Passenger Trains > NJ: a new railfan platform in New Brunswick

New Brunswick NJ is on the Northeast Corridor, about 30 miles from NY Penn. The station is frequently served by NJ Transit, and occasionally by Amtrak. It's south of the divert for the North Jersey Coast Line, and just north of COUNTY interlocking.

A new "railfan platform" has opened adjacent to the NEC, in the guise of a 9 story parking garage over a grocery store and a health and wellness center. Food, beverages (including alcohol), facilities, etc are only an elevator ride away. The bad news is this facility is vastly inferior to the now mostly blocked Ferren parking deck.

Picture 1 - from the top (9th) level, looking south, rail west. Track 1, northbound eastbound local, is nearest. The Jersey Avenue station is about two miles ahead, near the blue water tank visible on the horizon.

Picture 2 - turning around, and looking toward the New Brunswick station. Signal 31.5 is below me. The parking garage adjacent to the station is an excellent platform for afternoon photos, looking across the Raritan River rail bridge. That building, called "The Vue" has upper floor apartments for as little as $320,000.

picture 3 - a sixth deck view of an eastbound Keystone train. There's no advance warning of an oncoming train, unlike the Ferren deck's view (before this obstruction).

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Picture 4 - Looking north from the fifth deck. The station is in the center, the Vue condo is to the left of the station, their parking garage has a direct link to the station.

All three garages (the Vue, Ferren, and this new one) have the same parking rates. $2 for the first two hours, $4 for four hours, and $8 for all day, I believe. Unlike the others, you can get validated parking at the grocery on the first floor. I don't know how many hours, etc. I didn't find that out until I was leaving.

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It's interesting to see all of that criss-cross cable tensioning on those catenary/transmission line tower frames. I guess it's because they have been made extra-high in this location.

Ray

You look at the ROW here and marvel at how BIG AND STRONG the PRR was...

Ray_Murphy Wrote:
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> It's interesting to see all of that criss-cross
> cable tensioning on those catenary/transmission
> line tower frames. I guess it's because they have
> been made extra-high in this location.
>
> Ray
But you would think that they would paint those polls completely when adding on extensions for the high wires.

And no police/TSA or anyone else will bother someone up there 'loitering' with a camera?

masterphots Wrote:
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> And no police/TSA or anyone else will bother
> someone up there 'loitering' with a camera?


I haven't had any trouble in the New Brunswick area, on any of the three parking decks. They're far enough off railway property not to be a threat, etc. The platform at New Brunswick station has been fine, too. Although there's occasionally an NJ Transit officer in and around the station, he's been pleasant.

Same situation at Jersey Avenue station, a few miles down line. Unlike the main station, Jersey Avenue is on the speedway. Every once in a while an NJT officer will stop by, but I've never even been asked for ID.

Other than one or two encounters with thug like individual NJT officers, virtually every encounter I've had with them has been professional and completely acceptable. Pretty much the same with conductors, ticket agents, etc. I could probably count on one hand the number of unpleasant encounters over 30 years.