NYP - Downstairs Boarding Stopped
 

Week before last, on my trip from NYP-WAS, I went to board my Acela departure through the lower gates, as is my normal practice when I'm running late (it's an easier transfer from the subway). They had an Amtrak police officer watching the gate and mandating that passengers go upstairs for boarding. Is this now standard practice at NYP? Has it happened to other folks? How do they know I'm not a NJT customer when they force me upstairs?

Just curious if things have changed permanently at Penn.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

I usually take the elevator down to track level. Much easier when toting luggage.

Whoa this will make me cranky. No doubt the red caps asked for this.

Somehow it doesn't seem likely that this can or would be done for all trains. Perhaps there was a VIP passenger on board which required extra security?

I have not seen this. If it becomes regular practice, just one more strike against Amtrak.

I've seen it several times now. (I doubt it's being done at the red caps request. I'm sure it's based on "security.") But one still can use the elevator.

I boarded from the mezzanine level yesterday afternoon for the 4 PM southbound Acela. No police in evidence at any of the stairways. Only once in the last 14 years of doing this have I ever been stopped from boarding that way.

I imagine that there was heightened security at NYP this week due to the UN General Assembly and Clinton Global Initiative meetings. The city was a mess in general.

I've seen it quite a few times (although not every time) over the last several weeks. While it may be (or have been) in response to a specific security concern, I don't think it was U.N. related, since I saw it well before the U.N. security kicked in elsewhere. (Also, if it were U.N. related, I would have expected it to be in place yesterday, as the U.N. security still was in full swing yesterday.) It will be interesting to see if it continues.

We shall see. My previous return from NYP, before yesterday, was on Sept. 6--no issues then. My next one will be next Thursday.

No problem 9/21 and 9/25.

I exited a NJ Transit train today and walked through the downstairs level in Penn Station and did not see any security guards or anyone blocking access to the downstairs-level track entrances.

When they've done it, it's only been when they were preparing to board an Acela train. They don't keep the police officers stationed there all the time.

Was fine yesterday. Have not seen it in my three years of using NYP twice weekly.

Based on my last 3 trips, I have seen it twice. Those trains were 4pm or 5pm Acela trains to DC. The third time, my Acela train was "off peak" I think around 2pm and did not see an officer.

I can't seem to recall but does anyone know if these officers are Amtrak police or NYPD? Not sure if anyone has tried but I would guess that it may be easier to convince a NYPD officer to allow you to go down rather than an Amtrak police officer. But then again, maybe not.

The NYPD does not routinely patrol in Penn Station. Penn Station is under the control of the Amtrak PD, assisted by the National Guard. On the lower, LIRR, level you will also find MTA police.

I take the southbound regional daily from NYP, either at 7:17 or 8:05, and I've been stopped from boarding on the lower level maybe 8 or 9 times since January. It's always been by a uniformed officer stationed at the stairs on the lower level leading to the platform where my train is boarding; I've also seen officers stationed at another platform or just patrolling the lower level, and never been stopped by them.