Which bridges, & maybe tunnels too, could handle trolley lines?

[Santa Fe via Willow]

I'm wondering about the Verrazano, Brooklyn Bridge, and all the others.

[metsfan]

The narrows bridge would need extra suspender cables as to keep the deck from sinking and flexing too much, tall ships have to duck under as it is at low tide. Queensboro, brooklyn, manhattan all had or have rail capability, there were streetcars that ran over the brooklyn bridge, and steinway trollies that crossed the queensboro & terminated at grand central terminal where the line station is now.

 

GWB is not set up to handle rail vehicles, but it could be i guess, it's more intended to cross i-95 over the hudson. Whitestone wouldn't work, it's not robust enough, well maybe it could handle the small angular PCC type but nothing big. Bayonne bridge has provision for rail to/from staten island. I dunno about throgs neck, not familiar with that bridge.

 

Marine parkway could possibly handle in-the-traffic-lane tracks, but there's not enough room for it on the sides, triboro forget it too complicated.

 

That's all i can think of.

 

As far as tunnels, it would be a bad idea to put them in with automobiles in a tunnel under say the east river or BB, but a lot of the overpass and other low clearance type tunnels could work as long as there's clearance enough for the overhead wire. Such tunnels would be the type under the park ave viaduct & embankment.

 

- A

[Forest Glen]

I'm wondering about the Verrazano, Brooklyn Bridge, and all the others.

 

The Brooklyn Bridge can barely handle the weight of a van. Years ago, it carried trolleys and elevated railroads, but it's 127 years old.

 

Robert Moses designed the Verrazano in a way that precludes trains from crossing it.

 

The George Washington Bridge is sturdy enough to handle a trolley line.

 

The Whitestone and Throgs Neck Bridges aren't strong enough (and they're Robert Moses bridges).

[Y2Julio]

I love how everyone here thinks they are civil engineers.

[Joel Up Front]

The Manny and Willy B bridges all had rail traffic going over them when they opened, and if I'm right, they tore the avenue Els down in Manhattan (south of Harlem) so the Brooklyn rails were removed.

[Santa Fe via Willow]

What I'm talking about isn't train trains, subway/SIR type trains, or light-rail, but trolleys like NO's streetcars & SF's cablecars.

 

Delving into fanciful thinking, wirelessly e-powered trolleys would be awesome & great for situations like the NYC Metro Area.