Screens off on lower level of NYP?

[Bex]

This is the second trip I've taken where this has been the case. I thought it might be an isolated incident over the holiday weekend but Friday it was the same. The lower screens where Amtrak trains are listed are simply blank. People now cluster at the bottom of the steps looking up at the board, but my vision simply isn't good enough for this. Anyone have any intel on this? Is Amtrak trying to cut off this loophole to "show your ticket" boarding on the main level?

 

[AG1]

Because of your post, don't be surprised if a partition is placed too block the view looking up toward the main display board. Please, don't use the word "l------e" anymore on forums. Each such discussion has resulted in the loss of said advantage.

 

[Bex]

I find that hard to believe. Slate published this ages ago, has a much higher readership, and things have remained the same for years. Unless you're kidding.

I waited a week for someone to say something about this, but finally joined so I could ask.

 

[amamba]

Just stand at the top, look at the amtrak screen, and then go down the stairs to the mezzanine. That is what I do.

 

[AG1]

I find that hard to believe. Slate published this ages ago, has a much higher readership, and things have remained the same for years. Unless you're kidding.

I waited a week for someone to say something about this, but finally joined so I could ask.

No, I am serious. Several years ago posters on here bragged about their ways around the gate guards at the escalators and boarding from the lower concourse. This information was picked up by Amtrak station staff. Soon, I was met by Amtrak police at the stairways and made to go up to the line, losing a long used advantage. This is selectively enforced, but I have been turned back about 25% of the time on afternoon trains. Silence is golden . Why stir the pot ?

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Soon, I was met by Amtrak police at the stairways and made to go up to the line, losing a long used advantage. This is selectively enforced, but I have been turned back about 25% of the time on afternoon trains. Silence is golden . Why stir the pot ?

If I recall do not NJT trains board from the same level? Were the AmCops weeding out Amtrak pax from the commuters?

 

[Bex]

I find that hard to believe. Slate published this ages ago, has a much higher readership, and things have remained the same for years. Unless you're kidding.

I waited a week for someone to say something about this, but finally joined so I could ask.

No, I am serious. Several years ago posters on here bragged about their ways around the gate guards at the escalators and boarding from the lower concourse. This information was picked up by Amtrak station staff. Soon, I was met by Amtrak police at the stairways and made to go up to the line, losing a long used advantage. This is selectively enforced, but I have been turned back about 25% of the time on afternoon trains. Silence is golden . Why stir the pot ?

I came to discuss something with other interested people. If it's a banned topic, the mods can pull this thread. There has been no issue from what I see online and in person except on rare occasions (big travel days, someone important on the train, etc.) through many mentions on the Internet. NYP and Amtrak staff watch it happen all day every day. I doubt this is where they found out about it. I ride from NYP every week and have for several years. I am unable to use this method maybe one time out of a hundred.

Just stand at the top, look at the amtrak screen, and then go down the stairs to the mezzanine. That is what I do.

That's what I've been doing, too. But it slows me down, plus I just wondered if anyone knew the background on why the sudden change.

 

[AG1]

Soon, I was met by Amtrak police at the stairways and made to go up to the line, losing a long used advantage. This is selectively enforced, but I have been turned back about 25% of the time on afternoon trains. Silence is golden . Why stir the pot ?

If I recall do not NJT trains board from the same level? Were the AmCops weeding out Amtrak pax from the commuters?

The last time, I was stopped at the stairs by a large Amcop who said " Where do you think you are going?". I replied " I am on this train," and flashed my ticket, which he didn't even look at." He said gruffly, "Go upstairs, you can't board from here." Just then, another person with a bag over his shoulder entered the stairway and brushed by. I pointed at him and asked the Amcop why he didn't stop him." He works here", was the reply. It must have been the engineer as he didn't have a uniform on. I went upstairs to the lineup.

 

[amamba]

Soon, I was met by Amtrak police at the stairways and made to go up to the line, losing a long used advantage. This is selectively enforced, but I have been turned back about 25% of the time on afternoon trains. Silence is golden . Why stir the pot ?

If I recall do not NJT trains board from the same level? Were the AmCops weeding out Amtrak pax from the commuters?

That's easy enough they stand at the stairs of the platforms only when Amtrak trains are boarding.

 

[Anderson]

Amtrak and NJT/LIRR can end up at the same platform (there are some shared tracks), but it's not that common. With that being said, I'm reminded of a late evening at NYP some time back. As soon as the last Acela was announced, a group of guys in suits bolted for the NJT concourse to board.

(You can suffice it to say that the gate dragons at NYP do not have my utmost respect.)

 

[afigg]

I'm wondering what is Amtrak going to do when the expanded West End Concourse opens? Add gate dragons to let people board or guards to stop them there? Or leave the gates and new access escalators open so people can board Amtrak trains without going through the main parts of NYP?

 

[jis]

Given the way Amtrak's NYP operations are, they will probably hire more cops to prevent people from boarding using the facilities created with with many tens of millions of dollars of investment. See? It creates jobs!

 

[afigg]

Given the way Amtrak's NYP operations are, they will probably hire more cops to prevent people from boarding using the facilities created wired with many tens of millions of dollars of investment. See? It creates jobs!

Sadly, I can see Amtrak doing something close to this. Spend a lot of money to build the expanded West End Concourse to provide additional and improved access to the platforms for tracks 5 to 21 from the new entrances on 8th Ave, and an additional path for transfers between Amtrak, LIRR, and the A,C,E lines. Then Amtrak's response is to block off access to the platforms from the West End Concourse and force their passengers to go through the scrum in the main waiting area.

Hopefully, they have plans to use the West End Concourse when it opens. Put a gate dragon there, ideally with scanners on either side to check the etickets if they have to for faster throughput.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I find that hard to believe. Slate published this ages ago, has a much higher readership, and things have remained the same for years. Unless you're kidding.

I waited a week for someone to say something about this, but finally joined so I could ask.

No, I am serious. Several years ago posters on here bragged about their ways around the gate guards at the escalators and boarding from the lower concourse. This information was picked up by Amtrak station staff. Soon, I was met by Amtrak police at the stairways and made to go up to the line, losing a long used advantage. This is selectively enforced, but I have been turned back about 25% of the time on afternoon trains. Silence is golden . Why stir the pot ?

So you mean the regular riders are finally having to suffer the same indignities as uninitiated newbies and tourists? Instead of blaming the victims why don't you push someone in power to fix your broken mess of a rail station? I have zero sympathy for the erosion of the two tier side stepping workaround that masquerades as a solution to a nonsensical problem. Rather than sweep the problem under the rug yet again maybe you should try shining a light on the root cause for a change. Yes, I'm serious.