Advice on changing trains at New York Penn

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fixj

fixj

Service Attendant
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
Messages
194
Location
Panama City, FL
My wife and I have done almost all of the central and western Amtrak trains and know the ins and outs of most of the transfer points. But for this year’s (2018) trip we plan on taking the Acela from Washington Union Station to NYP and connect with the Lake Shore Limited going to Chicago. I’ve never changed trains at NYP and sure could use some advice for making this less stressful. We are traveling first class on the acela, and have a bedroom on the LSL. We plan to use Red Caps, but have no idea how to navigate the station or how to find the Club Acela. Any suggestions (including meals at the station) would be most welcome!
 
Get a redcap when you get off in Penn; you'll be taken directly to the Club Acela. You might be able to "pre-order" one thru the car attendant, but that's a guess. And when you arrive in the Club Acela, tell the receptionist you'll be needing a redcap for #49. You will then be called in plenty of time to pre-board the train, accompanied by a redcap who'll handle your bags.
 
Palmetto nailed the mechanics of changing trains. Regarding meals at the station, I usually stop at Penn Sushi, which is on the other side of the waiting area from the Club Acela. There's no seating to speak of, so you'd be best off taking your food back to Club Acela. If you're willing to leave the station, the Tick Tock Diner at 8th and 34th can be fun, though it's almost always mobbed.
 
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fixj said:
But for this year’s (2018) trip we plan on taking the Acela from Washington Union Station to NYP and connect with the Lake Shore Limited going to Chicago. Any suggestions (including meals at the station) would be most welcome!
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It would help to know what kind of food you enjoy and if you're willing to walk a block or two. Am I correct in assuming you are making this trip prior to Memorial Day?
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Unless I'm mistaken, an NYP red cap is like one from out of the past, which is not the same as you'll find in central and western Amtrak county. That is, the red cap carries your luggage and leads you where you want to go, but no golf cart.

I'm sure Cary Grant couldn't have ridden a golf cart, even if he wanted to.
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I have gotten good service from the Red Caps at NYP, but depending on the train (luggage and a sleeper for a longer trip or just a light bag and a pre board) it is usually an escalator ride, or a very small elevator, neither would be golf cart friendly.
 
For anyone who might be worried about no golf carts on the east coast, you can request a wheelchair if you have difficulty walking "long" distances.
 
Regarding food at NYP. I thought I got only breakfast on the Acella first class, but I rechecked and discovered we get lunch as well. So with dinner on the LSL my meals are covered. Many thanks for the suggestions.
 
When I transferred from an Acela (BOS-NYP) to 19 just after Thanksgiving, we were escorted out the Club Acela door to what looked like a locked closet. The attendant unlocked the door, then unlocked our personal escalator which deposited us on the platform facing the vestibule serving cars 1910 and 1911. I believe we walked five feet to the vestibule. The only thing more convenient would have been an elevator next to my Club Acela chair down into my roomette....LOL
 
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J-1 3235 said:
In my experience, you will be served one meal between WAS and NYP. If you were continuing beyond NYP, you would be served another meal.

You may want to have lunch in New York.

Enjoy your trip.

Mike

Sent from my iPad using Amtrak Forum
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That is the case. One meal unless you're passing NYP, typically speaking.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Amtrak Forum mobile app
 
Hytec said:
When I transferred from an Acela (BOS-NYP) to 19 just after Thanksgiving, we were escorted out the Club Acela door to what looked like a locked closet. The attendant unlocked the door, then unlocked our personal escalator which deposited us on the platform facing the vestibule serving cars 1910 and 1911. I believe we walked five feet to the vestibule. The only thing more convenient would have been an elevator next to my Club Acela chair down into my roomette....LOL
Click to expand...
Trying to visualize what escalator this would be...all of them in NYP are fairly well labeled, there's no secret escalators. Was there an elevator or escalator ride in between the Club Acela and the one which led to the platform?

Elevators, on the other hand...
 
Train2104 said:
Hytec said:
When I transferred from an Acela (BOS-NYP) to 19 just after Thanksgiving, we were escorted out the Club Acela door to what looked like a locked closet. The attendant unlocked the door, then unlocked our personal escalator which deposited us on the platform facing the vestibule serving cars 1910 and 1911. I believe we walked five feet to the vestibule. The only thing more convenient would have been an elevator next to my Club Acela chair down into my roomette....LOL
Click to expand...
Trying to visualize what escalator this would be...all of them in NYP are fairly well labeled, there's no secret escalators. Was there an elevator or escalator ride in between the Club Acela and the one which led to the platform?

Elevators, on the other hand...
Click to expand...
Yeah...I was thinking the same....maybe first went down to the arrivals level, and then took an elevator from there to the platform?
 
There is a small elevator at that that the red caps use that goes down to the mid level, where they switch over to the elevators to the platforms. Most of the time if you are boarding early, they just run an escalator down. I would be surprised that the Crescent would be at that side of the station anyway, usually the end closest to C/A gets the trains going North on the Empire Connection
 
railiner said:
Train2104 said:
Hytec said:
When I transferred from an Acela (BOS-NYP) to 19 just after Thanksgiving, we were escorted out the Club Acela door to what looked like a locked closet. The attendant unlocked the door, then unlocked our personal escalator which deposited us on the platform facing the vestibule serving cars 1910 and 1911. I believe we walked five feet to the vestibule. The only thing more convenient would have been an elevator next to my Club Acela chair down into my roomette....LOL
Click to expand...
Trying to visualize what escalator this would be...all of them in NYP are fairly well labeled, there's no secret escalators. Was there an elevator or escalator ride in between the Club Acela and the one which led to the platform?

Elevators, on the other hand...
Click to expand...
Yeah...I was thinking the same....maybe first went down to the arrivals level, and then took an elevator from there to the platform?
Click to expand...
As I said earlier this is what occurred on Wednesday, 11/29/2017.

We were called to the front of the Club Acela lounge where our guide led us out the front door and walked us about a ten feet across an open area. He stopped us in front of a locked wooden closet-like door to our left, which he unlocked. The top of the escalator was about five feet inside that door. The escalator did not operate until our guide turned it on with his key, possibly the same key that opened the door. The bottom of the escalator was in front of another door at platform level, which he opened. We exited directly in front of the vestibule between sleepers 1910 and 1920. It could not have been simpler or better organized.

After reading the discussion following my initial post, I'll grant that what I experienced may have occurred only for #19's departure on that Wednesday, and never before or since for any other departure of any train. I don't think I heard the theme from the Twilight Zone.
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By the description, it sounds like the escalator for track 7/8 W. Perhaps they were repairing it and it was boarded up/in on both levels. I have used that escalator with a Red Cap for pre-boarding since most times 7/8 E is used for regular boarding.
 
If you leave Club Acela to go outside, simply go out the Club door, walk a few steps and make a u-turn to the up escalators. Those will deposit you at the SW doors of Penn Station at the corner of 31st and 8th Ave. From there more restaurants than you can imagine are within a couple blocks any direction.
 
MMA said:
fixj said:
Any suggestions (including meals at the station) would be most welcome!
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This guide to Penn station will help. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&ved=0ahUKEwiWl7rMs7jYAhVk7YMKHXeECxgQFghiMAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fjasongibbs.com%2Fpennstation%2F&usg=AOvVaw10rAki_4xdWSeZB8w4IUe9
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Thanks for these floor plans. It probably was the escalator for Tracks 7/8 that we were taken down. I guess it was kept locked for security reasons, especially during the holidays.

I wonder how the coach passengers got down to platform level? The four coaches started three cars ahead of the sleeper vestibule and continued to the engine. I don't see another escalator further forward from the 7/8 escalator. Perhaps they went down a ramp?
 
Hytec said:
MMA said:
fixj said:
Any suggestions (including meals at the station) would be most welcome!
Click to expand...
This guide to Penn station will help.
Click to expand...
Thanks for these floor plans. It probably was the escalator for Tracks 7/8 that we were taken down. I guess it was kept locked for security reasons, especially during the holidays.
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How would disabling basic infrastructure at the busiest time of the year make anyone more secure? Seems like it would just slow people down and stress them out. If anything you'd think they'd want everything in tip top working order rather than a mob of angry travelers who just missed their train.
 
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There are 2 escalators from the main level for each pair of tracks. If 7/8 W was shut down, there is also 7/8 E to use.

The west gates are on the side by the ticket counters. The east gates are on the side by the waiting area/seating. There are also stairs and escalators on the LIRR concourse (1 level down).
 
the_traveler said:
There are 2 escalators from the main level for each pair of tracks. If 7/8 W was shut down, there is also 7/8 E to use.

The west gates are on the side by the ticket counters. The east gates are on the side by the waiting area/seating. There are also stairs and escalators on the LIRR concourse (1 level down).
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I thought that there were only escalator's at the west gates to platform level....the east gates have stairways.....

Down on the lower level, it is the same...escalator's from the west gates to track level, and stairs from the east gates....there are also additional stairways to platform level from the west end concourse and of course there are elevators from the lower level to the platforms....

There are no ramps to platform level, however there is a ramp for employee use from the baggage area to the lower level....
 
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