Visiting the Northeast Corridor in New Jersey

How's Linden station in Y2K for watching trains? My grandfather took me there 25 yrs. ago on a weekend. I recall two Amtrak worktrains - one with an electric loco and the other with the orange geeps. Also NJCL trains passing by too. I wonder if the southbound Amtrak trains here really pick up the speed. Do they? At Linden you've cleared the Elizabeth curves and you don't have to slow up at Rahway for the NJCL change over. Are Amtrak southbounds at Linden certified for 100/110/135mph running?

How about the w/b platform at Harrison station. AIR you have to pay for street parking but the w/b platform is free access (unlike the e/b side).
This seems to be a good spot with additional activity from RVL trains and the PATH of course.

Nothing like a brisk Jersey morning, good hot coffee and bagels and watching trains for a few hours during rush-hour.

BlockLine_4111 wrote:How's Linden station in Y2K for watching trains? My grandfather took me there 25 yrs. ago on a weekend. I recall two Amtrak worktrains - one with an electric loco and the other with the orange geeps. Also NJCL trains passing by too. I wonder if the southbound Amtrak trains here really pick up the speed. Do they? At Linden you've cleared the Elizabeth curves and you don't have to slow up at Rahway for the NJCL change over. Are Amtrak southbounds at Linden certified for 100/110/135mph running?

How about the w/b platform at Harrison station. AIR you have to pay for street parking but the w/b platform is free access (unlike the e/b side).
This seems to be a good spot with additional activity from RVL trains and the PATH of course.

Nothing like a brisk Jersey morning, good hot coffee and bagels and watching trains for a few hours during rush-hour.

I would say the train watching 7 years ago was pretty good, I dunno why not.........its probably even better today, now that there are more NJT trains on the NJCL and NEC

They installed turnstyles at Harrison about 2 years ago, that little treat is gone......

At Jersey Ave, watch out for the "rent a cops" who patrol the parking lot - they are there throughout the day - most, if not all the parking spots are taken, meaning no place to park (there at least) and giving the Security guards/PD a reason to bother you.

The "rent-a-cops" don't usually bother you.... just don't park there. And if you do, don't leave your car.

I have been shy about loitering or being too obvious with a camera on the PATH platforms at Harrison, though the parade of trains is fascinating. As far as I know, PATH police are stricter about photography than the policy at NJ Transit. I am quite certain the police control desk at Journal Square watches the platform television cameras installed at Harrison and at many other places on PATH.

Jersey Ave. rent-a-cops aren't a problem on weekends, but there won't be as many trains and no freight. To see freight during the week, I suggest Edison station.

So the question is...

Is Edison station a "high speed location"?

Safe? Parking?

Hot coffee, bagels, and a few hours of trains sound like a GREAT morning.

Hudson Terminus wrote:So the question is...

Is Edison station a "high speed location"?

Safe? Parking?

Hot coffee, bagels, and a few hours of trains sound like a GREAT morning.

Edison is between New Brunswick and Metuchen stations, and while the trains move faster through Jersey Ave and Princeton Junction, they get to speed through Edison. Edison is extremely safe (located in a suburban community), and is very busy during the morning and evening rush. You might have a problem finding parking in the morning (with the lot pretty much filling up, and people parking on nearby Kilmer Road) but its pretty easy to find a spot during the day. Freight runs through here from Metuchen Yard to the Jersey Ave area. There is a Dunkin Donuts located in the station building.

Hudson Terminus wrote:Is Edison station a "high speed location"?

Don't worry too much about that-- when you see your first 135 mph train you'll be interested, but you'll quickly find when you've seen one you've seen them all. Aside from parking (maybe), Linden or Elizabeth would be a better railfan spot than Edison.

Speed thru Edison ... probably 90 on the outside tracks ... doesn't the 125 limit on the inside tracks start just east of there?

bellstbarn wrote: ... As far as I know, PATH police are stricter about photography than the policy at NJ Transit.

NJT has no antiphotography policy.

But Edison has parking ticketers like you wouldn't believe. They got me once there for parking 20 minutes in a spot.

So from purely a traffic perspective, where's the spot in Northern Jersey that's going to see the greatest number of Amtrak/NJT of trains, regardless of speed, that's a good place to go considering the other variables already discussed?

Many thanks again to those who have offered their knowledge. Beneficial for sure.

Hudson Terminus wrote:So from purely a traffic perspective, where's the spot in Northern Jersey that's going to see the greatest number of Amtrak/NJT of trains, regardless of speed, that's a good place to go considering the other variables already discussed?

Many thanks again to those who have offered their knowledge. Beneficial for sure.

IF you want to see them sitting there, Newark is a safe bet. Although it isn't a safe bet to walk out of the station for any length of time

Metropark would be good. On weekdays you can see the trains that originate at Jersey Ave, and it is probably one of the nicest stops on the NEC.

But then again, you could go to princeton, you can always tell when the next train is coming, thanks to the siginals, princeton is, I think, 100 on the outer tracks, and 135 on the inner ones. So if you go there, pay close attention to the wider-than usual yellow line. At either Princeton Jct, or Hamme-town there is usually a work train or two that comes by, the latter of the two, sees a fair amount of switching work (even during the day) and some Cheapo 3's, and varoius AMTK/NJT trains pass on the outer tracks. Watching that is always fun, and there is NO saftey problem.

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Hamilton. Sit on the westbound platform and don't get bothered by anyone, or go up on the roof of the new parking deck.

Are the middle tracks 125 at Hamilton? I'm never a good judge of speed when the doors are busy sounding like they're about to be ripped off.

BlockLine_4111 wrote:How's Linden station in Y2K for watching trains? My grandfather took me there 25 yrs. ago on a weekend. I recall two Amtrak worktrains - one with an electric loco and the other with the orange geeps. Also NJCL trains passing by too. I wonder if the southbound Amtrak trains here really pick up the speed. Do they? At Linden you've cleared the Elizabeth curves and you don't have to slow up at Rahway for the NJCL change over. Are Amtrak southbounds at Linden certified for 100/110/135mph running?

Linden is still a good place to go. You can sit in your car at the far west end of the eastbound side parking lot. While the local cops, and the NJT PD, do patrol this area, as long as you stay in your car and off the tracks, they wont bother you.

In terms of trains, Linden would be the best location for the combination of volume and speed. Amtrak, NEC and Coast Line trains all pass through there. Amtrak trains can operate at up to 125 mph (135 for Acela trains) and NJT trains up to 100 mph.

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Hamilton.

I call Hamilton, Hammie-town.