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All the United States New Jersey Jersey City Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal

Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal

Hidden in plain sight on the Hudson River is an abandoned train station where nature has taken over.

Jersey City, New Jersey

Added By
Allison Meier
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Passageway between the terminal building and the train tracks   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
Inside the restored terminal building   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
View to Manhattan   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
Wooden bricks outside the terminal building   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
  Hubertyanita / Atlas Obscura User
“To Trains –>”   bischoffgary / Atlas Obscura User
Inside the station   sweetjake777 / Atlas Obscura User
Through the fence, circa 2009   Avoiding Regret
Tracks 14 & 15 (circa 2009)   Avoiding Regret
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Tracks 12 & 13 (circa 2009)   Avoiding Regret
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New Jersey Central Railroad Terminal   ydedulin / Atlas Obscura User
View of terminal from One World Trade Center   LiamY / Atlas Obscura User
View of manhattan from train terminal   Hubertyanita / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The Romanesque red brick structure of the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal on the Hudson River conceals one of the most accessible urban ruins in the New York City area.

The train shed on the other side of the terminal has been abandoned since 1967, with trees and other foliage sprouting through its open roof where light shines down on the empty train tracks. Its beautiful green patina copper roofing was stolen by thieves. The terminal building was recently restored and serves as a museum and ferry departure point for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, but the tracks themselves were left to nature. 

The terminal was constructed in 1889, and at the peak of service for the Central Railroad of New Jersey there were millions of passengers a year passing through. Many immigrants to the United States also came directly from Ellis Island, bypassing New York City to make their way through the United States by way of New Jersey. Unfortunately, the Great Depression hit hard, as did the rise of the automobile, and a decline in business caused the terminal to shut down in 1967.

The old departure boards remain at the tracks, where stately metal columns still loom. Alongside the terminal in Liberty State Park are even a few old train cars. Stepping out of the terminal to face the Hudson, you'll find wooden bricks still embedded in the ground (although they have to be regularly replaced), and if you look up at the terminal building's clock tower you can see science, commerce, industry, and agriculture sculpted on its four corners, relics of when this really was a center of economic movement in the area. The old tracks are now fenced off, mainly because parts of the columns and roof are collapsing. It's still possible to get good pictures from outside.

Related Tags

Abandoned Trains Transportation Ruins Railroads

Community Contributors

Added By

Allison

Edited By

Rachel, davidtorrance, jtstypinski, bg132792...

  • Rachel
  • davidtorrance
  • jtstypinski
  • bg132792
  • Avoiding Regret
  • sweetjake777
  • bischoffgary
  • ydedulin
  • Hubertyanita
  • LiamY

Published

January 23, 2014

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Sources
  • http://allezallie.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/exploring-an-abandoned-train-station-in-jersey-city/
  • http://www.abandonedrails.com/Jersey_City_New_Jersey
Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal
Liberty State Park
Jersey City, New Jersey, 07305
United States
40.706994, -74.034959
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