Amtrak stations open only to customers?

[Joe from PA]

NYC Penn Station makes you show your "ticket" to enter the waiting area. The rest of the station is open. I assumed this was to keep the homeless and people begging out.

 

[trainman74]

And how does that make any sense when there are connections from the inbound SWC to the sunset which is a long layover?

As far as I know, this policy from 2013 is still the official word (but they have more permanent-looking signs posted now than the ones pictured). I haven't been through there in a while, so I'm not sure exactly what the signs say now. I suspect that they'll let anyone stay if they have tickets for a specific Amtrak train later that day, even if it's beyond a two-hour window. (Every time I've departed from Union Station since this policy went into effect, I've been eligible to use the Metropolitan Lounge, so my only personal experience is walking through the main waiting room and seeing the ropes and signs.)

 

[Barb Stout]

In Albuquerque, about 3 years ago, I observed at the city-owned Amtrak/Greyhound station security kicking a man out of the station because he didn't have Amtrak or Greyhound tickets. It was a hot day and he was very sweaty, so I assume he came in to cool off. While I did feel sorry for him, there is a crime and homeless problem in the area of the station. He did appear to be singled out as I was not asked to show my ticket.

 

[MARC Rider]

Hey, they should at least open the stations to AGR Select and Select Plus members, even if they don't have tickets!

 

[cirdan]

In many countries at larger stations there is the concept of a Platform Ticket which you need to buy to get into the restricted station area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platform_ticket
A small charge for using the facilities just to hang out as opposed to ride a train (the main purpose of the station facilities) is not at all unreasonable. As for what is a reasonable amount, that could be a subject of discussion.

Then again, they also charge for using toilets in many countries too, mainly to pay for the cleaning and upkeep of them. I understand Network Rail in UK has finally removed those charges at least at Waterloo.

I would gladly pay to use the toilet if that meant the toilet was always reasonably clean and all equipment in working condition.

 

[jis]

I would gladly pay to use the toilet if that meant the toilet was always reasonably clean and all equipment in working condition.

The Brits used to have staffed toilets with turnstyles that at the end require 30p. AFAIR at least in many of the London Terminal now those facilities have become free though they are still staffed. These facilities were/are in the open concourse of the station and not in the ticketed area though.

 

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

There is a lot of signage at the Greensboro station about being for ticketed passengers only, though I did not notice security there Sunday when I and the wife took the Carolinian to Cary, NC to visit a daughter for her birthday.

On the return Piedmont I noticed a security guard talking to someone at Cary that it seems had been there for a few hours and I know this as he made that comment to her loud enough for me to hear. There is a small bus waiting area at the Cary station but it seems to be in a separate waiting area that is a small room behind glass doors. I assume even then she may have been questioned. I don't know if the security guard is for the entire facility or just the Amtrak part. I don't remember seeing any signs at Cary but I was not there long and was looking at the pictures and other things on the walls of the station.

On the return trip I took my wife up the back steps to the Greensboro Transit area as I figured she did not even know those steps were there. That got us by the model railroad club space so I HAD to visit, as it was open. That is a very large space with a great layout in HO and N scale. Worth a visit if you are at the Greensboro station on the weekend when the club is open. There is also some nice historical pieces the club owns as well. It is a combined model rr club and NRHS club.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Quite frankly, a recent experience makes me sympathetic to banning the non-travelling public. I had to take an early flight out of O'Hare and I got to the airport around 5 AM. In the lower level concourse (for those of you familiar with the airport) between the parking elevators, the CTA station and the terminal there were vagrants sleeping - I've seen ill or addicted people lurking while muttering to themselves there as well, even during the day at other times. When I got into the terminal proper the CPD were waking up people who had been sleeping at the baggage claim area - some of whom were belligerent at being awakened (when they should have been grateful to have been allowed to sleep in the airport - the police were handling it firmly but nicely). It was frankly uncomfortable being there, as well as embarrassing that the traveling public should see that our City (and society in general) is so overrun and rife with homeless that they sleep in an airport terminal.

In the past the downtown MED terminal on Randolph Street had problems with inappropriate bathroom usage (prostitution, male) and proper security has pushed that elsewhere.