"Selfish"?

See the post immediately above mine- the line-free boarding areas at NYP are right below the main boarding areas, and are commonly used.

I view Amtrak boarding procedures as a complete and unnecessary hassle. Plenty of RRs just allow you to get your ticket and board the train (e.g., Metro-North at Grand Central, and most railroads in Europe that I've been on), with no lines or check-in in the interim. Amtrak should be trying that,especially on short-haul routes that compete timewise with driving and flying.