[Illustration: PLATE XIX.--Details of Shelters and Platforms, Harrison
Transfer Station.]

The substructures for all the bridges, except the Hackensack River
Draw-bridge, are of concrete, without reinforcement, heavy enough to
withstand the ordinary earth pressure for the exposed height. With the
exception of three bridges, foundations were built on clay and sand;
these three, on account of excessive depth of soft material, were built
on piles. In some cases loose stone was deposited back of the
foundations for a width of 10 or 12 ft. after the mud had been removed.
This precaution has prevented trouble due to the thrust of the high
embankments on the saturated material. Masonry for all these bridges was
constructed under contract dated August 21st, 1905, with McMullen and
McDermott, of New York City. The superstructure consisted principally of
half-through girders, floor of I-beams, filled solid with concrete, on
top of which were placed five layers of Hydrex felt, and water-proofing
compound, protected by a layer of sand and grouted brick from the stone
ballast.

The bridges over the New York Division passenger and Newark freight
tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the main-line tracks of the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, at the west end of the
Meadows Division, are separated by 300 ft. of embankment. The skew angle
is 9°, the total length of each bridge being about 450 ft. The floors
consist of I-beams embedded in concrete.

The Hackensack River Draw-bridge consists of six spans of deck plate
girders, each 110 ft. long, and a draw-span 300 ft. long, operated by
two 70-h.p. electric motors. The masonry was constructed under contract
dated August 25th, 1905, with the Drake and Stratton Company, of