Central Railroad Of New Jersey Terminal (Jersey City, New Jersey)
Today, the sunlight that filters down through the broken roof of Jersey City’s Central Railroad Terminal gives life to the plants and trees that have reclaimed the once bustling train tracks as their own.
Though it may look more like a garden than a terminal, this rail line once connected the booming population centers of New York, New Jersey, and even Pennsylvania. Though it provided service to commuters for nearly a century (1889-1967), this terminal couldn't weather the Great Depression.
Now, this once and still beautiful terminal, lush with vegetation, sits serenely along the Hudson River and is considered one of the most accessible abandoned locations for anyone living in the New York City area. Exploration should be approached with care, as the nature that has reclaimed the abandoned terminal makes passage treacherous.
Paulinskill Viaduct (Blairstown, New Jersey)
The elegant arches and curves of the abandoned Paulinskill Viaduct don’t appear to have been reclaimed by nature, so much as the viadcut itself now seems to simply be a piece of the landscape.
At 1,100 feet long and 115 feet high, this massive structure rises up out of the surrounding woods, standing majestically over the Paulinskill River. Constructed in 1908 by the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, this railway once offered commuters passage from Scranton, Pennsylvania all the way through Hoboken, New Jersey.
Though it was once regarded as a wonder of human engineering and architecture, the viaduct hasn’t seen use since its rail line was shut down in 1979. Now it sits as a stomping ground for graffiti artists and urban explorers alike, as its towers give way to rooms and ladders beneath its hollow arches. Caution is advised, however, as numerous incidents involving illegal bungee jumping make it a hot spot for police patrols.
