New Jersey Department of Transportation

Brian Solomon’s Tracking the Light posts new photos daily!

Years ago I noticed there seemed to be a natural law regarding the ratio of traffic to scenery in regards to railroad locations.

Lines blessed with stunning scenery generally suffered from a dearth of traffic, while the busiest places tend to be scenically bereft.

There are, of course, a few notable exceptions. California’s Tehachapi crossing comes to mind, as does New York’s Lower Hudson Valley. Both places are blessed exceptional scenery and frequent railway operations, and this makes them popular places to photograph.

Switzerland must not be considered in this equation as the whole country completely violates the natural law of railway photography.

Yet, many of the world’s most scenic lines—railways legendary for their stunning panoramas—have been abandoned, or lie dormant.

Then at the other end of the scale we have Secaucus Junction. Let’s just say it’s one of the busiest places in the Northeastern United States.

Outbound NJ Transit 4617 approaches platform B at Secaucus Junction.

Trains come at go at Secaucus Junction every few minutes. FujiFilm X-T1 photograph.

Secaucus Junction has some very interesting signaling. FujiFilm X-T1 photograph.

An Amtrak Regional train blitzes the station.

The station exists on several levels, with the former Pennsylvania Railroad lines crossing over the former Erie. How many tons of concrete? I don't know. And the whole structure is neatly situated in the Jersey Meadows (ie an extensive brackish marsh). — The station exists on several levels, with the former Pennsylvania Railroad lines crossing over the former Erie. How many tons of concrete? I don’t know. And the whole structure is neatly situated in the Jersey Meadows (ie an extensive brackish marsh).

A view of the station from the Erie side. (Lower level). This holds to the formula; it is by far the prettiest part of Secaucus Junction, and the least active. Lumix LX7 photo. — A view of the station from the Erie-Lackawanna side. (Lower level). This holds to the formula; it is by far the prettiest part of Secaucus Junction, and the least active. Lumix LX7 photo.

A train from Suffern, New York to Hoboken accelerates away from Secaucus. Lumix LX7 photo. Notice the three separate sets of high voltage electrical lines.

Looking west from Secaucus Junction. Fuji X-T1 photo.

Secaucus_w_NJ_Transit_ALP46_DSCF1641 — Look trees!

Brian Solomon’s Tracking the Light posts new photos daily!

Tomorrow the Shadows of DL&W at Summit.

August 1986.

Exploring the former Central Railroad of New Jersey Elizabethport Shops, I found this decaying former Southern Railway E8A, still dressed in the railroad’s white, green and gold.

New Jersey Department of Transportation (antecedent to today’s NJ Transit) acquired this locomotive among others for commuter services, after Southern conveyed its passenger services (including the Crescent) to Amtrak in 1979.

Exposed on black & white negative film with a Rolleiflex Model T using a 645 size ‘super slide’ insert.

I’d never seen Southern’s Crescent and in 1986, I was delighted to find this rusting vestige from an earlier era. I made a few studies of the locomotive on black and white film and with color slides. I wonder what became of this locomotive?

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Tomorrow: not the Crescent, but a full moon!

Tracking the Light

Tag Archives: New Jersey Department of Transportation

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Railway photography by Brian Solomon

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Railway photography by Brian Solomon