New Brunswick police say he was struck and killed around 5 p.m. by a northbound express train as he leaned out over the tracks.
Farriella served his most recent prison sentence for making terroristic threats against members of his family, including his young daughter.
Law enforcement officials are preliminarily investigating Farriella's death as a possible suicide.
They have learned that Farriella called his father 10 minutes before the incident, saying something to the effect of, "I cant take it anymore. I'm going to kill myself."
Farriella's father then called New Brunswick police, who minutes later were alerted to a report of a person struck by the train.
An autopsy on Farriella's remains is still pending.
"That train was moving fast," said one witness who identified himself as Tony. "I almost thought it was a fight or something, from when the train hit him and knocked him into some people."
Transit officials said three others were injured by the man's remains after the impact.
They were transported to Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries. Another person refused medical attention.
The victims were described as a 64-year-old female with multiple fractured ribs, an 83-year-old man who complained of back, neck and head injuries and a 27-year-old male who cmplained of head pain.
Detectives interviewed shellshocked eyewitnesses, some covered in the victim's blood.
"There was a loud screech and what I would describe as a crack. Something that really hurt my ears or pierced my hearing," said witness Michael Iaccarino. "It sounded like it was an express [train] going through, just passing by."
"I just heard screaming, that's all I heard," said one woman.
About 300 passengers were aboard the train at the time, but no injuries were sustained on board.
"Anything can happen [and] you just gotta be thankful for the days you have," said Tony. "Stuff like that can happen to anybody."
