by LAUNCHman
On a weekend return trip this past Saturday evening (about 7:00 PM) I was about 15 minutes early for my southbound NEC train on NJT. Well having only that one access point, the narrow escalator stairs, we were backed up into the lobby for what looked like a 20-minute line. I was darned sure I was going to miss that train while I scampered around looking for another access point. Imagine if there had been an emergency! That station is not a safe place to be. And not convenient because I thought the train was going to leave without a whole lot of people. I ended up waiting for an elevator and made it on the train just in time. Then the train, which was an express, was SRO (standing room only) except for the first two cars. They kept making announcements for people to move up but apparently people were lazy/tired because many of them just stood there and blocked up the aisles so we couldn't get by. I joked that if I kept walking I might arrive in Trenton, but I finally found a seat. Wow, their business seems to be doing really well on this line, even at off-peak times. Granted, Saturday was the most gorgeous day we've had in NY in some time. The point of my post is to advise everyone to arrive as early as possible for a NEC train out of NY. It's a hassle to get out of there, so have your round trip ticket (or pair of one ways, if you travel during peak hours on weekdays) bought in advance to reduce the hassle further.