Paulinskill Viaduct

Of all the abandoned places that Weird NJ has explored over the years none match the awe inspiring architectural magnificence of the Paulinskill Viaduct. The Viaduct, or Hainesburg Trestle, is a long abandoned railroad bridge over the Paulinskill River near Blairstown. The most elevating feature of the Viaduct is that on top of the arches, beneath the rail bed, are a series of step ladders. This allows the explorer to actually travel through the inside of the structure. Each of the towers between the arches are hollow, with cavernous graffiti scrawled rooms inside. Manholes located along the railbed provide access to the top of the bridge from within. The railbed on top provides a breathtaking view of the valley for miles around. The height can be dizzying though, looking down at the tops of tall trees, and several of the guardrails are not longer in place to separate the adventurer from the abyss. When first constructed in 1908, the Paulinskill Viaduct was considered to be one of the “wonders of the world.” For a brief period of time the reinforced concrete arched bridge was the largest structure of its kind in the entire world (until a more massive one was built in Pennsylvania). Built by the Delaware, Lackawanna, & Western Railroad, the seven arch span is an awesome 1,100 feet long, and towers 115 feet above the Paulinskill River. The train line went out of service in 1979, the railroad tracks were torn up in 1985 and the Viaduct was abandoned. Since then it has remained a true hidden treasure.