Yes, MNR, as mentioned, all shots were taken from public areas/side streets. From the north, take exit 12 off the NJTpk & follow Roosevelt Ave. south, which becomes Port Reading Ave, and turn right at the light when you see the Port Reading Post Office. Make the next left, and the tracks are 2 blocks up. This is CP-PD, location of Port Reading Yard, and where the Port Reading Secondary crosses the Chemical Coast Secondary at grade. From the south or west, take Rt.440 and get off at the 'last exit in NJ', just before you cross the Outerbridge Crossing into Staten Island. Follow the signs to State St, Sewaren (north), and this will parallel the Chemical Coast, seen on your left. State St. will turn into West Ave after a mile or so, and cross the Chemical Coast on an overpass in Sewaren. After another half-mile, you will pass the Hess Oil Refinery & the Pt Reading FD; bear right onto Port Reading Ave., over the Secondary again, and left at the next light (Port Reading Post Office), then your first left to the tracks.
This is a typical middle-class neighborhood, and the locals out for a walk may look at you funny, but a smile & a wave is usually OK. I generally stay in the car while in the area; there is an air patrol utilizing a small fixed-wing aircraft with "Pipeline Patrol" stenciled under the wings, and if they see you by the tracks, you will probably get a visit by the local PD (Woodbridge, I think) to check on you. I have had this happen, and the encounter was friendly & professional. I offered ID, they ran my ID, and all was good. The residents here are not afraid to make a call about suspicious activity, so be respectful & don't linger too terribly long.
Activity is best between 8:00am & 2:00pm, M-F. They usually pull ethanol empties early in the morning, and spot loads soon thereafter, with a local or two coming out of the yard at any time. Mid-day or early afternoon will see southbound Oak Island job OI-16 come by, usually with a set-out for Pt Reading Yard before continuing south to Browns Yard in Sayreville. This train almost always has 1 or 2 ex-EL SD45-2s for power. Also, very early morning may see an eastbound Lehigh Line intermodal train (22V,212) come down the Port Reading Secondary from CP BoundBrook to access the Chemical Coast for the jaunt north up to Elizabeth or Port Newark. A good radio will come in handy for these moves. 68Q & 66Q can arrive at any time, from the north or west, day or night......
That's about it.....happy hunting.....
"Old railfans never die, they just lose track......"
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