Amtrak/LIRR Moynihan Train Hall

lordsigma12345 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 26, 2020 9:19 am In addition to not paying there probably just isn't enough room for all three services to use it and I'm guessing LIRR will still also use their current concourse as depending on where you are coming from or which subway line using the new train hall could be inconvenient for commuters. I think the idea is just to allow the services to spread out into additional space and to provide Amtrak intercity passengers a nicer experience. NJT will become the main user of the current Amtrak concourse - Amtrak passengers will still have access to use the existing ticketed waiting area if its more convenient for them then waiting at the train hall and it will still be the late night concourse for Amtrak when MTH is closed - the existing baggage counter will be used during zero dark thirty hours.

Given that the station in entirety will straddle 8th Avenue and connect to the A/C/E lines... well... how often are trains going in and out of Penn between 11pm and 5am (pre-pandemic)?

Since regular commuters (LIRR and NJT) already know the shortest route to their usual platform -- and it isn't by way of MTH -- the MTH wil serve primarily those Amtrak passengers having the time to use the amenities it provides. The benefit to LIRR and NJT will be the existing space freed up by Amtrak's move to MTH. New York commuters don't linger in Penn Station unless forced to by delayed trains, in which case they're in no mood for amenities anyway.

How does the 8th ave subway interfere with access. Remember hearing that subway roaring overhead when on the Penn stations platforms.

Speaking of amenities, does anyone know just which of those will be available?

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 8:48 am . . . use the Club Acela, or whatever the Lounge is called . . .

"Metropolitan Lounge" I believe is the new name.

bostontrainguy wrote: ↑Sun Dec 27, 2020 8:48 am

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 8:48 am . . . use the Club Acela, or whatever the Lounge is called . . .

"Metropolitan Lounge" I believe is the new name.

On the Amtrak website, the lounge in Boston is "Metropolitan", but the lounge in New York and Washington is "Club Acela" . Just another inconsistency on our national rail passenger system.

west point wrote: ↑Sun Dec 27, 2020 3:24 am How does the 8th ave subway interfere with access. Remember hearing that subway roaring overhead when on the Penn stations platforms.

The longer platforms extend west of 8th Avenue after passing under the subway. I think mail moved directly from the Post Office to the platforms below, and passengers will do essentially the same thing.

So per the pictures posted, are the tracks beneath the new station open? Or even there? Are not the tracks Amtrak uses under Penn Station errr........MSG?

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Sat Dec 26, 2020 8:16 pm Given that the station in entirety will straddle 8th Avenue and connect to the A/C/E lines... well... how often are trains going in and out of Penn between 11pm and 5am (pre-pandemic)?

Moynihan will actually be open 5 AM to 1 AM. Looking way in the future at bookings basically the late night regional 65/66/67 which also has baggage so that would use current Penn between 1 and 5 or any delayed train that arrives or passes thru during that time. Also on weekdays during normal times 151 south to Washington departs at 4:40 AM so presumably passengers use current Penn for that too.

The better half and I are doing another Boston trip in late April (RHI-NYP-BOS, BOS-ALB-RHI), so we're looking forward to seeing the new train hall. We got first class tickets for the Acela on the first leg trip, so we'll get to see the new lounge. I've never used the old one, but have not heard great things. We got to use the lounge in Boston on our last trip and that was pretty great.

frequentflyer wrote: ↑Mon Dec 28, 2020 12:39 am So per the pictures posted, are the tracks beneath the new station open? Or even there? Are not the tracks Amtrak uses under Penn Station errr........MSG?

Amtrak is using its existing trackage under Penn/MSG. The escalators are on the west end of the platforms think facing NJ. Its all there I have left off track 6 last few nights its done just sealed off currently. There are no new tracks, in a previous post someone mentioned mail. If you knew were to look a few years ago a lot of the conveyors were still up in the rafters.

I think the tracks with direct entry points from Moynihan are 5-17 which should cover Amtrak. Moynihan will also be directly connected to the west end concourse which additionally can access 18-21 which allows LIRR passengers to use the hall if they wish and there will be ticketing and waiting for LIRR within it. There is no access to 1-4 which is probably another reason NJT is not involved. The hall is a viable choice for LIRR passengers using the ACE lines if they need to wait a bit for their train - not so much for 123.

frequentflyer wrote: ↑Mon Dec 28, 2020 12:39 am So per the pictures posted, are the tracks beneath the new station open? Or even there? Are not the tracks Amtrak uses under Penn Station errr........MSG?

The old Penn Station / MSG building is between 7th and 8th Avenues. The new train hall former post office building is between 8th and 9th Avenues and most of the Penn Station tracks and platforms extend underneath it, no extensions or modifications were necessary. See:

@Ken W2kb, thank you for the illustration. In the beginning of the project, there were criticisms that one could not reach all of the tracks Amtrak uses. I see that is not true.

So are there escalators or elevators down to all of those platforms? Looks like they would all probably be at the far east end of the building unless Amtrak is only going to access the center ones. I'll assume those are 5 - 17 as mentioned earlier.