There are quite many people in the picture if you look close enough. The scale of the bridge is just so vast that the humans are lot smaller in the picture than you would first assume. Easiest three to spot are on left side of the pier at the front, where are some gravel mounds next to them.

Appears to be standard gauge.

Next to the Brooklyn Bridge, I've always regarded this crossing to and from Manhattan to be the handsomest. Others will say it can't hold a candle to the GW Bridge, but that was built in an entirely different era.

I didn't spot a single human figure in the photo.

When it was built it had the longest span for a suspension bridge. Held that record until the Manhattan Bridge was finished.

When I opened Shorpy today I only saw part of this picture and thought it was a cool old roller coaster. I'm a little disappointed it's only a cool old bridge.

Contrary to the caption this photo was taken from Manhattan, not Brooklyn.

[It depends on how you look at it. The caption is Manhattan-centric -- saying this is the new bridge from Brooklyn. - Dave]

Engineering projects like this are way beyond my imagination and I usually don't question what I don't understand but how did they build this without any workers? Are they invisible?