BEACON — No, it's not your imagination; you really can park in a permit spot without a permit at the train station in Beacon.

There is, of course, a catch, as there usually is with anything that sounds too good to be true.

The catch is you can slide your car into one of those tempting empty spaces for permit holders and not get a parking ticket if, and only if, you do it after 11 a.m., at Beacon or Goldens Bridge — and for the time being.

"We've found that regular meter spaces are full almost every day at these stations, and there were permit spots not being used, so the setting was ideal (for a pilot program)," said Phillip Petrillo, Metro-North Railroad's assistant parking services director.

The pilot program, dubbed "Pay by License Plate," started at Goldens Bridge in December and at Beacon in January. Metro-North will test the new policy through mid-year and then, if it is judged successful, will make it permanent and perhaps extend it to other stations.

People who take advantage of the program still have to pay for parking. Prompts on the central pay station have been altered, however, to allow them to enter the number of their license plate rather than the number of a metered spot.

The program doesn't apply on weekends when parking is free at Beacon and all spots are up for grabs.

Marjorie Anders, a spokeswoman for Metro-North, said the pilot program hasn't created any issues with permit holders, most of whom are regular rather than occasional riders and travel during the morning peak hours.

"It works very well," said Anders. "When the Yankees start playing, we really expect it to be a boon."

On average, 15 people a day have been taking advantage of unused permit spaces at Beacon. The to-date high has been 30.

The train station has 1,430 parking spaces and a waiting list for permits of 236. Access to the station from Newburgh is augmented by rush-hour ferries and all-day shuttle buses.