# The Acela at NY Penn Station-question



## Bill631 (Feb 2, 2011)

Greetings all,

Thanks again for everyones replies to my previous post about my friends upcoming NYP-PHIL trip on the Acela.

We were recently at Penn Station to show my friend the Amtrak Station. He will be on the 7:00am Acela next Wednesday.I wanted to show him how the gates were laid out there.

My question is, does the Acela usually leave from the same track everyday, and if so, which one?

I know the gates are numbered, but we could only see numbered gates like 11E, 11W, 12E, 12W, etc. We did not see any lower numbered gates.

If there are lower numbered gates, where are they?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Bill


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## the_traveler (Feb 2, 2011)

The Acelas always leave from the tracks you see (between track 10 and 15 IIRC). However, there is no set track. Because there are so many trains that use NYP, track numbers can always change. (That's why the track number is not announced until 10 minutes before! A trick is to check the *ARRIVALS* screen. Most times - read always - the AE from BOS to NYP that continues on to PHL arrives and departs on the same track!




)

There are lower level tracks, but they are used by LIRR only. That's the stairs located in the center of the lobby.


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## AlanB (Feb 2, 2011)

the_traveler said:


> There are lower level tracks, but they are used by LIRR only. That's the stairs located in the center of the lobby.


All tracks are on the same level. The station on the other hand has 2 levels, the Amtrak/NJT upper level and the LIRR lower level. But again, all the tracks are at the same level.

When one is in the Amtrak area, IIRC, the highest track number you can access is 15/16. The lowest is 5/6 from the upper level of the Amtrak area. There are stairs on the Amtrak level in front of baggage claim that will take you down to the "LIRR" level where you can access tracks 1-4.

In general, Acelas can leave from any track between 7 & 15, but most often are on 11-14.


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## Acela150 (Feb 3, 2011)

NYP is no PHL... :lol: At PHL trains leave from track 4 and 5. Most of the time....  If not it's the same stairway just the opposite track. 3 and 6. Keystoners leave from anywhere from 7 to 9. The Penny leaves normally from 7. CETC makes the final call on that....  NJT to AC leaves from 1 or 2. And Septa has their own level. But sometimes will come in on Amtrak's level if coming from Trenton, Thorndale/Malvern/Paoli, or Wilmington/Newark/Marcus Hook. It's rare but it happens. At NYP you never know where your train is coming in. One time I took a day trip to NY with my brother and we took the last AE of the day back to PHL and they didn't post the track until the train was in the station. At PHL they post the track well ahead of schedule on AE's and NER's.


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## Eric S (Feb 3, 2011)

Acela150 said:


> But sometimes will come in on Amtrak's level if coming from Trenton, Thorndale/Malvern/Paoli, or Wilmington/Newark/Marcus Hook. It's rare but it happens.


Is that just during some sort of service disruption? I assume those trains then terminate at 30th St. Station, rather than Suburban Station or Market East Station?


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## Acela150 (Feb 3, 2011)

Eric S said:


> Acela150 said:
> 
> 
> > But sometimes will come in on Amtrak's level if coming from Trenton, Thorndale/Malvern/Paoli, or Wilmington/Newark/Marcus Hook. It's rare but it happens.
> ...


Yes, it's a once or twice a year if that occurring incident. There is no connection between the Amtrak level and Suburban, and Market East. Also known as the CCCT short for Center City Commuter Tunnel. Sometimes the trains will continue to Marcus Hook or Delaware, Thorndale, or Trenton.


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