What to do in NEW YORK CITY?

[user 1215]

I know there is a lot of pad at endpoints, but this is ridiculous. We made up or 1:15 and gained 10 more getting into WAS.

In the diner where they just hooked up our electric motor. Sunny and cool in the nation's capital. They didn't even want to seat me until power came on or even let me get a cup of coffee.

Still surprised they can't hook up shore power while they change locos...

From here, it's all new territory for me.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Too early for me to get out for a walk to wave as you go by. You wouldn't see me anyway because the tracks are behind my neighbors houses & I don't think they'd appreciate a stranger walking through thier backyard to wave at a train.

 

[user 1215]

I downloaded a waking tour due the hells kitchen area. I think I'm going to water taxi to 9/11 wall street, Staten island ferry, then work my way up to 5th ave, museums, fao, empire then times square and back.

With using points to get an Acela lounge pass to hang out the early morning hours?

Never mind. Looks like you order a ticket book, and gotta pay for 5 at a time. No way I can use 4 more in 12 months... Maybe if I check in before midnight, I can use my sleeper ticket .

 

[Shanghai]

Tell us about your trip to New York City and what sites did you see?

 

[BCL]

We spent a week there in 2009--well stayed in NJ but were in Manhattan for the week. The one place I'd go back to would be the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I am not an art lover at all but it was the best museum I have ever been to. Also enjoyed Central Park, Natural History Museum and the Staten Island Ferry.

Dan

They're actually following the rule that the admission price is merely a "suggested donation". These days they specifically ask each person entering how much they want to pay. Previously they made it seem that the full admission price was mandatory and only allowed someone in for less if they brought up the "suggested donation".

http://www.oregonlive.com/art/index.ssf/2013/03/metropolitan_museum_of_art_acc.html

They get to stay on NYC land for free and get funding from the city. In exchange for that, they theoretically can't mandate how much people pay to get in, although apparently the floor is a penny.

When I went in 2009 I don't recall it being a suggested price. It was $20 then. I would have given something but a bit less as there were 6 of us. Maybe in the neighborhood of $10-15 per person. It is a wonderful museum. Not happy to find out that the price is only a suggestion as it was presented as a set price. It may have said suggestion someplace but I am sure I just went up to the cashier and told how many folks were coming and she told me a price. I will be a bit more careful next time. Thanks for the info.

Dan

It always was "suggested" in smaller print although a few years back they changed the wording to "recommended" because someone thought it sounded stronger. My family was there exactly five weeks ago and my wife said they specifically asked how much she wanted to pay. My understanding is that before the recent publicity, they were under orders to charge the full recommended amount, and only take less if the buyer specifically brought it up. And even if the buyer brought it up, they might lay a guilt trip for not paying the full suggested price.

Here's one of their signs:

The last time I went before this year was years back. I was a college student at the time with a college ID, so I think when I paid the full recommended amount, it wasn't much. I still might have tried paying $2 if I'd known.

 

[AlanB]

I downloaded a waking tour due the hells kitchen area. I think I'm going to water taxi to 9/11 wall street, Staten island ferry, then work my way up to 5th ave, museums, fao, empire then times square and back.
With using points to get an Acela lounge pass to hang out the early morning hours?

Never mind. Looks like you order a ticket book, and gotta pay for 5 at a time. No way I can use 4 more in 12 months... Maybe if I check in before midnight, I can use my sleeper ticket .

The Club Acela isn't open overnight. It closes at 10 PM and doesn't reopen until 7 AM on Sunday.

 

[SubwayNut]

Now I'm just 23 but I've never had a problem going into the Met and only giving them a dollar. They have always just accepted it and I don't remember them ever really giving me an evil eye. I think obviously being young, a student, knowing the rules and from New York has helped.

 

[user 1215]

I downloaded a waking tour due the hells kitchen area. I think I'm going to water taxi to 9/11 wall street, Staten island ferry, then work my way up to 5th ave, museums, fao, empire then times square and back.
With using points to get an Acela lounge pass to hang out the early morning hours?

Never mind. Looks like you order a ticket book, and gotta pay for 5 at a time. No way I can use 4 more in 12 months... Maybe if I check in before midnight, I can use my sleeper ticket .

The Club Acela isn't open overnight. It closes at 10 PM and doesn't reopen until 7 AM on Sunday.

That's fine. I'm here now, taking a break with my Sleeper ticket. I can recouperate here until 10 PM and then I'll hit the movies.

Meanwhile I'm exhausted and I feel like I haven't even skimmed the surface of what this phenomenal city offers.

I came in, walked to Pier 87 at 44th street and rode the NY Water Taxi to Battery Park. Walked to the 9/11 Memorial and went through that process. Very well organized, but well worth the queueing.

Got back on the NYWT and finished the tour after getting rather teary eyed at the Statue of Liberty. You can see that thing in pictures a thousand times, but when you are 1000 feet away from it, you just only begin to think about the millions who saw it as they came into this country - many of whom were just about penniless.

After returning to Pier 87, Rode the NYWT Bus to Times Square. Saw 1 Elmo, a Sith Lord, Dora, three Sponge Bobs and a half dozen Mickey Mouses and Minnies - all together.

From there, I walked to Grand Central Terminal and remained in complete awe. It makes Chicago Union Station look like ... well ... 2nd best.

Hopped on the subway to the SE corner of Central Park where I checked out FAO Shwarz and got some gifts for my kiddos. Got back on the Subway and went back to GCT and walked to a nearby Japanese restaurant. It was good, but I grabbed a 99c pizza when I left.

Got back on the Subway at GCT and came to Club Acela where I'm resting my weary feet and charging up my cell phone. I'll be here until 10 PM. Maybe I'll find an off-off-Broadway that is interesting or go to the top of the Empire State Building, but I'm going to try and catch a 1 AM showing of Iron Man 3 for sure on 42nd st. That'll take me to 3:30 AM and back at Penn by 4 AM. Then, just two hours in the regular waiting area. I'm in BC on the Palmetto for my return. I haven't seen the 2x1 faux leather on the Palmetto in a while, so my hopes aren't high, but it should still be a decent ride home.

I stayed real busy, but haven't seen enough. SO much more to see and do!!!

 

[AlanB]

From there, I walked to Grand Central Terminal and remained in complete awe. It makes Chicago Union Station look like ... well ... 2nd best.

Yes, it is quite impressive, especially since they cleaned it up and fixed the ceiling so that you can see it again. Thank God that Jackie O, among others, managed to save it after NYP was razed.

I stayed real busy, but haven't seen enough. SO much more to see and do!!!

You could easily spend 2 months here and never do the same thing twice, unless you wanted to.

 

[user 1215]

Everything went as planned. It's nearly 4, just two hours until departure. Sitting in the Amtrak waiting area. Folks sprawled out everywhere. I'm thinking a couple of these folks aren't ticketed pax.

It'll be nice not hearing Sinatra every time I turn around. But I can't wait to come back. But if I don't, I've crossed it off my bucket list. This is truly America's city, and really the city the railroad made into what it is. Now to snooze without missing my 89.

 

[amamba]

Glad you had a fun time!

 

[user 1215]

I really did. And you know, I felt pretty safe at 4 AM wandering outside of Penn Station. I saw 10 cops take down one belligerent drunk.

Penn Station is sorta it's own subculture. I actually found the organized chaos to be quite civilized. I am curious, though, why at 4:30 AM they did a check, waking up half the people in the waiting area. They told all the NJ Transit folks to leave and go to another area. Thought that was weird. And they didn't catch the one disruptive man running around with one bare foot.

Back to boarding. I really wish they would post the track info earlier than 10 minutes out. But no kindergarten walk. You have 10 minutes before departure to find your track and get there. The consistency with which trains arrive and depart in Japan, timetables publish the track number in advance. Aren't the schedules settled enough at NYP to expect the same train on the same track every day? Perhaps not with Amtrak's chronic OTP....

Anyway, thanks to all for your help. Now to catch a few more z's on my on time Palmetto.

 

[AlanB]

Back to boarding. I really wish they would post the track info earlier than 10 minutes out. But no kindergarten walk. You have 10 minutes before departure to find your track and get there. The consistency with which trains arrive and depart in Japan, timetables publish the track number in advance. Aren't the schedules settled enough at NYP to expect the same train on the same track every day? Perhaps not with Amtrak's chronic OTP....

Actually, the schedules are settled enough that to a large extent the NJT & LIRR trains do arrive/depart on the same track every day. Some LIRR commuters never wait for the track to be posted, they just head straight down to the normal track. Which is why when there is a problem and a change, the PA announcer makes a very big deal about stating "this is a track change". Amtrak is a bit less predictable, but even there they do have a plan.

The problem isn't that they don't have a plan. The problem is two fold. One, the plan is often changed last minute due to late arriving trains from all three agencies, switch failures, track problems, and equipment failures. Two, while not so much a problem for your train, during rush hour the platforms simply aren't wide enough to accommodate both arriving passengers detraining and passengers standing around waiting for their train to arrive and depart with them on it.

 

[user 1215]

Down at Battery Park, I broke my own rule about only buying from folks that post their prices. I bought a pretzel dog that I saw by NYPenn for $3 and ended up paying $5. Ugh.