New L.A. Waiting Room

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TrainLoverJoy

Lead Service Attendant
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
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280
Location
Kalamazoo, Mi.
I was kinda expecting the new .sleeper lounge to be open by now. Amtrak guy was very apologetic, but not ready yet. But sitting in the station's beautiful garden is just fine.......just waiting for Hertz to open. Going back on the Eagle the 20th......will let you know if open by then.
 
Very apologetic, but with no idea when it might open - not that that is in any way his fault, but - is S.O.P. on the part of the suits, or so it seems. :eek:hboy:

I agree that it is no great loss, as the rest of LAUS is so nice.

Enjoy the time in sunny So. Cal. :cool:

...and who knows, maybe you'll surprise us with news that the new lounge is open when your heading back. :lol:
 
:eek: I'm Shocked! Shocked! that the Lounge isnt Finished yet! Maybe by next year when the Gathering is on the West Coast it will be Open! <_<

In a related story, there is a Post on trainorders that says that there are now Signs in the Tunnel @ the Entrances to the Platforms in Union Station saying that Only Ticketed Passengers are Allowed on the Platforms and there is a $1500 Fine for Violators! :eek: There are Rent-a-Cop Guards Checking Tickets! Wonder if Rail Fans that like to take Pics (Patrick are you there?) will be Denied Access to the Platforms??? :help:
 
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The signs about the fine are because Metrolink (the commuter rail operator) has turned their platforms into a "fare paid zone" so security guards can do fare enforcement. This is rather common in Southern California as all of the platforms in the subway and light rail system are a "fare paid zone." If you are caught without a ticket... you are given a citation.

The simple solution if you want to take pictures is to either buy the cheapest possible ticket or stay off the platforms (as far as I can tell the public can still access the sidewalk between the platforms on the west side of the station.)
 
jimhudson said:
:eek: I'm Shocked! Shocked! that the Lounge isnt Finished yet! Maybe by next year when the Gathering is on the West Coast it will be Open! <_<

In a related story, there is a Post on trainorders that says that there are now Signs in the Tunnel @ the Entrances to the Platforms in Union Station saying that Only Ticketed Passengers are Allowed on the Platforms and there is a $1500 Fine for Violators! :eek: There are Rent-a-Cop Guards Checking Tickets! Wonder if Rail Fans that like to take Pics (Patrick are you there?) will be Denied Access to the Platforms??? :help:
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So if you were leaving on an Amtrak train you couldn't have your family see you off? When I took my two older kids to CHI in 2008 my family saw me off on that platform. Unlike Metrolink, Amtrak actually does check your ticket when you board the train. Seems like unticketed folks could be on Amtrak platforms.

Dan
 
Depends on the platform. CHI doesn't allow you on the platform without a ticket either. They have everyone do the kindergarten walk, and the gate dragon checks your ID and ticket before you walk through the first set of doors.

In fact, you can't even be in the waiting room without a ticket (though, they don't always have gate dragons enforcing this - I've only had to show my ticket three times out of 100+ trips, and it was always during Thanksgiving and Christmas).
 
You can still access the platforms from the south side walkway. Take the inclined road from the north or south of Union Station and walk up there. You're probably better off taking photos from that side anyway because the sun will be behind you.

The reason Metrolink is doing this is because of the frequent perception of fare evasion from paying customers. Metrolink fares have gone up 4-7% every year and ridership is falling. One of the comments made at fare increase hearings was that fare enforcement needs to be a lot more aggressive - and the lowest hanging fruit is Union Station, since the majority of Metrolink trips start there. Of course that does nothing for the person short hopping from Upland to Pomona, or Orange to Tustin, but it does solve most of the problem. Also, by checking fares at the platform, it eliminates the conductor having to walk through the train while it is leaving the station, which was the usual practice before (on the SB Line, they would do their walk through normally leaving Cal State LA). The conductor can focus on safely operating the train rather than being fare enforcement, and fare enforcement can focus on the outer segments of the line which cause trouble. And, fewer people get tickets because they never get on the platform in the first place, which eliminates officers having to testify in court.

http://www.metrolinktrains.com/content/media/03/files/MTL181_NewsletterPDF%20Format%20hr(m1bh).pdf
 
SarahZ said:
Depends on the platform. CHI doesn't allow you on the platform without a ticket either. They have everyone do the kindergarten walk, and the gate dragon checks your ID and ticket before you walk through the first set of doors.

In fact, you can't even be in the waiting room without a ticket (though, they don't always have gate dragons enforcing this - I've only had to show my ticket three times out of 100+ trips, and it was always during Thanksgiving and Christmas).
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I do realize that about Chicago as that is where I have gone on my only two long Amtrak trips. But I don't know anyone there so don't have to say goodbye somewhere in the station. Los Angeles was much more laid back when I left from there. We left from LA on coach and the attendant let my wife and other kids come on and see where we were sitting.

One of the comments made at fare increase hearings was that fare enforcement needs to be a lot more aggressive -

Agree with this. I have traveled from San Bernadino to LAX and back maybe 10 times or so. I have had my ticket checked on maybe 3 trips.
 
Dan - I agree it's kind of sad. That's my biggest pet peeve with airports. I miss being able to greet and say goodbye to people at the gate. I'd happily go through security if it meant I could spend another two hours with that person and then say goodbye as they boarded. I went through that with B when he lived in Albuquerque. I hated that we were in the same city as each other for two hours but couldn't see each other.
 
This only for Metrolink platforms, you can still go to the Amtrak and Gold line (I think) platforms without tickets.
 
The gold line platform is also a "fare paid zone" you have to have a ticket or you face a $250 dollar fine for fare evasion (as opposed to the $1500 dollar fine for tresspassing on the Metrolink platforms.)

As far as I know the Amtrak platforms are not a "fare paid zone". That's because Amtrak conductors still check the ticket for every passenger as opposed to the proof of payment system on the Metro Gold Line and Metrolink.

That being said... Amtrak still wants passengers to line up at the gates in the waiting room for the kindergarten walk to the platform. If Amtrak staff or police see you on the platform before your train arrives, they may ask you to leave (although I've never heard of them doing this at LAX). But no rules have changed as far as accompanying Amtrak passengers out to the platform.

When it comes to taking photos... I suggest you use Calwatch's advice and take photos from the public pathway on the south side of the platform area.

---

Back to the original topic of discussion... There's a report on train orders that the construction of the lounge is complete... They're just waiting on the furnishings to arrive.
 
Why doesn't Metrolink just install fare gates at Union Station at the entrances to the platforms. All LA County-bound tickets have chips in them anyway for TAP transfers.

I'm joking a bit but got really mad on my last trip to San Francisco when I was rushing to catch Caltrain and nearly missed it all because of the fact you have to show your tickets and Clipper Cards now to the guards before you go out to the platform at the SF terminus. POP means POP and as a fare paying customer cutting things close I shouldn't miss a train fumbling to show my ticket. Check for my ticket on the train please!

Another reason why I hate gate ushers. The lack of trust for not having the right ticket.
 
SubwayNut said:
I'm joking a bit but got really mad on my last trip to San Francisco when I was rushing to catch Caltrain and nearly missed it all because of the fact you have to show your tickets and Clipper Cards now to the guards before you go out to the platform at the SF terminus. POP means POP and as a fare paying customer cutting things close I shouldn't miss a train fumbling to show my ticket. Check for my ticket on the train please!

Another reason why I hate gate ushers. The lack of trust for not having the right ticket.
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Actually, the door to the platform is the best place to catch people. It's a natural bottleneck point, anyway; and it's close to the ticket machines.

Proof of payment means that you need to be able to provide proof of payment on demand. They're just doing it before you board -- which is not a new practice.
 
I'll be arriving at LAX on the Surfliner from San Diego in just over 3 weeks. Then, boarding my sleeper on the Coast Starlight to Seattle. Sure hope the furniture arrives in time :unsure:
 
SarahZ said:
Dan - I agree it's kind of sad. That's my biggest pet peeve with airports. I miss being able to greet and say goodbye to people at the gate. I'd happily go through security if it meant I could spend another two hours with that person and then say goodbye as they boarded. I went through that with B when he lived in Albuquerque. I hated that we were in the same city as each other for two hours but couldn't see each other.
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Psst, Sarah...

Over here...

Can you keep a secret?

It's not very well known, but if a loved one is flying without you, and you're needed to provide assistance to them, you can request a "gate pass" from the airline when the passenger checks in. This gate pass allows you to enter into the secure area with the passenger and wait with them until departure, or if obtained in advance, allows you to meet them at the arrival gate.

This is supposed to be for situations of passengers requiring assistance, but there are no regulations spelling out what assistance is required, so pretty much anything goes (well, at the airline's discretion, that is). Like anything else, this privilege seems like it might be open to abuse, and if abused enough, I'm sure it would be cracked down upon. I'd caution against anything that directed the entire flying public to abuse it, because there are people who surely depend on this privilege, and I would be sad to see it go. That said, I would feel nothing wrong with having my non-flying companion come with me into the secure area simply because I needed their assistance helping with my bags or even needed their presence there to make me more comfortable. The few times my wife and kids have flown without me I've always accompanied them to the gate since there's no need for my wife to have to wrestle the kids and strollers and bags by herself.

Here's a little article with some more details: http://lifehacker.com/5809860/family-going-on-a-trip-you-can-walk-them-all-the-way-to-the-boarding-gate-if-you-ask
 
Aaron said:
This is supposed to be for situations of passengers requiring assistance
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Just as you said, gate passes are for those accompanying airline pax requiring assistance. Encouraging/promoting the obtaining of a gate pass when it's not really necessary smacks of both dishonesty and lack of respect. Not to mention that it only adds to the already long lines at the ticket counter and at the security checkpoints.

Edit: clarity
 
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Bullcrap. The whole process deserves no respect, so how can it be disrespectful?

Sorcha, an even easier and foolproof way out there is to buy a fully refundable ticket for a later flight, and then cancel it once through security.
 
JoeBas said:
Sorcha, an even easier and foolproof way out there is to buy a fully refundable ticket for a later flight, and then cancel it once through security.
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Yes, but that is wicked expensive and totally not worth it.
 
Where is the new waiting room being installed at in the Los Angeles station. Last time I was there, they had the Coast starlight sleeper passengers near the information desk to the right as you walked in, but that was only for Coast Starlight passengers......
 
BillVasi said:
Where is the new waiting room being installed at in the Los Angeles station. Last time I was there, they had the Coast starlight sleeper passengers near the information desk to the right as you walked in, but that was only for Coast Starlight passengers......
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According to Posts on this Forum it will be Upstairs over the Amtrak Ticket Offices where the Employee Gyn used to be located! The Traxx lounge was leased to amtrak just for the Starlight @ a Cost of over $100,000 ayear so this will allow Amtrak to use these funds to hire Staff for the Lounge and Operations Expenses!! :)
 
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