"Boarding from the Great Hall"

[El_Kabong]

The last couple days walking through CUS, I've noticed the status boards specifying trains that will be "boarding from the Great Hall", with handicapped and/or business class boarding from the normal gate.

Anyone know why that's being done, and / or how would that be done?

 

[SarahZ]

The last couple days walking through CUS, I've noticed the status boards specifying trains that will be "boarding from the Great Hall", with handicapped and/or business class boarding from the normal gate.

Anyone know why that's being done, and / or how would that be done?

They do this with the Wolverine and other Midwest corridor trains on occasion. Basically, it means the various local trains are so full that the waiting room is going to get jammed.

In my experience, they rope off the Great Hall just past Metro Deli and then set up a podium near the clock with the screens under it. You check in at the podium, and they indicate which benches are Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, Jackson, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Detroit, Royal Oak/Pontiac, etc. You wait with your city.

Then, once it's boarding time, they do a kindergarten walk for every area. They start with one city and then work their way backward or forward. In my experience, Kalamazoo gets to board right away with Michigan City, New Buffalo, and Niles. Then they board the "mid-cities", and then they board the Detroit area in 2-3 groups.

It's actually extremely organized and a million times better than that god-awful line that snakes back from the gates, past security, past the info desk, etc.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Every train I ever saw at CUS boarded from the "Great Basement."

 

[zephyr17]

Every train I ever saw at CUS boarded from the "Great Basement."

:giggle:

 

[AKA]

I think that's " The Great Stock Yard. "

 

[fairviewroad]

It's actually extremely organized and a million times better than that god-awful line that snakes back from the gates, past security, past the info desk, etc.

As much as the "kindergarten walk" doesn't sound appealing, this method does, on the whole, sound like a good plan. The Great Hall

being used to wait for trains, imagine that!

 

[trainman74]

As much as the "kindergarten walk" doesn't sound appealing...

I'm sure Amtrak would phrase it as "passengers for each destination city will be personally escorted to the train."

 

[the_traveler]

The Great Hall being used to wait for trains, imagine that!

Why did they not think of that like 70 years ago? :huh:

 

[TraneMan]

They had it set up, and I asked one of the Amtrak Officer, (Whom was very nice, and was great to talk to) of why this was done, and he said as what Sarah said.

-Sent from my iPad using Amtrak Forum App.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

For those who may not recognize the OP's handle...

El Kabong (Quick Draw McGraw, from Hanna-Barbera).​

​

"Ah'll do the thinnin' around here, Babalooie!"

 

[Steve4031]

I've never seen this. But if it eliminates the lines and congestion, then it's a good idea. Especially there is enough seating.

 

[dabrilloman]

Every train I ever saw at CUS boarded from the "Great Basement."

:giggle:

Better to board from the "Great Basement' than the "Great Beyond"...

 

[NorthShore]

If they didn't rent out the Great Hall so much and exclude the public, they could actually make effective use of it as a much more comfortable passenger waiting area.

 

[El_Kabong]

The last couple days walking through CUS, I've noticed the status boards specifying trains that will be "boarding from the Great Hall", with handicapped and/or business class boarding from the normal gate.

Anyone know why that's being done, and / or how would that be done?

They do this with the Wolverine and other Midwest corridor trains on occasion. Basically, it means the various local trains are so full that the waiting room is going to get jammed.

In my experience, they rope off the Great Hall just past Metro Deli and then set up a podium near the clock with the screens under it. You check in at the podium, and they indicate which benches are Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, Jackson, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Detroit, Royal Oak/Pontiac, etc. You wait with your city.

Then, once it's boarding time, they do a kindergarten walk for every area. They start with one city and then work their way backward or forward. In my experience, Kalamazoo gets to board right away with Michigan City, New Buffalo, and Niles. Then they board the "mid-cities", and then they board the Detroit area in 2-3 groups.

It's actually extremely organized and a million times better than that god-awful line that snakes back from the gates, past security, past the info desk, etc.

Thanks, Sarah, appreciate the info. First time I saw it was indeed for the Wolverine on Wednesday.

Odd thing is I also saw it for Thursday's CZ. That must have been entertaining to watch.

 

[El_Kabong]

For those who may not recognize the OP's handle...

El Kabong (Quick Draw McGraw, from Hanna-Barbera).​

​

"Ah'll do the thinnin' around here, Babalooie!"

Thanks for the pic, I'll make good use of it

 

[tim49424]

they could actually make effective use of it as a much more comfortable passenger waiting area.

I hang out there waiting for the Empire Builder during the summer. The disabled and elderly coach lounge can get so hot and the air conditioning works just fine in the great hall. It's somewhat surprising how few actually take advantage of it, at least when I'm there.

 

[TraneMan]

This what I saw in Feb when we returned home.

 

[neroden]

If they didn't rent out the Great Hall so much and exclude the public, they could actually make effective use of it as a much more comfortable passenger waiting area.

Yeah. They're going to have to stop renting it out during "train hours". And at Chicago, that's most hours. The income received isn't worth it.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Thanks for the pic, I'll make good use of it

Looks like you already have!

 

[Steve4031]

It's a great space for waiting. I think most people avoid it because it's far from the gates. Amtrak should use it in this manner consistently. If people ride the same train with regularity, they'll get use boarding/waiting in the great hall.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Wouldn't it be great if the old speaker system came on and echoed the following announcement:

"Now boarding on Track 29, the Broadway Ltd- Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New York"

Oh, the good ole days

 

[jis]

Wouldn't it be great if the old speaker system came on and echoed the following announcement:

"Now boarding on Track 29, the Broadway Ltd- Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New York"

Oh, the good ole days

Broadway Limited went to Columbus? Fort Wayne - yes. Columbus - no.

 

[railiner]

Wouldn't it be great if the old speaker system came on and echoed the following announcement:

"Now boarding on Track 29, the Broadway Ltd- Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New York"

Oh, the good ole days

Broadway Limited went to Columbus? Fort Wayne - yes. Columbus - no.

Right....and "Track 29"???? Wasn't that the fictitious track at NYP, where you boarded the "Chattanooga Choo-Choo"??

 

[railiner]

If they didn't rent out the Great Hall so much and exclude the public, they could actually make effective use of it as a much more comfortable passenger waiting area.

Yeah. They're going to have to stop renting it out during "train hours". And at Chicago, that's most hours. The income received isn't worth it.

I would shudder to think of the Metro-North RR renting out the famous concourse at Grand Central Terminal for private functions.........wait a minute, I believe they do something like that, but at the old waiting room, not the actual concourse..... :wacko:

 

[SarahZ]

Personally, I avoid the Great Hall during the summer since the windows along the top tend to add a greenhouse effect. It gets very stuffy. In the winter, though, it's wonderful. It stays much warmer than the general boarding area.

I doubt they'll stop renting it out. The Great Hall is a cash cow.

http://www.chicagounionstation.com/event_pricing.html