There are Amtrak employees at both Philadelphia and NY Penn called RedCaps that are there too help passengers with boarding situations . Please contact Amtrak and pre arrange assistance or arrive early to do so. A RedCap can board with you too help find a seat. The RedCap can request that the conductor hold the train until he assists you onto the train. The passengers at PHL usually are allowed on the platform before the arriving trains. This allows for the boarding group to spread out on the platform and make the boarding less hectic.