NYP Acela lounge experience

[drfonta]

I was there on Monday 10/7 to wait for the Silver Meteor. I dropped my luggage off before lunch and then went out to lunch, returning about an hour before the Meteor was called. The agents were friendly enough and I did not hear any of them yelling at anyone for standing in the wrong place (which I have in the past). The ice machine was not working, but I do not think it was working the last 3 or 4 times I was in the lounge. I did get hot water and tea. I am pretty sure there were snacks, but I did not take any.

So they will securely store your bags for you there no issues? I've got the Star trip coming up in March and was thinking of doing exactly what you did. Store bags, go elsewhere for Brunch then come back and go. Any idea when the new lounge will open? I was at NYP last March when I did an Acela First Class trip and it was OK at best. Everything was working at least and the WiFi was really good, but it's really all about getting away from the main terminal crowd.

 

[pennyk]

So they will securely store your bags for you there no issues? I've got the Star trip coming up in March and was thinking of doing exactly what you did. Store bags, go elsewhere for Brunch then come back and go. Any idea when the new lounge will open? I was at NYP last March when I did an Acela First Class trip and it was OK at best. Everything was working at least and the WiFi was really good, but it's really all about getting away from the main terminal crowd.

I would not consider the baggage storage "securely stored," however, I feel comfortable leaving my bags while going out to eat or for a walk.

 

[drfonta]

I would not consider the baggage storage "securely stored," however, I feel comfortable leaving my bags while going out to eat or for a walk.

Thanks.

I just read the article from the points guy showing the new Penn Station expansion they're working on at the historic post office across 8th Ave with what looks to be a very nice lounge. Still a couple of years away though but might really be nice!

 

[TEREB]

We were in the lounge on Oct 13th waiting for the Meteor. I actually commented to my husband how shabby and worn the seats were. The little tables were gone. As were the payphones by the restrooms. No Goldfish, but plenty bags of Doritos and pretzels, with a few granola bars thrown in. The ice machine and soda machine were out of order. There were plenty of small bottles of water but not so many cans of Pepsi nor cranberry juice. When we were there in January, they were well stocked with sodas as well as juices.

 

[jimmrl]

I stayed in a hotel next door and it is a bee hive of activity, well as fast as unionized people can work.

 

[adamj023]

View attachment 15370
I stayed in a hotel next door and it is a bee hive of activity, well as fast as unionized people can work.

Labor unions slow down projects and increase cost and expenses. The whole system involves a lot of corruption. Merit based employees should be rewarded especially if they increase productivity. With that being said, it won’t be awhile till its ready. Airlines have been quicker at building or refurbishing their own lounges.

 

[Acela150]

Since the poster above seems to be not so appreciative of unions. You can thank unions for your Saturday and Sunday off, overtime after 40 hours of work, paid holidays, vacation time, and more. #unionstrong

 

[MARC Rider]

Airlines have been quicker at building or refurbishing their own lounges.

Gee, most airlines are unionized, too.

 

[PVD]

Even open shop GC and CM will tell you that unionized building trades are generally more skilled and more productive than their non union counterparts. Of course if you can exploit people and get them to work cheap enough you can make up that difference and profit from it. If having a safer worksite, with the workers being compensated fairly, is meaningful, than the extra cost is worth it. Unfortunately, too many people don't care about everyone else.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Since the poster above seems to be not so appreciative of unions. You can thank unions for your Saturday and Sunday off, overtime after 40 hours of work, paid holidays, vacation time, and more. #unionstrong

No, you need to thank Henry Ford, and the Ford Motor Company. It was his (at the time) non-union work force that first saw many of those improvements. And the good ideas spread from there.

 

[Acela150]

No, you need to thank Henry Ford, and the Ford Motor Company. It was his (at the time) non-union work force that first saw many of those improvements. And the good ideas spread from there.

Again... It was a unionized effort.. Not Henry Ford....

 

[tricia]

Again... It was a unionized effort.. Not Henry Ford....

Henry Ford recognized that, for his business to succeed on a grand scale, he needed to pay his workers enough to afford the cars they made. That's a far cry from the wide range of safety and decent-conditions rules that have resulted from organized labor and organized political pressure.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

No, you need to thank Henry Ford, and the Ford Motor Company. It was his (at the time) non-union work force that first saw many of those improvements. And the good ideas spread from there.

Henry Ford employed a lot of people, built a lot of cars, and paid a living wage...but his benevolence came at a terrible moral and ethical cost. Ford's decision to author a series of bigoted rants against immigrants and minorities along with his directive to stock these screeds throughout his dealership network is credited with helping to inspire one of the world's most notorious dictators and the incalculable number of atrocities which followed his rise to power. If someone like myself was hired to work at Ford they would have risked being fired and blacklisted thanks to Ford's social order committee, who sometimes sent visitors to the homes of workers and kept tabs on who went to church to ensure everyone was living in agreement with the company's views on personal life.

Link 1: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/henryford-antisemitism/
Link 2: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...5b7df2-509d-11e4-877c-335b53ffe736_story.html
Link 3: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/08/22/trump-henry-ford-antisemitism-jews/
Link 4: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/04/may...-on-henry-fords-anti-semitism-goes-viral.html
Link 5: https://www.forbes.com/sites/timwor...ay-wages-its-not-what-you-think/#17f1aa75766d

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

My wonderful PHL lounge has met its match! I was in Boston South Station for the first time ever the other day, and I was able to go into the newly renovated lounge. The young woman at the desk was lovely--friendly and helpful--and the decor was both comfortable and attractive. Water, soda, juices in the fridge, plus coffee.

PHL has a cappucino machine, BOS has better furniture--maybe a draw?

But, to stay on the topic of this thread, they both put NYP to shame.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

That cappuccino machine in PHL is hard to beat!

 

[neroden]

I use the NYP lounge to get better bathrooms and get a redcap to my train, but it is pretty sad.

 

[Winecliff Station]

Here is what I had time to capture in my 5 minutes as the subway was late....sorry the second shot is so blurry.

Ice machine still out of order, baggage area, attached computer section and bathrooms all the same. Less seating overall in the cushy chairs but lots more tables, high and low with outlets. Same snacks.

And the Jetsons theme keeps playing in my head

 

[Bex]

Wow, that is not going to fit the Friday crowd, yikes. I mean, I guess there's more standing room. That is a way of jamming more people in.

 

[Winecliff Station]

Wow, that is not going to fit the Friday crowd, yikes. I mean, I guess there's more standing room. That is a way of jamming more people in.

That was my thought....Mondays are usually the most empty and the back section near the bathrooms was half full.

I’ll get some more pics Wednesday afternoon, hopefully I can get there soon enough before the 237

 

[me_little_me]

Wow, that is not going to fit the Friday crowd, yikes. I mean, I guess there's more standing room. That is a way of jamming more people in.

I understand they are planning to install straps for straphangers. so subway riders won't feel slighted.

 

[adamj023]

As Amtrak is moving out, they can only do minor changes and these photos show that. This area doesn’t seem appealing to me at all. The new club should be very nice. If I was taking Acela from NYP I would skip this area. When the new one is ready, it will definitely be worthwhile.

 

[Winecliff Station]

As Amtrak is moving out, they can only do minor changes and these photos show that. This area doesn’t seem appealing to me at all. The new club should be very nice. If I was taking Acela from NYP I would skip this area. When the new one is ready, it will definitely be worthwhile.

The bar at TGIF across the lobby would be more appealing at this point, especially now that Tracks is gone

 

[adamj023]

Tracks moved outside Penn Station itself. It is still around. Not sure if the new location is open yet or not.

 

[neroden]

Those are the changes? Dunno why they bothered.

 

[Bex]

As Amtrak is moving out, they can only do minor changes and these photos show that. This area doesn’t seem appealing to me at all. The new club should be very nice. If I was taking Acela from NYP I would skip this area. When the new one is ready, it will definitely be worthwhile.

Most people taking the Acela can't get in, ironically. You have to be FC or S+/SE if you're doing the Acela. But as I said, the reason to be there isn't the amenities, it's the early track announcements and the clean bathrooms. I just kind of hoped there'd be a seat while I was waiting... we'll see how that goes. I'll be there Friday and will find out for myself.