Port Morris, The Bronx
In the 1850s, Gouverneur Morris II (son of one of the framers of the constitution) laid out Port Morris as an industrial area on a 100-acre marshy headland on the banks of the East River. Morris, who was a Director of the New York and Harlem Railroad, had the two-mile Port Morris Branch run from the NY&H main line in Melrose down to his new development.
The neighborhood retains its gritty commercial feel, although there are quite a number of folks living there. It might be of value to place a station somewhere after the line crosses onto the mainland, although issues with cost and congestion on the very active line might make it better just have the first station after the Circumferential Line moves from the NYCRR Line to the (currently abandoned) Port Morris Branch.
The railroad bridges through Port Morris carry six tracks on four separate bridge spans. The two upper spans are the approaches to Randall's Island that each carry a pair of tracks to the Hell Gate Bridge. Staggered below them are two "local" lines connecting the Harlem River Yard in the south with the Oak Point Yard to the north, the westernmost line of which appears to be unused.
There are a pair of lighterage docks on the waterfront at the end of East 135th Street. Presumably these brought cars in on barges that were destined for nearby businesses or warehouses and ran on tracks down the middle of streets. The street-level tracks are long paved over, although I did see a siding track peeking out of a driveway on Locust Avenue.
While Port Morris has a clearly industrial feel, there are quite a number of residential buildings nestled among the commercial buildings.
1907 Map of Port Morris
1907 Map of Port Morris
Large warehouse on the corner of East 133rd Street and Willow Avenue
Old industrial and residential buildings on East 132nd Street
Forlorn little park near the approach to the Triboro Bridge
Brightly painted rowhouses on East 133rd Street
Brightly painted rowhouses on East 133rd Street
Old cobblestones under the pavement near East 133rd Street
Western pedestrian ramp onto the Triboro Bridge
Eastern pedestrian ramp onto the Triboro Bridge
Acela train headed for Randall's Island
Where there are laborers, there is payday check cashing
Tracks running over East 132nd Street
Tracks running over East 132nd Street
The four separate bridges crossing East 134th Street viewed from the east
Local locomotive crossing East 134th Street
Concrete block walls
Eastern track to Randall's Island
Eastern local track to Harlem River Yard (BIN 7705542)
Western track to Randall's Island
Western local track to Harlem River Yard (BIN 7705541)
Four bridges viewed from the west
Four bridges viewed from the west
Rail bridges over East 136th Street viewed from the west
Underneath the western local bridge (BIN 7705571)
Between the western bridge and the southbound track to Randall's Island
Underneath the southbound track to Randall's Island
Underneath the eastern local bridge (BIN 7705572)
Rail bridges over East 136th Street viewed from the east
Castle Oil Terminal
Castle Oil Terminal
Triboro Fibers (recycling) - 891 East 135th Street
Old small industrial building on East 135th Street
Abandoned lighterage dock at the waterfront on East 135th Street
Lighterage dock and office
Lighterage dock and office
South lighterage dock
North lighterage dock
Lighterage office
Power plant boilers
Power plant transformers
Old track siding in a driveway off Locust Avenue
Old rowhouses on East 136th Street
Old rowhouses on East 136th Street
Artists lofts for rent - 728 East 136th Street
Artists lofts for rent - 728 East 136th Street
Old warehouse on Willow Avenue
East 141st Street
East 141st Street
Rugged old building off East 140th Street
The ugly place where beautiful roses come from - 776 E 139th Street
Large apartment houses on East 137th Street
Old rowhouses on East 137th Street