# A couple of Maple Leaf questions......



## MarcusK (Jul 12, 2017)

Hello all,

I've already found plenty of great information on here re travelling in Amtrak, but still had a couple of questions about an upcoming trip on the Maple Leaf.....The only trains I've travelled on in the US are the NYC subway and the Maine narrow gauge railway....

I have read on a couple of threads on here that there are passport/document checks at Penn Station pre departure, but can't find anything on the Amtrak website, apart from check in times when leaving Canada. We have booked Business Class seats for a Saturday morning departure and intend on using Red Caps to get us on board a little sooner, so I presume arriving at Penn 45-60 minutes before will be sufficient??

Does anyone also have any food recommendations at Penn Station that will be so early on a Saturday morning? We only arrive from the UK in the early evening, so we have barely 12 hours in Manhattan before catching the train so I'm planning our brief stay down to the last minute!

Any info/hints/tips gratefully appreciated!


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## PVD (Jul 12, 2017)

They set up a desk to check in people who will be crossing the border to make sure they have proper documents before they travel, it is not the actual customs/border check which takes place in Niagara Falls. I used to tell people it will be over near the Police desk, but they moved that to the other side of the concourse....


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## Guest (Jul 12, 2017)

Thanks Pvd


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## PVD (Jul 12, 2017)

The gates used by the trains that go up the "Empire Connection" used to be on the same side as the police desk, it was easy to use as a landmark, but when they put up the new information boards they moved the police because the board blocked too much of their view. I guess the easiest thing to look for is the "Hudson News/Dunkin Donuts" If you are coming in early and using a redcap, stop at the desk by the entrance to the passenger waiting area, they will tell you where the check in desk is, and you can usually make redcap arrangements right by there. Between now and the beginning of September, the ML and ADK are combined until Albany where they are split. This doesn't change the ML schedule at NYP, but the check in desk may be a little busier since the Montreal bound passengers are now leaving at the same time.


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## the_traveler (Jul 12, 2017)

I haven't been to Penn since the new boards went up, but I can't place where you mean. The Police desk was nowhere near th gates the last time I was there. The only tracks the ML (and all Empire Service trains) can use are tracks 5-8 - since those are the only ones with a connection to the Westside Connection. I've always saw the desk next to track 5.

Also, if the ML and Adirondack are combined to Albany, how does that not effect the departure time? :huh: they depart NYP about 1 hour apart. So 1 will be earlier or 1 will be later.


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## zephyr17 (Jul 12, 2017)

Departure for both is now the Maple Leaf's 7:15 am.


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## PVD (Jul 12, 2017)

The police desk used to be a little in front of the area in front of where the gates are that ES trains use, not in the area itself. (facing the "Big Board", back toward the bag room) Now it is on the opposite side next to where the mens room is. I've never actually looked at the check in desk, I've never used it, I've gotten off of both trains while still in NY.


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## dogbert617 (Jul 28, 2017)

Wow, I didn't know at all they were combining those 2 trains temporarily due to the New York Penn Station track work! Is this train departing out of NYP going north(and west for Maple Leaf), or temporarily out of Grand Central Terminal?


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## the_traveler (Jul 28, 2017)

Still out of Penn. The only trains using NYG are those that run from Albany to NYC..


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