I was only there very occasionally as these were my teenage years. By the time I visited ferry service was long gone and the steel frame concourse had a well worn appearance. During my time there it was a weekday only operation as I recall.
An arriving passenger would walk to the front of the train, and could turn left directly into an upper level of Harborside Terminal, which was a produce distribution terminal at that time. To the right were elevators to the H&M and stairs down to Montgomery Street. Christopher Columbus Drive is on the railroad alignment now. I have no recollection of the terminal building along the street so it was probably torn down by then. I believe ticket windows were still at street level however.
The end of each track was protected by a substantial steel bumper. One day near the end of steam operation in 1955 or 1956 the arriving Broker's K-4, with the coupler in the dropped position, hit the bumper hard enough to injure some passengers and photos were in the local paper. Note the P70 "Jersey Shore Commuter Club" was the regular east end car on the Broker but still had a clerestory roof. This is the car that survived in service until the end of the GG1s. After the K-4s no longer came east of Rahway BP20's (Baldwin Sharks) were the regular power.
In front of each track were slots for steel train destination signs approximately 30" square that were painted red with gold letters outlined in black.
JACY tower was at the southeast corner of what is now Washington Street and Columbus Drive. From The terminal to Henderson Street, now Marin Boulevard, the raiilroad was on a fill, and then on a four track trestle to Brunswick Street where the abutment survives.
Just east of the tower was a ramp track where cars would be set out and picked up for the tractor operation that ran down Hudson Street to various industries.
Throughout the day the MUs stayed at the platforms but the K4 would run in reverse to Meadows Engine Terminal for service. About 3:30 or so I recall seeing it at Journal Square returning and running in reverse. I have no recollection how the train was switched out but I suspect an engine from adjacent Harsimus Cove did the honors.
One one occasion an extra made up of Pullmans from western roads was stored on the most northerly track. This was the first time I saw a Katy passenger car.
