Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Healthyred555 t1_iy2jv9i wrote

All i can say about this place, no matter how early i get and ready I am... when the gate is called for the train i somehow end up in back of the line.

263

FarFromSane_ t1_iy2s5gs wrote

If you are going where the line is you are in the wrong place. Use the lower concourse to board. I even ask the seating area attendant what the track number is going to be if it’s around 12 minutes before departure and the track number hasn’t been officially put out. 9/10 times they have the information on their screen and I head down there to step on the second the doors open.

Even without knowing the trick to ask the track number early, it baffles me to see people waiting in a winding line by the escalator. It’s Penn Station! There are soooo many ways on to a given platform, why does (almost) everyone stand at a single entry point like it’s an airport. (And why does Amtrak encourage that? I like the train because I can roll up and step right on)

134

cocktails5 t1_iy3cle5 wrote

Only taken the train there once, but it wasn't at all obvious when I got there where I should be going. So I got in line with everybody else when they announced the track number.

67

SnooWoofers5193 t1_iy55lri wrote

I actually didn’t know I was allowed to go down there if not through the line? U can?

10

dilpill t1_iyc3eic wrote

They do not want you to and actively try to stop you by closing some platform doors, but it’s still possible.

The reason for it is that the platforms are so narrow that allowing boarding passengers to wait there would make it slower for passengers to disembark.

One or two people who figure out the trick doesn’t pose that issue, but you’ll never hear official approval of it.

I do it every other time or so depending how resourceful I’m feeling. It used to be way easier when there was an arrivals board in the waiting area!

3

ktkat0000 t1_iy40amx wrote

lol i did this last friday and the person on the track yelled at me and the other people doing this "hot tip" and told us to go back up to where the line was. 🫥 so not a surefire tip (or maybe this particular employee was just being tough)

12

STMBK73 t1_iy68now wrote

They have been really difficult the last month or so, right about when they started putting up stantions/ropes on Friday. I would assume it cools down after the holidays.

3

0Il0I0l0 t1_iy3szej wrote

How do you get to the lower concourse?

11

CrimsonBrit t1_iy403ja wrote

Because the signage is awful. They announce a track from location and everyone runs to two doors with horrible stairs, usually with heavy suitcases. It’s fucking madness

10

waukeecla t1_iy3q3dz wrote

I wonder this too, because last time I boarded an Amtrak it was in the new concourse under 8th Ave, it wasn't crowded (never is, I use this concourse all the time for LIRR or NJT) yet everyone boards in moynihan, surely not all these riders are "newbies"

9

[deleted] t1_iy2zu3m wrote

[deleted]

−36

vittorioe t1_iy3418c wrote

More like faster boarding instead of a bottleneck

35

[deleted] t1_iy3gc8d wrote

[deleted]

−12

vittorioe t1_iy3gfb1 wrote

Literally not at all what OP is saying but go off

10

[deleted] t1_iy3h65i wrote

[deleted]

2

thebruns t1_iy4ao15 wrote

> the train can’t just park there for 10-15 minutes and let people board at their own pace. I really don’t think you take Amtrak lol.

Sounds like youve never taken Amtrak. They all have a 20 minute layover at Penn, including a complete crew change.

3

[deleted] t1_iy4ko7z wrote

[deleted]

0

thebruns t1_iy4lixd wrote

You are talking about two different issues.

No one said wait on the platform.

OP said:

>If you are going where the line is you are in the wrong place. Use the lower concourse to board.

There are 5-8 stair/escalators onto each platform. There is no reason for everyone to wait at the one in the center of the new building.

You can still wait at the other 7 for everyone to get off before going down

2

Toilethyme t1_iy36mam wrote

Grand Central seems to manage without this line nonsense.

16

cabanacloudnine t1_iy38ir8 wrote

Grand central announces their track times much earlier than Penn does

19

112-411 t1_iy6tl6k wrote

This is because GCT has much greater capacity than NYP (about 3X the tracks) while also serving a fraction of the passengers.

0

Shame_On_Matt t1_iy3g1iy wrote

It’s kinda fascinating, the controlled chaos. People SPRINT to their gate like absolute lunatics, but are mostly orderly and respect the rules of a line.

13