Here is a view of the gantry.  Notice the four large wheels at the top of the gantry.  These wheels lift and drop the freight cars in to or out of the floats.  The wheels also lift or drop the freight cars on to or off of the railroad tracks.

Oldnyc.com contributor Steve Lynch adds: "It's my understanding that the car float aprons can be raised and lowered to provide stability in loading due to weight changes and tide fluctuations. Idler flat car(s) are used to spot cars and thus keep the loco weight off the apron and car floats themselves. As the weight of cars increases the large pulleys can offset this "sinking" so that the rails are the same height as the cars are pushed on/off."



A close-up view of the lights on the light tower.

I wonder what type of lighting elements were used within the fixture?



The light poles run the length of the yard.



Here is a view of the tracks that reside under the gantry.  These tracks hover above the water, held up by the strong steel supports.  Closely spaced wood ties make up the roadbed.

Oldnyc.com contributor Hank Eisenstein adds these additional comments about the gantrys: "They don't lift the cars off the barges, they are rolled onto them. The barges have rails on them. The gantry equipment places the float bridge at the level of the barge, just like the vehicular bridge does for the Staten Island Ferry."

Hank also notes that "There is currently no service to the float terminal at 65th St. All car float traffic from New Jersey goes to the NY Cross Harbor around 40th Street."



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