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We are planning our October trip home from New Orleans on the Crescent to NYP and then LSL to Cleveland. I have noted that the Crescent #20 is often a little early into NYP which may give us a little breathing room before boarding the Lake Shore. If we are leaving the Crescent at NYP what is the best way to access the Acela Lounge? Are there places to store luggage in that lounge similar to the baggage area in Chicago Metro Lounge? If we wanted to briefly explore New York City (never been there before), are there some places close to see- don't want to get lost. At what time does the LSL usually board? We are booked in Room #4 scheduled to leave at 4PM. Thanks for all your help Railroad Bill
Posts: 87 | From: Ohio | Registered: Apr 2007
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Don't know what your interests are or how much time you have to "explore", but within 1/2 mile or so of Penn Station are Times Square (up 7th Ave. north through the Garment District), Macy's (east on 34th St.), and the Empire State Building (further east on 34th St.).
-------------------- Ocala Mike Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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We travelled on the Lake Shore last August and were called about 30 minutes before departure. As you face the Amtrak ticketing desk on the main level of the station the Acela Lounge is in the left hand corner, clearly signed. We also used the Acela Lounge just over two weeks ago before travelling to Boston on the Acela Express. We did have two suitcases with us and we certainly were not made aware of luggage storage like that in Chicago. The cases and those of many other passengers were stored by the chairs and sofas. Last year we had no problems in being called for the LSL, this year, we could well have missed our train due to the inefficiency of the desk clerk in the lounge; she failed to provide us with the Redcap assistance already logged by her predecessor and also gave us the wrong platform number. She seemed too engrossed in a telephone conversation to be bothered with passengers. I have passed this on to Amtrak. A chance very helpful Redcap, probably the one who should have been allocated to us, got us to our platform and train on time. The nearest 'site' to Penn is the Empire State Building. If you leave Penn by the 7th Avenue exit, cross to West 32nd Street, proceed two blocks to 5th Avenue and turn left you will reach the building. The lobby is worth a look but from such close proximity you will not see much of the building itself. Macy's is also two blocks away at West 34th Street between 7th and 6th Avenues. I suppose sports buffs would probably say Madison Square Garden Centre immediately adjacent to Penn is worth a look. Broadway crosses 6th Avenue at West 34th Street outside Macy's. Depending on time you could probably reach Times Square, but in daylight it is not very exciting! I find the experience of being in New York, like London, exhilerating so I would suggest you do try to emerge from the station!
Posts: 168 | From: uk. northumberland | Registered: Jun 2007
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Be mindful, Railroad Bill, that the X-Town Blocks in Manhattan are LOOOONG Blocks, so don't be lulled into thinking "7th Ave to 5th Ave, 33rd to 31st 2 blocks; all the same".
Be assured it ain't.
Further, don't attempt to navigate by Street #, they are not tied to the Block in any manner whatever, and, say, 1005 7th Ave can be at a completely different street than on 5th Ave.
Finally, taxicabs in NY @ about $3.00 per mile are relatively inexpensive - and on Manhattan they are plentiful (except, of course, when YOU want one).
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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To access the ACELA lounge from your train track, look the nearest escalator, or follow the wheelchair symbols to the nearest elevator. Either of these may bring you to an interim level between track level and Amtrak ticket window level where you will need to look for another escalor or elevator to take you up to the Amtrak ticket window level (although sometimes there is an escalator or elevator that goes all the way!) If in doubt, just ask someone who looks like he or she would know where to go. Once you get to the level where the Amtrak tickets are sold, you will see the ACELA lounge where MGT describes it, left corner as you face the AMTRAK ticket windows. There is indeed free storage of your luggage there--don't know how you missed it, MGT, but it's in a little area with shelves etc to the right of the doors after you come in. True, it's "at your own risk" (same as in Washington DC), not checked into a "manned" storage room (the way it is in Chicago's Metropolitan Lounge). However, I have never had any problem leaving my luggage there, though of course I do not leave money, passports, tickets, or similar real valuables in it.
When you check in at the ACELA desk, you show your tickets, and they will tell you when to be back for the LSL. I think it might be around 3:15, certainly by 3:30. You can also tell them, then or later, if you want a Red Cap. You can use the toilet facilities in here (much less crowded than other toilets in the station), have a free beverage. . . .
BTW, you can also arrange, with your Crescent car attendant, to have a Red Cap take you from your train straight to the ACELA lounge (for a tip, of course), but I never do that when coming IN to Penn Station because it can delay things. (I do sometimes use a Red Cap from the ACELA lounge to put me ON a train, but generally that's for crowded NE corridor or Empire Svc trains, not when I have a sleeper.)
With regards to things to see in the Penn Station area, I don't think you'll have too much time, but you never know. You can leave the ACELA lounge, take a right, go around the main waiting area, and continue straight passing Krispy Kreme (on your left), continuing straight thru the circular area where Amtrak Info booth is and continue continue continue . . . all the way past Zaro's Bakery (on your right) to where you come to the escalator up to 7th Avenue. It will be very busy but just act busy too, I always do (and watch your wallet, of course, as in any crowd). Take a left on 7th Avenue and go 2 short blocks to W 34th St. You will be catty corner from Macys. Take a right and walk down W 34th St (it will be very busy too) up to 6th Avenue, also called Avenue of the Americas; Broadway, which runs on a diagonal, crosses 34th St here too. To your left, in the little island formed by Broadway, 6th Avenue, and W 34th & 35th streets--is Herald Sq; there are seats and flowers; Macy's main entrance faces this, btw (Macy's runs a full block from 7th to 6th Ave on the N side of W 34th). To your right, in the island formed by Broadway, 6th Av, and W 34 and 33 streets, is Greeley Square (after Horace, Go west young man!; this was as is obvious a big newspaper area at one time, Herald Tribune published here). Also on your right, once you cross 6th Avenue (and Broadway), is the back of the Empire State Building; if you continue down W34th St to Fifth Avenue you will come to its main entrance. However, lines are long, you will definitely not have time to go up.
If you have time and can keep walking, go one more avenue past 5th Avenue to Madison Avenue, and take a left. This is the neighborhood of Murray Hill, quite a nice area, and you will pass, on E35th or 36th St (W becomes E when you cross 5th Av) and Madison Av, millionaire J P Morgan's mansion and library, now a museum. It is a famous site in the book and film Ragtime, if you know them.
I don't think you will have time for much more, but if you do, take a right on E 36th or 37th to Park Avenue South, then look left; you should be able to see the front of Grand Central STation, in front of a taller newer building that used to be the Pan Am building. Probably you'll need to head back now but if you, i.e., if your Crescent gets in REALLY early, you might go all the way to Grand Central (it's across E 42nd St) before returning, or might take a left on W 41st St and head back toward 5th Avenue, where at the foot of the street (on 5th) you will see the front of the main branch of the NY Public Library (with the famous lions, as in the film Ghostbusters). If you look in the sidewalk as you walk up E41st toward the library, you will see lots of interesting literary quotations engraved in the cement (my favorite is by Mark Twain). Once you get to 5th Avenue, take a left and then a right and walk alongside the library back to 6th Avenue (Av of the Americas), the park behind the library is Bryant Park, a nice little place (reclaimed from what had dwindled at one time to NEedle Park, I think!!!) where there are benches,people playing chess, free music, fancy restaurant, very good toilets, etc etc . . . but you will have to head back to Penn Station (take a left on 6th Avenue and go back to say W 35th, then a right up to 7th Avenue, then a left back across busy W34th and continue back to the escalators where you came up.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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I've never attempted it, but, as Mr. Norman suggests, I believe Penn Station to Grand Central Station would be a LONG LONG hike!!!!!!! (even though it doesn't look "that far away" on a map)
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Come on volks, let's not put us ol' ones out to pasture...yet.
I made the Penn-GCT hoof (actually Park Ave & 52nd St) and return as recently as 2006...and can't think of any reason I couldn't do same tomorrow (other than that I will not be in Midtown). Albeit my luggage was stowed in the Acela Lounge.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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The Crescent arrives NYC around 2 p.m. if on-time and the Lake Shore Limited will board around 3:30 p.m. if on time fore departure. Time will go quick, and I sure hope the Crescent is on-time. Is this a guaranteed connection between these two trains?
Perhaps I missed something, but why not make the connection to the Capitol Limited at Washington DC to Cleveland? The Capitol is sort of more f the full service train between East Coast and Midwest. It also may be cheaper depending on whether you are travelling by coach or sleeper. I live in the metro NYC area and work in NYC, so I don't mean to discredit it by any stretch of the imagination, but a transfer in Washington DC would allow for more exploration of this city, especially Union Station in itself.
Posts: 337 | Registered: Jun 2003
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It is not so much the distance from Penn to Grand Central that could make it a challenge but the presssure of time. Also from our experience in New York the traffic lights at the road intersections are ALWAYS red, which adds considerable time to the walk. And what do you do once you get there? To do that building even passing justice requires well over an hour's exploration. But certainly a walk up Park Avenue does give you a 'feel' of New York.
Posts: 168 | From: uk. northumberland | Registered: Jun 2007
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We chose the LSL because we have traveled on the Capitol Limited several times and wanted to explore the Hudson River Valley in the fall. This is a Guest Rewards "free" trip for our 30th Wedding Anniversary from NOL so cost was also not a factor. It is a guaranteed connection according to the AGR person we talked to since there is a almost a two hour window. (hopefully). I checked the OTP for the Crescent and except for a few glitch days, it is almost always near on time and many times early. Hope our luck holds on this one.
Thanks to everyone for the advice on NYP exploring. I believe a lot will depend on the Crescent arriving on time. We will probably not venture too far from the station if we only have an hour or so before boarding, but want to walk outside a bit and see the streets of NY. Hope to plan a long vacation to tour the city for a few days. We have a few extra days off work if things become a problem in NY, so we might end up staying and then going out on the next train? AGR points not withstanding, of course. We are also hoping we can talk our sleeping car attendant to let us stay in our roommette from Erie to Cleveland that early morning since AGR would only schedule us on the LSL if we were getting off at Erie. All Cleveland trips had to go via Capitol Limited. We bought coach tickets from Erie to CLE just in case and are covered if we are forced to move for the 2 hour trip ERI to CLE. Hey, we are just having fun riding Amtrak. Thanks again Railroad Bill
Posts: 87 | From: Ohio | Registered: Apr 2007
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Once at the train station and all situated, then grab a NYC street map, sit down and give it a once over and then go explore. My husband and I are map freaks and when we went on our trip from Pittsburgh to Seattle we went down to the AAA and got a map of each state and then realized we forgot to get a Montana map, so once in Seattle we just bought one. Enjoy your trip!
Posts: 16 | From: Pittsburgh, PA | Registered: Jun 2008
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Ah! Hopefully you'll be able to keep your sleeper. Do talk with the sleeping car attendant early so as to make sure the room won't be occupied later on. I've seen this train have large numbers of passenger boardings at various stations across its route that have surprised me at times.
Well definitely check out or walk by the facade of the Farley Post Office Building on 8th Ave, as it offers some memory of "what used to be" at New York Pennsylvania Station. You can also walk around the existing Penn Station and see the "eagles" that once were part of the original building. The walk up to Times Square on 7th Ave. is pretty short. Course it's tourist trap galore, but you can just walk around. Two companies I worked for had their offices in the in the Times Square area and we kinda got used to the hustle and bustle if you will of Times Square when walking out for lunch. Going all the over to Grand Central could be a hike if the Crescent doesn't arrive early or on-time. I love having lunch or dinner in the "upstairs" main concourse of this station building.
Posts: 337 | Registered: Jun 2003
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