ThayerATM... if you really want to see a Large Station you have to to go Philadelphia 30th Street... now THAT is a train station!Come on you guys. It's not THAT bad. Certainly it could be better, but it's what we have to work with now, so just relax and learn to live with it.
I agree. Go directly to the Metropolitan Lounge and check your carry-on. But then go out and wander around. Nobody's going to accost you. Go upstairs and check out the food court. Go out and check out the gates. Go up and check out the outside. Nobody's going to accost you, and the Amtrak police are there and doing their job, as are the Chicago police on their bicycles.
I'll be in NYP next week for the first time. I hope that I can present a more objective comparison once I've seen another LARGE city station. But so far, I like the Union Station in CHI.
I assume by that that you mean the Philly Train station is a Large Station that works. :huh: I can buy that. And I certainly don't mean to imply that I always know where the heck I am in Union Station in CHI. I'm just afraid that NYP is going to make CHI look like a piece of cake. I won't know about Philly for sure 'till I get down there. I'll let you know about NYP in a couple of weeks. h34r:ThayerATM... if you really want to see a Large Station you have to to go Philadelphia 30th Street... now THAT is a train station!Come on you guys. It's not THAT bad. Certainly it could be better, but it's what we have to work with now, so just relax and learn to live with it.
I agree. Go directly to the Metropolitan Lounge and check your carry-on. But then go out and wander around. Nobody's going to accost you. Go upstairs and check out the food court. Go out and check out the gates. Go up and check out the outside. Nobody's going to accost you, and the Amtrak police are there and doing their job, as are the Chicago police on their bicycles.
I'll be in NYP next week for the first time. I hope that I can present a more objective comparison once I've seen another LARGE city station. But so far, I like the Union Station in CHI.
I like Chicago Union over NYP... at least PART of the historic station is still there. As for security.. ha... no one is gonna complain about "shady characters" in Chicago once they have been to NYP. Ditto on the "maze" reference. Admittedly I've been lost in both stations before, but CHI doesn't have 3 seperate boarding area (Amtrak, NJ Transit, LIRR) to get lost amongst.
Haha... yea that's what I mean. Well... I guess what I mean is that its a historic station, that is large, and it's fairly simple and works. So yea. Mostly its just plain beautiful...I assume by that that you mean the Philly Train station is a Large Station that works. :huh: I can buy that. And I certainly don't mean to imply that I always know where the heck I am in Union Station in CHI. I'm just afraid that NYP is going to make CHI look like a piece of cake. I won't know about Philly for sure 'till I get down there. I'll let you know about NYP in a couple of weeks. h34r:ThayerATM... if you really want to see a Large Station you have to to go Philadelphia 30th Street... now THAT is a train station!Come on you guys. It's not THAT bad. Certainly it could be better, but it's what we have to work with now, so just relax and learn to live with it.
I agree. Go directly to the Metropolitan Lounge and check your carry-on. But then go out and wander around. Nobody's going to accost you. Go upstairs and check out the food court. Go out and check out the gates. Go up and check out the outside. Nobody's going to accost you, and the Amtrak police are there and doing their job, as are the Chicago police on their bicycles.
I'll be in NYP next week for the first time. I hope that I can present a more objective comparison once I've seen another LARGE city station. But so far, I like the Union Station in CHI.
I like Chicago Union over NYP... at least PART of the historic station is still there. As for security.. ha... no one is gonna complain about "shady characters" in Chicago once they have been to NYP. Ditto on the "maze" reference. Admittedly I've been lost in both stations before, but CHI doesn't have 3 seperate boarding area (Amtrak, NJ Transit, LIRR) to get lost amongst.
I guess I've got to clarify something right now. I'm not an architect, and I know nothing about architecture. The fine points of comparing CHI to NYP to PHL architectually is totally lost on me. I'm looking for "user friendly." Once I get my bearings, I'm apt to look at things like the great hall at CHI, but 'till then... forget it. :unsure:Haha... yea that's what I mean. Well... I guess what I mean is that its a historic station, that is large, and it's fairly simple and works. So yea. Mostly its just plain beautiful...I assume by that that you mean the Philly Train station is a Large Station that works. :huh: I can buy that. And I certainly don't mean to imply that I always know where the heck I am in Union Station in CHI. I'm just afraid that NYP is going to make CHI look like a piece of cake. I won't know about Philly for sure 'till I get down there. I'll let you know about NYP in a couple of weeks. h34r:ThayerATM... if you really want to see a Large Station you have to to go Philadelphia 30th Street... now THAT is a train station!Come on you guys. It's not THAT bad. Certainly it could be better, but it's what we have to work with now, so just relax and learn to live with it.
I agree. Go directly to the Metropolitan Lounge and check your carry-on. But then go out and wander around. Nobody's going to accost you. Go upstairs and check out the food court. Go out and check out the gates. Go up and check out the outside. Nobody's going to accost you, and the Amtrak police are there and doing their job, as are the Chicago police on their bicycles.
I'll be in NYP next week for the first time. I hope that I can present a more objective comparison once I've seen another LARGE city station. But so far, I like the Union Station in CHI.
I like Chicago Union over NYP... at least PART of the historic station is still there. As for security.. ha... no one is gonna complain about "shady characters" in Chicago once they have been to NYP. Ditto on the "maze" reference. Admittedly I've been lost in both stations before, but CHI doesn't have 3 seperate boarding area (Amtrak, NJ Transit, LIRR) to get lost amongst.
No need to worry... you'll get turned around a bit most likely in NYP but it's a fascinating place. One thing that NYP has going for it are "landmarks" that is different areas of the station look different. What always confuses me about Chicago is it kinda all looks the same.
This is almost ready to start. The Metropolitan Lounge and the ticket counter are to be relocated to the area between the Metra ticket counter and the Great Hall. This will allow the current Amtrak waiting area to be enlarged.I would also agree that Chicago Union Station could use some help. The Amtrak waiting areas are often very crowded, making it difficult to figure out which lines lead to which gates/trains. I wish that the Great Hall was better utilized. Perhaps some of the Amtrak functions that are currently located in the concourse portion (ticket counters, etc.) could be moved to the Great Hall portion, opening up more space to create a larger Amtrak waiting area?
This is a done deal? I had not heard/read that before. Good to hear. Do you have a link to any of the plans or know roughly when this move will take place?This is almost ready to start. The Metropolitan Lounge and the ticket counter are to be relocated to the area between the Metra ticket counter and the Great Hall/ this will allow the current Amtrak waiting area to be enlarged.I would also agree that Chicago Union Station could use some help. The Amtrak waiting areas are often very crowded, making it difficult to figure out which lines lead to which gates/trains. I wish that the Great Hall was better utilized. Perhaps some of the Amtrak functions that are currently located in the concourse portion (ticket counters, etc.) could be moved to the Great Hall portion, opening up more space to create a larger Amtrak waiting area?
:unsure:
This is from Amtrak's FY10 budget, page 76:This is a done deal? I had not heard/read that before. Good to hear. Do you have a link to any of the plans or know roughly when this move will take place?
Oh, by the way, are you referring to the space on the north side or the south side of the corridor from the Great Hall to the Metra ticket counter/Amtrak baggage claim area?
I don't understand why everyone seems to hate CUS so much. I've always thought that Amtrak does a good job there given the limited space they have to work with. It pales in comparison to Washington or Philly but it's infinitely better than NYP.Chicago Union Station improvements ($13.0M): Project will relocate CUS MetropolitanLounge to head house; renovate the coach boarding lounge, convert lounge G to public
restrooms; install 72 sets of head house entry doors; install induction lighting; restoration of
head house facade; install a new HVAC for the great hall and the 2nd and 3rd floors of the
station, replace 12 escalators; replace tactile edging along the platforms; renovate pedway;
install head house sprinkler system; replace both exterior and interior windows throughout
the 2nd of 8th floors throughout the head house, and modernize elevators (4 passenger, 2
freight).
Nothing official as of yet. But a very good source money is in this FY budget. Metro Deli's future?This is a done deal? I had not heard/read that before. Good to hear. Do you have a link to any of the plans or know roughly when this move will take place?This is almost ready to start. The Metropolitan Lounge and the ticket counter are to be relocated to the area between the Metra ticket counter and the Great Hall/ this will allow the current Amtrak waiting area to be enlarged.I would also agree that Chicago Union Station could use some help. The Amtrak waiting areas are often very crowded, making it difficult to figure out which lines lead to which gates/trains. I wish that the Great Hall was better utilized. Perhaps some of the Amtrak functions that are currently located in the concourse portion (ticket counters, etc.) could be moved to the Great Hall portion, opening up more space to create a larger Amtrak waiting area?
:unsure:
Oh, by the way, are you referring to the space on the north side or the south side of the corridor from the Great Hall to the Metra ticket counter/Amtrak baggage claim area?
AlohaI remember in 1983 at Chicago, I was able to take a shower off the Great Hall.
My problem with CUS is the lack of corridor/waiting space. It is very difficult to move around and when you get to where you need to be, finding a place to wait is difficult, even in the Metropolitan Lounge if you arrive later.I don't understand why everyone seems to hate CUS so much. I've always thought that Amtrak does a good job there given the limited space they have to work with. It pales in comparison to Washington or Philly but it's infinitely better than NYP.
No, the sign specifically says "unless you are patronizing a Chicago Union Station Establishment".Speaking of Union Station, it would be nice if it functioned as a transit point for all travelers. I've always been dismayed by this snotty, officious sign. Does this mean that someone who's arrived on Amtrak and is now eating a sandwich purchased from a station vendor can't wait inside for Megabus?
In fact,No, the sign specifically says "unless you are patronizing a Chicago Union Station Establishment".Speaking of Union Station, it would be nice if it functioned as a transit point for all travelers. I've always been dismayed by this snotty, officious sign. Does this mean that someone who's arrived on Amtrak and is now eating a sandwich purchased from a station vendor can't wait inside for Megabus?
Amtrak got tired of paying for Megabus customers, and I can't blame them. Mega wants to free load off Amtrak, while competing for Amtrak customers. That's a lot like taxing the RR's to pay for our highways. Oh wait, we already did that. :lol:
There is nothing in NYP. Get outside and dine with the street vendors.Come on you guys. It's not THAT bad. Certainly it could be better, but it's what we have to work with now, so just relax and learn to live with it.
I agree. Go directly to the Metropolitan Lounge and check your carry-on. But then go out and wander around. Nobody's going to accost you. Go upstairs and check out the food court. Go out and check out the gates. Go up and check out the outside. Nobody's going to accost you, and the Amtrak police are there and doing their job, as are the Chicago police on their bicycles.
I'll be in NYP next week for the first time. I hope that I can present a more objective comparison once I've seen another LARGE city station. But so far, I like the Union Station in CHI.
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