Safe location in NY/NJ area to watch NE Corridor trains?

I live in Albany, NY, and most of the "high speed" Amtrak trains we see around here around doing about 70mph. I would love to railfan some Amtrak trains on the NE Corridor at high speed, but am unfamiliar with the area. Ideally, I am looking for a location where I could drive and park easily and watch the trains from a good vantage point for photography. Even better would be something like a public park or scenic overlook where a picnic could be had with the family.

The closer to Albany, NY, the better. Obviously, I don't want a situation involving trespassing.

Thanks.

In NY, I believe Hudson to Albany is 110mph. There might be other areas north of Poughkeepsie as well. I think the max speed south of Poughkeepsie only reaches 90mph, and only in in small sections.

In NJ, the NEC was recently upgraded to 160mph around New Brunswick. Current Acela I sets can only reach 150mph and Amfleet sets will be 125mph, or 110 for long-distance trains if any Viewliners are in the consist.

If you'd be willing to go down to New Brunswick, I will point out that Rhode Island is a similar (driving) distance from Albany; there is 150mph running from approximately Westerly to Providence and then Providence to at least Canton Junction.

Princeton Junction station is an excellent place to watch from since it is right in the middle of the high speed area. The corridor is heavily tree-lined so it might be hard to find a picnic spot.

Personally I’d go to Jersey Ave. You see all the usual trains plus ME-2 on the Delco Industrial Track.

How about Colonia NJ?

This was a spot from back in my "railfanning days" sixty years ago (when I lived out there) that offered a straightaway. It was where PRR Company photographers would set up shop.

There is a public highway paralleling the tracks, so trespassing should not be an issue.

Thank you all for your suggestions! I will pull out a map and take a look at them.

BM: NJT NEC stations as far south as Hamilton would be good for watching Amtrak and NJT NEC trains...
Hamilton is near the Sloan Avenue exit of I-295 north of Trenton with ample parking and vantage points.

-Princeton Junction (as AJW mentions) would be a good choice - with Princeton Borough three miles west
accessible by way of the PJ&B "Dinky" for a nice in-town experience...

-Jersey Avenue Station (BD's suggestion) is south of NBK and is primarily a weekday peak hours stop for NJT.
JA would be better if you were traveling by yourself or with other rail enthusiasts for photos...

-New Brunswick Station is in the heart of the City of New Brunswick and though a good NJT trainspotting
location you would have central city-type traffic congestion and parking to deal with...

Keep in mind Hamilton, Princeton Junction, Jersey Avenue and New Brunswick all parallel US Route 1
in some regard for major road access...

-Metropark is right off the Garden State Parkway - Exit 131 - Ample parking along with the vantage points
of a garage-but a lack of area family attractions - and the nearby curves limit NEC trainspotting at MET...

-Arguably the BEST location meeting your criterias would be in and around METUCHEN Station...
Easy nearby access off of I-287 traveling from the north - At least one park nearby along the NEC ROW -
Good amenities available within walking distance of the station being that it is near the center of town...

Keep us posted on what your travel plan turns out to be...MACTRAXX

You'll see lots of movements from Harrison. You can park right next to the new PATH station and watch from there. There is a surface lot abutting the NYC bound station so you can go back and forth to your car easily. Harrison is a perfectly safe area and is a burgeoning area with lots of places to eat. You'll get all the NEC/NJCL trains plus PATH. The movements will be slow there, however. I saw a test of the Avelia (upcoming Acela replacement) there a month or so ago, just randomly coming by one night. Big agree on Princeton Junction and you can take the "dinky" into town for lunch and walk through the gorgeous Princeton campus. You won't see NJCL trains there, it'll be NEC only, but you'll get the super fast speeds.

Odd question,
Is this asking where one can drive to watch high speed rail, or where one can take rail, to watch high speed rail?

This was a question where I could drive and then watch (perhaps with my family) a lot of high-speed trains running.

Scratch: The answers for BM is primarily for driving access - as members replied NJT or Amtrak train service
became added with the various stations mentioned...

JC: The relatively new Harrison viewing spot(s) from the adjacent parking lot is a good mention...
Harrison is reachable by I-280 to Frank E. Rodgers Blvd (NY Red Bulls soccer arena is nearby)
The prime drawback of driving to Harrison is traffic depending on the time and day of travel...
The Harrison parking lot for trainspotting is better for watching alone or with other rail enthusiasts...

The Harrison PATH Station platforms should be avoided with the Port Authority of NY&NJ Police
adversion towards photographers - expect to get a visit from the PD at some point if tripods are
used and/or loitering for long periods on one of the Harrison Station platforms to watch trains...

BM: I fully understand that your trainspotting locations are going to be different if you are traveling
by yourself or with other enthusiasts than it would be if your family is going to be along with you...

When I reply to a question such as yours I put myself into the category: "What would I do if I was going
on this trip to watch trains on the NEC in NJ alone, with others interested in trains or my own family?"
Answering this question I raise myself is the key here...MACTRAXX

MACTRAXX: Very good point on the PA police. PA has a very strict policy on photos/video. I was once chased away taking shots from what is likely their very least important installation, namely a ferry terminal in Manhattan (basically a floating dock). My kid loves trains and spent about an hour at Harrison taking video on a tripod and no one bothered him, but he may have just been lucky that day.

One point I'd note is that railfanning on the NEC from NEC station platforms is quite common and if you go on a weekend or Friday afternoon it's not unlikely you'll run into someone doing the same.

Albany to MA/RI is perhaps an option too... I just "saw" earlier today via the Amtrak Train Status site, Acela 2169 passed the Wickford Junction RI MBTA station at 148 MPH. Similar high speeds can be seen at T. F. Green and also at Attleboro and Mansfield MA. I would classify any of the above as relatively safe locations.

(Edit to acknowledge Kilgore Trout's mention of the same in an above post)