Penn Station Help

[bschase2]

OK - So, I am going on my first long distance train journey on Saturday. However, it is a little unusual due to how it came into being.

I am on a family vacation. We spent sometime in NYC and are now in the Berkshires. When we were in the city, my car was in a very bad accident, and it no longer is functional. (Though everyone is fine, amazingly). I am now here with my 2 children, a rental car, and ALL of our stuff that was in the mini-van.

This means 2 suitcases, 2 car seats, a large box of games, kids bags, computer bag, etc. Even though I am going to condense everything into as few bags/boxes as possible, I don't see a way to carry everything from the Hertz location to Amtrak AND keep track of my children! (Also, my wife will NOT be with me. It is just me and two kids - 7 year old daughter and 4 year old son).

The rental car is going to be dropped of at the Hertz right next to Penn Station (323 W 34th St).

Here is my question. If I drive to the Amtrak entrance at Penn Station, can I get a red cap to wait there with my stuff while I go return the car? If so, is there anything I need to know. (I expect to tip, but am unsure of the protocol)

If I can't do this, can anyone suggest to me ways to get my children and our things to Amtrak from Hertz?

Thanks in advance

 

[AlanB]

bschase,

You will not be able to get a redcap to just wait curbside with your luggage, they're far too busy for that. However, it should be possible to get a Recap to take your bags off your hands, tell you where to find them within the station at a later time, such that you can return the car and come back to the station.

Note that the best place to find Redcaps is on the 8th Avenue side of the station, opposite the main Post Office. This is between 31st Street & 33rd Street. What I'm not sure of is just how easy it is to pull up there and flag down a Redcap. Often there are plenty of taxis there, which may make it very hard to stop and try to flag down a Redcap.

As an alternative, if you can't do the above, you might try to see if Hertz would hold some of your luggage for you, while you walk the first few bags over to the train station to give them to a Redcap and then return for the rest. One could also try a taxi, but I could see the driver getting a bit upset at only going a few blocks.

 

[benjibear]

Maybe try to just take what you need and go to a UPS store, pack, and ship everything else home. It may be costly but if you were not at fault for the accident, maybe you can get insurance to pay for it.

I am not sure how far you are going, but maybe it would be easier to drive home drop everything off and then return the car, or get a a one way car rental. You are going to have a lot to handle in Penn Station.

 

[Ryan]

Absolutely - shipping the stuff home will be significantly easier.

 

[Guest]

This means 2 suitcases, 2 car seats, a large box of games, kids bags, computer bag, etc. Even though I am going to condense everything into as few bags/boxes as possible, I don't see a way to carry everything from the Hertz location to Amtrak AND keep track of my children! (Also, my wife will NOT be with me. It is just me and two kids - 7 year old daughter and 4 year old son).

I ran into a fellow guy like you, a few years ago. His kids joined us (our joint kids holding hands), while he carried all that stuff like a pack mule (including two diaper bags hung around his neck).

Just a suggestion, back when my kid was young enough to need a car seat, I would pack it into a box, and check it as luggage. I would suggest hand carrying only one bag, put the games into a backpack on the 7 yo, and the computer. Check all the rest.