How hard to board in New Bruns to NWK w/stroller and luggage

[NJ3rdRAIL]

We need to get from New Brunswick to Newark Penn Station on Friday with 2 adults, 3 huge suitcases and a stroller ( 2 1/2 year old included) onto a NJT local to pick up an Amtrak.

How do-able is this and does anyone have any hints on logistics- does one adult go in first w/the stroller and stake out a seat? What cars tend to be least crowded (we will leave New Bruns around noon) , where can we stow the luggage, can you even take a stroller (small one)on board??, will the train pull away before we can get all our suitcases aboard? Is there a luggage limit since we are carrying it on ourselves?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[mcmannors]

Victory Cab is located downstairs from New Brunswick station.

[chuchubob]

The conductor will not close the doors before you get your luggage aboard.

[james1787]

From what I've seen, if the luggage is oversized and won't fit up on the luggage rack, the conductor will usually suggest a place to put it. I've usually seen people place their stuff near the center doors or in a vestibule (on a side that won't open alot). Strollers will be stashed there too if they won't fit up above. I'm sure one of the conductors that frequents here will have a better answer than me, but that's just what I've seen when people "travel" on the train. Good luck!

[Jtgshu]

In New Brunswick, walk about ½-way up the platform, away from the station. Everyone stands right at the station building there, and try to cram into the last car or last door. ½-way up the plaform, there will be no one there. The middle of the train should be relatively empty (plenty of available seats) as it should really only have passengers from Hamilton in that area.

Enter the train at the center doors, and if MUs, find the narrow seat in the first row from the center doors. (It's either on one side or the other, you have to check, but its the row missing a seat against the wall.) The one seat will fold up. If you have a large amount of luggage and stroller, fold up the seat, put it there, but sit across from it or near it, and let the trainman know it's yours.

[nick11a]

What time are you planning on going? One thing is for sure, it gets real crowded by the station building all the time. If you want platform room and air to breathe, go up the platform. You also should be able to find seats. Certain times of the day it is more difficult though so, Good luck!

[NJ3rdRAIL]

from the OP-(we will leave New Bruns around noon) ,

Nick & -Jtgshu- I was hoping for help from you two. I have seen some of your posts and know you are familiar with the New Brunswick station and training in general. Thanks to all of you for the help. Lets hope for the best! SUE

[nick11a]

from the OP-(we will leave New Bruns around noon) ,

Nick & -Jtgshu- I was hoping for help from you two. I have seen some of your posts and know you are familiar with the New Brunswick station and training in general. Thanks to all of you for the help. Lets hope for the best! SUE

Well, Jt is perfectly right in about where to stand. Leaving around noon will most likely give you a push pull set. Right now, the 11:56 and 12:28 are usually push pulls. The 1:06 is an Arrow set usually and the 1:39 is usually a push-pull. If you catch a Push Pull, it will probably be an eight car train. It is crowded at this time of day but not too crowded at least. One time our 1:06 train was a six-car for whatever reason and luckily that day it wasn't too crowded. It all depends on the day. Good hunting. I catch the 1:06 and 1:39 a lot myself.

[Jtgshu]

Your welcome, thanks for the complement!

Even if the train is push pulls (coaches) if there are center doors, stand by them, and there will be an "accessable" section right by the center doors, with plenty of space, and seats that fold up if you need them too. Even the C2's have fold up seats at teh end of the car, but they don't always want to move. C5's seats that are sideways against the windows fold up too if you need them.

Don't walk too far down the platform to the other end, as it would be heavy from passegners boarding at Princeton Jct and Hamilton. The middle shouldn't be too bad, and most passengers from Hamilton will be in the front or in the middle. The middle will fill up at Metropark, Rahway and Linden, so there should be plenty of seats there for you at Brunswick

[GandyDancer]

Also, there is an elevator on the eastbound (Newark) platform to the right of the station as you face the front from the street. It's a bit hartd to see, but it's tucked away between the parking garage and the stone wall of the rail embankment (to the right of the reserved NJT parking spots). That will bring you up almost at mid-platform. The you don't have to take the kid out of the stroller on the escalator. Last I checked the elevator was working.

Coming home, the elevator on the wesbound side is at the far end (rear of the train) of the platform.

[transit383]

Don't walk too far down the platform to the other end, as it would be heavy from passegners boarding at Princeton Jct and Hamilton. The middle shouldn't be too bad, and most passengers from Hamilton will be in the front or in the middle. The middle will fill up at Metropark, Rahway and Linden, so there should be plenty of seats there for you at Brunswick

Not to mention that going towards NYP, the doors rarely ever open all the way down the platform. Its usually the four or five cars closest to the station that open.

[NJ3rdRAIL]

Thanks all for the boarding tips. We did indeed check out the elevators. Very convienient if not for the overwhelming stench of urine( BOTH of them-north and south sides!). With all the luggage we will have with us, we have no choice.

[nick11a]

At least they work now. One or both of the elevators was not functioning sometime in recent history.

[transit383]

At least they work now. One or both of the elevators was not functioning sometime in recent history.

Wasn't NJT doing repairs to the elevator on the Trenton bound platform about two years ago? I believe that the elevator was closed far longer than was originally anticipated though.

[nick11a]

At least they work now. One or both of the elevators was not functioning sometime in recent history.

Wasn't NJT doing repairs to the elevator on the Trenton bound platform about two years ago? I believe that the elevator was closed far longer than was originally anticipated though.

Could be, I'm only a freshman here at RU and have only been hanging around New Brunswick for a little over a year now so I don't know. I know that at least one of them was broken for a while though within the past 6 months.