NY Penn Help

[printman2000]

Planning our trip to NY next month. Need some help with Penn...

Penn has two subway stops, one for A-C-E and one for 1-2-3 lines. They look to be about a block apart. Can someone tell me which is more convenient for NJT?

 

[AlanB]

Both.

It really doesn't matter which line you use to arrive/depart Penn Station, both are directly connected to Penn. The 7th Avenue lines (1,2,3) are technically closest to the official NJT section of Penn, however because of how they are connected, again it really doesn't matter. I would pick my line based upon where you needed to go or were returning from.

 

[printman2000]

Thanks Alan.

We will be returning from Yankee Stadium. We have to make a train change and can come in on either line, and since it will be later in the evening, thought I would try and save time.

 

[AlanB]

From Yankee Statdium, catch a southbound D train to 125th Street. Switch there to a southbound A train to 34th Street.

That'll be the fastest and least amount of walking.

 

[printman2000]

The trip planner gave the option of going to 59 street, then taking either D or a 1-2-3 train (forget which number)

 

[AlanB]

Yes, you could also go to 59th Street too. In fact at 59th you could switch to the A train there as well as the 1,2,3 trains. However, why go up and down stairs to get to the 1,2,3 when you can just step off the D train and stand right there to await the very next train that should be an A train?

My reason for suggesting that you switch at 125th is that the D train will probably be packed leaving the stadium, whereas the A would be less full. Technically you could even switch one stop earlier at 145th Street, but there you're going to have to negotiate stairs once again as the A is on a different level than the D.

 

[printman2000]

Yes, you could also go to 59th Street too. In fact at 59th you could switch to the A train there as well as the 1,2,3 trains. However, why go up and down stairs to get to the 1,2,3 when you can just step off the D train and stand right there to await the very next train that should be an A train?
My reason for suggesting that you switch at 125th is that the D train will probably be packed leaving the stadium, whereas the A would be less full. Technically you could even switch one stop earlier at 145th Street, but there you're going to have to negotiate stairs once again as the A is on a different level than the D.

Is there a way to tell (online) which stations are multi level and which are single?

 

[AlanB]

Is there a way to tell (online) which stations are multi level and which are single?

The only way that I know of would be to use the online track maps. Or you can ask me, since I know most of them by heart anyhow. :lol:

 

[printman2000]

From Yankee Statdium, catch a southbound D train to 125th Street. Switch there to a southbound A train to 34th Street.
That'll be the fastest and least amount of walking.

Okay, still trying to figure this subway system out. How come you said catch a A train and not a A OR C train? Is there something about the C line that would not work?

 

[AlanB]

From Yankee Statdium, catch a southbound D train to 125th Street. Switch there to a southbound A train to 34th Street.
That'll be the fastest and least amount of walking.

Okay, still trying to figure this subway system out. How come you said catch a A train and not a A OR C train? Is there something about the C line that would not work?

The C train would also work for you, however it's a local train whereas the A is an express. Get on the C at 125 and you'll make 11 stops along the way compared to the A which runs express to 59th Street and then makes its next stop at 42nd St, followed by 34th.

 

[printman2000]

The C train would also work for you, however it's a local train whereas the A is an express. Get on the C at 125 and you'll make 11 stops along the way compared to the A which runs express to 59th Street and then makes its next stop at 42nd St, followed by 34th.

I think the express vs local is confusing me the most. Some trains seem to be locals AND express depending where they are. Guess I will figure it all out before we get there.

Thanks!

 

[AlanB]

The C train would also work for you, however it's a local train whereas the A is an express. Get on the C at 125 and you'll make 11 stops along the way compared to the A which runs express to 59th Street and then makes its next stop at 42nd St, followed by 34th.

I think the express vs local is confusing me the most. Some trains seem to be locals AND express depending where they are. Guess I will figure it all out before we get there.

Thanks!

Hah! :lol:

There are people living in NY who still haven't figured that one out. Granted they're not rail fans, but still.

Here's a quick rundown:

A - Express in Manhattan south of 168th Street and Brooklyn, local elsewhere.

B - Express in Manhattan south of 50th Street and through most of Brooklyn. Doesn't run on weekends or late at night.

C - Local

D - Express in the Peak direction in the Bronx, Express in Manhattan, express in Brooklyn to 36th Street, local elsewhere.

E - Express in Queens, local in Manhattan.

F - Express in Queens, local elsewhere.

G - Local

J - Express in peak direction in Brooklyn Myrtle Ave to Marcy, local elsewhere.

L - Local

M - Local

N - Express in Manhattan south of 57th and Brooklyn to 59th Street, local elsewhere.

Q - Express in Manhattan, local elsewhere.

R - Local

S (shutles) - Local

V - Local

W - Local

Z - Local (skip stop service)

1 - Local

2 - Express in Manhattan, local elsewhere.

3 - Express in Manhattan, local elsewhere.

4 - Express in Manhattan and Brooklyn, local in Bronx.

5 - Express in Manhattan and Brooklyn, express peak direction in the Bronx otherwise local in the off peak and in the opposite direction from the peak direction.

6 - Local (some peak trains do run express in the Bronx in the peak direction.)

7 - Express & local in the peak direction, local in the opposite direction and on weekends and late nights. Every other train is an express train. They also run special express service for Mets games.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

The C train would also work for you, however it's a local train whereas the A is an express. Get on the C at 125 and you'll make 11 stops along the way compared to the A which runs express to 59th Street and then makes its next stop at 42nd St, followed by 34th.

I think the express vs local is confusing me the most. Some trains seem to be locals AND express depending where they are. Guess I will figure it all out before we get there.

Thanks!

I agree with you on that one I have no idea when it comes to express and local. Some times the "Express" doesn't skip any stops so I'm like how is this faster? Overall though its not to bad at least its flat rate to ride where ever you want to go.

 

[printman2000]

The C train would also work for you, however it's a local train whereas the A is an express. Get on the C at 125 and you'll make 11 stops along the way compared to the A which runs express to 59th Street and then makes its next stop at 42nd St, followed by 34th.

I think the express vs local is confusing me the most. Some trains seem to be locals AND express depending where they are. Guess I will figure it all out before we get there.

Thanks!

Hah! :lol:

There are people living in NY who still haven't figured that one out. Granted they're not rail fans, but still.

Here's a quick rundown:

A - Express in Manhattan south of 168th Street and Brooklyn, local elsewhere.

B - Express in Manhattan south of 50th Street and through most of Brooklyn. Doesn't run on weekends or late at night.

C - Local

D - Express in the Peak direction in the Bronx, Express in Manhattan, express in Brooklyn to 36th Street, local elsewhere.

E - Express in Queens, local in Manhattan.

F - Express in Queens, local elsewhere.

G - Local

J - Express in peak direction in Brooklyn Myrtle Ave to Marcy, local elsewhere.

L - Local

M - Local

N - Express in Manhattan south of 57th and Brooklyn to 59th Street, local elsewhere.

Q - Express in Manhattan, local elsewhere.

R - Local

S (shutles) - Local

V - Local

W - Local

Z - Local (skip stop service)

1 - Local

2 - Express in Manhattan, local elsewhere.

3 - Express in Manhattan, local elsewhere.

4 - Express in Manhattan and Brooklyn, local in Bronx.

5 - Express in Manhattan and Brooklyn, express peak direction in the Bronx otherwise local in the off peak and in the opposite direction from the peak direction.

6 - Local (some peak trains do run express in the Bronx in the peak direction.)

7 - Express & local in the peak direction, local in the opposite direction and on weekends and late nights. Every other train is an express train. They also run special express service for Mets games.

I am printing that list to take!

What I cannot believe is there is nothing like that on MTA's website (that I have found).

 

[AlanB]

I am printing that list to take!
What I cannot believe is there is nothing like that on MTA's website (that I have found).

Well it's not short and sweet like my list, and frankly it can be a bit confusing, but if you look in the bottom right hand corner of this subway map you will find a table that identifies what each line does.

 

[printman2000]

Do any of the signs for trains actually use the last station stop to denote direction? Or is it all uptown/downtown/boroughs?

 

[printman2000]

Another question...

This is listed on the trip planner...

From 5TH AV - 59TH ST STATION
Take the DITMARS BLVD-ASTORIA bound

Train departing at 4:02 PM

Get off at 59TH ST -LEXINGTON AV (UPTOWN) at 4:05 PM

5TH AV - 59TH ST STATION

Take the:

DITMARS BLVD-ASTORIA bound

Train

Leaving At: 4:02 PM

To:

59TH ST -LEXINGTON AV (UPTOWN)

Arriving At: 4:05 PM From 59TH ST -LEXINGTON AV (DOWNTN)

Take the UTICA AV-CROWN HTS bound

Train departing at 4:11 PM

Get off at FULTON ST STATION at 4:24 PM

59TH ST -LEXINGTON AV (DOWNTN)

Take the:

UTICA AV-CROWN HTS bound

Train

Leaving At: 4:11 PM

To:

FULTON ST STATION

Arriving At: 4:24 PM From BROADWAY - NASSAU STATION

Take the MOTT AV-FAR ROCKAWAY bound

Train departing at 4:30 PM

Get off at HIGH ST STATION at 4:33 PM

Notice the (UPTOWN) and (DOWNTN) references. That is the first time I have seen that on the MTA trip planner. Does that mean two seperate stations? Will we have to come above ground, then go back down?

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Alan will have the true information on this but Uptown and downtown are the direction traveled. They are either on other sides of the platforms usually you have to take stairs down under the tracks in that case or sometimes they will be on different levels

 

[AlanB]

Do any of the signs for trains actually use the last station stop to denote direction? Or is it all uptown/downtown/boroughs?

With the way you've worded this question, there are two possible answers, so I'll give you both.

Signs on the trains themselves will indicate the last stop to help denote direction.

Signs within the stations will typically just indicate uptown/downtown or a borough.

 

[AlanB]

Notice the (UPTOWN) and (DOWNTN) references. That is the first time I have seen that on the MTA trip planner. Does that mean two seperate stations? Will we have to come above ground, then go back down?

It's not really two seperate stations but there are two platforms. One is for uptown trains and the other for downtown trains. You have to walk through a mid-level area for people only to move between the N train platform (which is center island), and the two plaforms below the N train level. The 59th Street station really has technically 4 levels. At the lowest level is the Lexington Avenue Express (#4, #5)tracks running north/south. One level above that is the aforementioned pedestrian corridor. The next level up is the east/west running Broadway (yellow) line that carried the N. And the final level up is the Lexington Avenue local trains (#6) running north/south.

Now, all that said, if I were standing on 59th Street and 5th Ave and wanting to go to High Street Brooklyn, I'd probably just walk over to 6th Avenue and 57th Street. There you can board the downtown F train. Take that to West 4th Street and walk up the stairs to the A train and board it there. It's a slightly longer walk on the surface, but instead of having to make two confusing transfers to/from the Lexington Avenue line, you'll have one very simple transfer at West 4th Street.

And it you thought my instructions about the transfer at Lexington/59th were confusing, I don't even want to tell you what you might have to go through down at Fulton Street. Especially since there is a lot of construction going on down there right now while they rebuild that very complex station and link it into the WTC also. So passageways keep chaging as they move things around and reubild.

 

[tp49]

Now, all that said, if I were standing on 59th Street and 5th Ave and wanting to go to High Street Brooklyn, I'd probably just walk over to 6th Avenue and 57th Street. There you can board the downtown F train. Take that to West 4th Street and walk up the stairs to the A train and board it there. It's a slightly longer walk on the surface, but instead of having to make two confusing transfers to/from the Lexington Avenue line, you'll have one very simple transfer at West 4th Street.

If I were standing at the same corner I'd just walk the three blocks over to Columbus Circle at 59th and 8th Avenue and take the A train to High Street in Brooklyn. One seat no transfer and a walk of probably similar distance.

 

[AlanB]

Now, all that said, if I were standing on 59th Street and 5th Ave and wanting to go to High Street Brooklyn, I'd probably just walk over to 6th Avenue and 57th Street. There you can board the downtown F train. Take that to West 4th Street and walk up the stairs to the A train and board it there. It's a slightly longer walk on the surface, but instead of having to make two confusing transfers to/from the Lexington Avenue line, you'll have one very simple transfer at West 4th Street.

If I were standing at the same corner I'd just walk the three blocks over to Columbus Circle at 59th and 8th Avenue and take the A train to High Street in Brooklyn. One seat no transfer and a walk of probably similar distance.

No, the rule of thumb is walking from one avenue to the next is the same as walking 3 streets down an avenue. So your route would be 9 blocks, while mine is 5. Or if you prefer real distances, it's 430 yards to the F train from 5th Ave, compared to 880 yards to the A train at Columbus Circle and 8th Avenue.

 

[George Harris]

Unless you are a New Yorker, their system borders on the incomprehensible. I have had easier times finding my way in cities in foreign countries where I can not even read most of the signs than I have had in NYC.

 

[PRR 60]

...Notice the (UPTOWN) and (DOWNTN) references. That is the first time I have seen that on the MTA trip planner. Does that mean two seperate stations? Will we have to come above ground, then go back down?

In some cases the Uptown and Downtown platforms do not have a mezzanine above connecting the two. In those cases, the entrances at the street level are marked Uptown or Downtown. When you see that signage at the street entrance, it signifies that you can only access that platform from that entrance. You might have to cross the street to get to the other direction. If the street entrance only shows the line and not a direction, then you will be able to access both directions.

 

[PRR 60]

Unless you are a New Yorker, their system borders on the incomprehensible. I have had easier times finding my way in cities in foreign countries where I can not even read most of the signs than I have had in NYC.

George, I have to say that I find the NYC Subway system pretty easy to negociate. The lines and directions are reasonably well marked and color and shape coded.
I had the chance to ride one of the new R160 trains two weeks ago. Those cars have really slick computerized route maps and station annoucements. The best I ever experienced anywhere. And, unlike the advertising message board on Acela that occasionaly flash the next station info, the R160 boards wher showing the correct stations. I don't think I've been on an Acela yet where that board was right.