more or less the same time. A rough understanding of block signalling and the obvious fact that there were only three lines suggested there was sufficient time to reach the bridge, unless one of the wildcard freights decided to pass by. We ran, bottles in bags chinking together, all trying not to trip on sleeper-ends and ballast, an experience not unfamiliar to at least half of the group...
On reaching the bridge pylon we took refuge on one of the high-vaulted balconies that look out over the park, not wanting to venture higher for a police chopper was buzzing overhead in the direction of some incident in Manhattan. A few more trains passed and then all was quiet - Shane found the small staircase leading up onto the top of the pylon, and here we spread out the array of beers and food.
Soon NY was glowing as the evening light faded. A little way downriver the big suspension bridge carrying road traffic across the East River obscured the better part of our view, but behind it we could see the lights of the Williamsburg Bridge and downtown Manhattan. Many distinctive skylines have appeal to them when viewed from high up, but the best ones hold something else undescribable; a certain feeling of adventure, of anything being possible, or maybe it's just the satisfaction of an exclusive viewpoint.
We drank up the beer, Shane shot his nudes (while Eric candidly did the same) and me and dsankt climbed up onto the top of the arch. After reaching the red safety light at the top I considered the bridge climb that started this obsession (and which inspired the photo below) and sat for a few moments in wonderment at what it had all led to.
Meanwhile little of note took place around us: some police cars in the park (probably chasing an escaped patient from the psych hospital or dealing with the drunks), more trains and the far-away dots of two helicopters still buzzing over Manhattan, the pilots and operators of these vehicles and services happily ignorant of our little picnic up on the bridge.
The Wikipedia page on this bridge is a good place to start if you're looking for more information on the structure itself. In brief, this 310m long steel through arch railway bridge connects Astonia (Queens) and Randall's/Wards islands. The span takes it's present name from the narrow tidal strait that it crosses, carrying both Amtrak passenger trains and various freight ones too. Worth noting also is that the bridge inspired the design of Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia. It's estimated that if Hell Gate Bridge was left unmaintained, it would stand for another 1000 years.
Earlier inspection of the base of the arch proved it unclimbable so instead we needed an alternative route. Several of the locals had been up there before, reaching the bridge along the viaduct, and so they led the way to where a stack of pallets put an access ladder within reach. At the top a steel hatch had to be thrown open, and then we were trackside, somewhere between the station at Randall's Island Park and the Hell Gate.
All those foolish enough to do what the upstanding citizens won't, and venture down the lines of an active railway, know better than to be seen doing so by train drivers. With this in mind we hadn't bothered to climb up until trains had passed in both directions - conveniently for us they came at more or less the same time. A rough understanding of block signalling and the obvious fact that there were only three lines suggested there was sufficient time to reach the bridge, unless one of the wildcard freights decided to pass by. We ran, bottles in bags chinking together, all trying not to trip on sleeper-ends and ballast, an experience not unfamiliar to at least half of the group...
On reaching the bridge pylon we took refuge on one of the high-vaulted balconies that look out over the park, not wanting to venture higher for a police chopper was buzzing overhead in the direction of some incident in Manhattan. A few more trains passed and then all was quiet - Shane found the small staircase leading up onto the top of the pylon, and here we spread out the array of beers and food.
Soon NY was glowing as the evening light faded. A little way downriver the big suspension bridge carrying road traffic across the East River obscured the better part of our view, but behind it we could see the lights of the Williamsburg Bridge and downtown Manhattan. Many distinctive skylines have appeal to them when viewed from high up, but the best ones hold something else undescribable; a certain feeling of adventure, of anything being possible, or maybe it's just the satisfaction of an exclusive viewpoint.
We drank up the beer, Shane shot his nudes (while Eric candidly did the same) and me and dsankt climbed up onto the top of the arch. After reaching the red safety light at the top I considered the bridge climb that started this obsession (and which inspired the photo below) and sat for a few moments in wonderment at what it had all led to.
Meanwhile little of note took place around us: some police cars in the park (probably chasing an escaped patient from the psych hospital or dealing with the drunks), more trains and the far-away dots of two helicopters still buzzing over Manhattan, the pilots and operators of these vehicles and services happily ignorant of our little picnic up on the bridge.
