On the Hudson River, there is an abandoned structure called the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal. The terminal building recently underwent restoration and now functions as a museum.
One of the most visible urban ruins in the New York City region is hidden behind the romanesque red brick building of the abandoned Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal on the Hudson River. Since 1967, the railway shed on the opposite side of the station has been vacant. Trees and other vegetation have begun to grow through the open roof, where sunlight shines down onto the abandoned train lines. Thieves took its lovely copper roofing with a green patina. The lines themselves were abandoned to nature, but the terminal structure recently underwent restoration to serve as a museum and ferry departure point for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Millions of people each year were traveling through the terminal at its busiest point of operation for the Central Railroad of New Jersey when it was built in 1889. Numerous immigrants entered the country via Ellis Island without traveling through New York City, instead choosing to travel through New Jersey. However, the Great Depression and the development of the vehicle had a significant impact, and a fall in commerce led to the terminal’s closure in 1967.
Along the rails, where majestic metal columns still tower, the original departure boards are still present. There are also a couple vintage railroad carriages next to the station in Liberty State Park. When you exit the terminal and turn to face the Hudson, you’ll notice that the wooden bricks are still in the ground (though they must be replaced on a regular basis), and if you look up at the clock tower of the terminal building, you’ll see sculptures of science, commerce, industry, and agriculture on each of its four corners, reminders of the time when this place was a hub of regional economic activity. Due to the roof and several of the columns falling, the former rails are now fenced off. It’s still feasible to take quality photos outside.