First Class Lounge to open in LA Union Station?

[WesternRailFan]

I read in a prior forum that a first class lounge is being remodeled on the second floor and may be ready by late August. Any updates?

 

[the_traveler]

Not that I know of. And I wasn't even aware that Union Station had a second floor? :huh: (The main waiting room has like 30-50 foot ceilings!)

 

[Dovecote]

I was there in early July and was told by my Redcap that it could be finished by late July. Sounds like that has not come to pass so maybe sometime in August as you heard. The Redcap informed me the lounge will be housed in a former gym/weight room on the second floor. He showed me the elevator that will be available to patrons. It is located by the entrance to the garden patio (near the Amtrak Information booth) on the Harvey House side.

 

[zephyr17]

Not that I know of. And I wasn't even aware that Union Station had a second floor? :huh: (The main waiting room has like 30-50 foot ceilings!)

Not in the main waiting room portion that you are talking about, but near the platforms at the back (area above the Amtrak ticket window, the entrance to the tunnel. Basically, the "second floor" is up at platform level. Amtrak has offices up there.
I'm traveling through LA in mid-September and it would be great if there was a first class lounge there by then, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Sactobob]

I was in Union Station a couple of weeks ago, and made a point of checking this out. I actually saw and looked into the entrance of the lounge, where it appeared that most of the construction is complete and where painters were at work. It is located directly above the Amtrak ticket counter area, next to the track-level baggage and express handling area. The elevator and stairs are somewhat hidden around a corner from the ticket counters, but I guess that appropriate signage will help first class passengers find their way. I asked about the route to be taken from the lounge to trains, and was told that walking passengers would be escorted or given "golf cart" rides to their trains, crossing the Gold Line light rail tracks at grade at a crossing protected by lights and gates. They then would go past the south end of the stub tracks until they get to the correct platform. Thus they will not need to compete with the mobs of commuters in the tunnel.

 

[afigg]

I read in a prior forum that a first class lounge is being remodeled on the second floor and may be ready by late August. Any updates?

There was a discussion back in April on the plans for the LA Metropolitan lounge As noted in that thread, Amtrak has $500K in its FY2013 budget to build the lounge with seating for approximately 100 people. The lounge is also discussed in the PRIIA FY2012 PIP report on the Coast Starlight. $500K in one time capital expenditures will save $106K in current annual lease payments.

If the new lounge is this close to completion, surely someone must have photos? Presumably there will be a PR event when it opens, press release, etc.

 

[oregon pioneer]

Well, if it's only a "few weeks from completion", I am hopeful it will be up and running well before we go through LAX in December! We'll be arriving on the SL and leaving on the CS on Christmas morning. I hope someone on the forum will keep us posted on how the opening goes.

 

[vickinish]

Do we know if it will be only for sleepers? How about Surfliner Business Class?

 

[leemell]

Lounges are only for Sleeper passengers, Select+ and Executive AGR members.

 

[rickycourtney]

ClubAcela and Metropolian Lounges are for First Class/Sleeper passengers, Select Plus or Select Executive AGR members, United Club members, complementary pass holders, or private car owners and passengers.

That being said... adding lounge access could be a great way to add value to Buisness Class on the Surfliner.

 

[the_traveler]

That being said... adding lounge access could be a great way to add value to Buisness Class on the Surfliner.

While true, I can just the complaints loud and clear even now!

I can get into the LAX Metropolitan Lounge with my BC ticket on the Surfliner, so why can't I with a BC ticket in PDX, NYP, PHL, WAS, STL, etc...?

 

[jebr]

ClubAcela and Metropolian Lounges are for First Class/Sleeper passengers, Select Plus or Select Executive AGR members, United Club members, complementary pass holders, or private car owners and passengers.
That being said... adding lounge access could be a great way to add value to Buisness Class on the Surfliner.

Also with a BC ticket on an Illinois train (and maybe a couple other ones out of Chicago?) if you're using the Chicago Metropolitan Lounge.

 

[Anthony]

United Club members only have access to the four ClubAcelas in the NEC.

 

[trainman74]

United Club members only have access to the four ClubAcelas in the NEC.

I just noticed that the language on Amtrak.com's page describing the lounges is a little unclear on this.

Amtrak offers several types of private lounges for Acela Express First Class passengers, sleeping car passengers, Amtrak Guest Rewards Select Plus, Select Executive members, United Club Members and private car owners.

That seems to indicate that the "several types of private lounges" are available for United Club members, and then right under that, the "Who is eligible for access?" section doesn't indicate that it applies only to ClubAcela, and among its list is...

United Club Members with a valid United Club Card may bring in two guests or their spouses and children under the age of 21. Additionally, United Global First or United BusinessFirst passengers with a flight coupon or boarding pass with a segment in United Global First or United BusinessFirst.

But, further down the page...

...Metropolitan Lounges are available to sleeping car passengers and Amtrak Guest Rewards Select Plus or Select Executive member...

...Unattended, separate sleeping car passenger and Amtrak Guest Rewards Select Plus or Select Executive member waiting rooms are available...

...says that only S+ members and sleeping car passengers have Metropolitan Lounge and First Class Lounge access.

 

[Sactobob]

In the other thread on this subject, there was reference to the Amtrak budget document that mentioned this project. It said that in addition to first class passengers, the lounge could be used by Pacific Surfliner business class passengers. There is no reason that East Coast rules regarding use of Metropolitan Lounges need to be applied to West Coast stations. Also, the hours of the day that it would be used by most First Class long distance passengers are different than when most business class users might use it. So it would make sense to make the best use of the space rather than have it sit empty for much of the day.

 

[the_traveler]

Also, the hours of the day that it would be used by most First Class long distance passengers are different than when most business class users might use it. So it would make sense to make the best use of the space rather than have it sit empty for much of the day.

As far as "sitting empty most of the day", the same excuse could be used for the lounges in PDX, MSP, STL, NOL, MIA and a few others too!

 

[guest in the west]

Also, the hours of the day that it would be used by most First Class long distance passengers are different than when most business class users might use it. So it would make sense to make the best use of the space rather than have it sit empty for much of the day.

As far as "sitting empty most of the day", the same excuse could be used for the lounges in PDX, MSP, STL, NOL, MIA and a few others too!

yes that is true but other than Portland with its eight Cascades, none of the other stations that you mentioned has 26 intercity-commuter trains i.e. the Surfliners on a daily basis. So rather than portray the opening of the LA lounge to BC pax as some sort of "excuse" or unfair advantage for LA as opposed to other station lounges elsewhere, why not portray it as a great way to build brand, make higher-paying customers i.e. BC pax feel good about their choice, and overall keep the lounge busy for 12 hours or more a day? Portland ought to open its much smaller lounge to Cascade BC as well to keep it occupied.

The Sunset and SWC arrive in LA in the early morning hours, and the SWC and Sunset leave in the evening/late at night. Only the CS departure could theoretically cause the lounge to be crowded both with LD and Surfliner BC pax with its 10:15 a.m. departure. But many BC pax for the Surfliners get to the station now with only minutes to spare for boarding, so their use of a lounge would probably build over time. And given the lounge is being built for a capacity of 100, I doubt overcrowding will be much of an issue.

 

[Steve4031]

This would make the connection from the sunset limited to the coast starlight tolerable if it was open early enough.

 

[oregon pioneer]

This would make the connection from the sunset limited to the coast starlight tolerable if it was open early enough.

Yessssss.... !

 

[AmtrakBlue]

This would make the connection from the sunset limited to the coast starlight tolerable if it was open early enough.

And a dedicated phone for calling Philippe's for take out delivery of breakfast.

I have never been to the west coast, so can you tell I've gleaned a lot here on AU? :giggle:

 

[Anderson]

Also, the hours of the day that it would be used by most First Class long distance passengers are different than when most business class users might use it. So it would make sense to make the best use of the space rather than have it sit empty for much of the day.

As far as "sitting empty most of the day", the same excuse could be used for the lounges in PDX, MSP, STL, NOL, MIA and a few others too!

yes that is true but other than Portland with its eight Cascades, none of the other stations that you mentioned has 26 intercity-commuter trains i.e. the Surfliners on a daily basis. So rather than portray the opening of the LA lounge to BC pax as some sort of "excuse" or unfair advantage for LA as opposed to other station lounges elsewhere, why not portray it as a great way to build brand, make higher-paying customers i.e. BC pax feel good about their choice, and overall keep the lounge busy for 12 hours or more a day? Portland ought to open its much smaller lounge to Cascade BC as well to keep it occupied.

The Sunset and SWC arrive in LA in the early morning hours, and the SWC and Sunset leave in the evening/late at night. Only the CS departure could theoretically cause the lounge to be crowded both with LD and Surfliner BC pax with its 10:15 a.m. departure. But many BC pax for the Surfliners get to the station now with only minutes to spare for boarding, so their use of a lounge would probably build over time. And given the lounge is being built for a capacity of 100, I doubt overcrowding will be much of an issue.

Well, you raise three interesting points:

(1) Amtrak could work with CA and use the lounge to bump BC tickets up another dollar or two per year, with the lounge included in the promo material.

(2) In the longer run, I'd at least like to see CA look at the possibility of adding some sort of "third class" on the Surfliners in the vein of FC on the Acela.

(3) Actually, if I was CA, I'd seriously ask Amtrak about the possibility of working out some sort of "lounge membership" for frequent travelers (i.e. those who take the train a good deal...but not quite enough for S+). I wonder how many frequent travelers there are to LAX who'd pay $50-100/yr for such access?

 

[yarrow]

Also, the hours of the day that it would be used by most First Class long distance passengers are different than when most business class users might use it. So it would make sense to make the best use of the space rather than have it sit empty for much of the day.

As far as "sitting empty most of the day", the same excuse could be used for the lounges in PDX, MSP, STL, NOL, MIA and a few others too!

yes that is true but other than Portland with its eight Cascades, none of the other stations that you mentioned has 26 intercity-commuter trains i.e. the Surfliners on a daily basis. So rather than portray the opening of the LA lounge to BC pax as some sort of "excuse" or unfair advantage for LA as opposed to other station lounges elsewhere, why not portray it as a great way to build brand, make higher-paying customers i.e. BC pax feel good about their choice, and overall keep the lounge busy for 12 hours or more a day? Portland ought to open its much smaller lounge to Cascade BC as well to keep it occupied.

The Sunset and SWC arrive in LA in the early morning hours, and the SWC and Sunset leave in the evening/late at night. Only the CS departure could theoretically cause the lounge to be crowded both with LD and Surfliner BC pax with its 10:15 a.m. departure. But many BC pax for the Surfliners get to the station now with only minutes to spare for boarding, so their use of a lounge would probably build over time. And given the lounge is being built for a capacity of 100, I doubt overcrowding will be much of an issue.

Well, you raise three interesting points:

(1) Amtrak could work with CA and use the lounge to bump BC tickets up another dollar or two per year, with the lounge included in the promo material.

(2) In the longer run, I'd at least like to see CA look at the possibility of adding some sort of "third class" on the Surfliners in the vein of FC on the Acela.

(3) Actually, if I was CA, I'd seriously ask Amtrak about the possibility of working out some sort of "lounge membership" for frequent travelers (i.e. those who take the train a good deal...but not quite enough for S+). I wonder how many frequent travelers there are to LAX who'd pay $50-100/yr for such access?

with a "capacity" of 100 people let's not stuff too many folks in there or it will have the overcrowding problem like the metro lounge in chi.

 

[PaulM]

In the other thread on this subject, there was reference to the Amtrak budget document that mentioned this project. It said that in addition to first class passengers, the lounge could be used by Pacific Surfliner business class passengers. There is no reason that East Coast rules regarding use of Metropolitan Lounges need to be applied to West Coast stations.

This is pretty obvious, unless the LA lounge will be extremely small. With only 2 3/7 LD trains per day, why would it be bound by NEC and Chicago rules?

 

[the_traveler]

In the other thread on this subject, there was reference to the Amtrak budget document that mentioned this project. It said that in addition to first class passengers, the lounge could be used by Pacific Surfliner business class passengers. There is no reason that East Coast rules regarding use of Metropolitan Lounges need to be applied to West Coast stations.

This is pretty obvious, unless the LA lounge will be extremely small. With only 2 3/7 LD trains per day, why would it be bound by NEC and Chicago rules?

PDX has only I connection (EB->CS and CS->EB) and use the same rules as CHI and the NEC.

 

[guest in the west]

In the other thread on this subject, there was reference to the Amtrak budget document that mentioned this project. It said that in addition to first class passengers, the lounge could be used by Pacific Surfliner business class passengers. There is no reason that East Coast rules regarding use of Metropolitan Lounges need to be applied to West Coast stations.

This is pretty obvious, unless the LA lounge will be extremely small. With only 2 3/7 LD trains per day, why would it be bound by NEC and Chicago rules?

PDX has only I connection (EB->CS and CS->EB) and use the same rules as CHI and the NEC.

I am confused over why what PDX does should make a difference? Is there a particular reason why you believe the LAX facility should be open only for long-distance train passengers and not for Surfliner BC, especially when there would be positives all the way around: for Amtrak, for California Amtrak, for the passengers, for the facility's consistent use on a daily basis?