Thought about starting a new thread on this, but I think it fits on this thread.
I usually agree with most of what Sarah says here and I find her to be one of the most helpful people on this forum, but I am going to disagree with her on this one. The new CUS lounge is great, but the new boarding process truly sucks and would not be easy for a first time passenger.
My story - was on 305 yesterday in business. 305 is the Lincoln Service that runs CHI-STL with a 5:15 rush hour departure. Went the lounge early in the day to drop luggage, and then came back about 3:00. The lounge and the lounge staff could not have been better. I caught the end of the fresh vegetables and cheese spread, and then shortly after the snack mixes came out. The Pennsylvania room next to the windows on a rainy Chicago day could not have been better.
I was surprised when they called us at 4:35 for boarding our train (almost 40 minutes early), but nonetheless we headed down to track 26 based on the instructions from the front desk (this is the furthest track for boarding).
Navigating Chicago Union Station this time of day is NOT easy. There is a rush of Metra commuters heading down the triple escalators and on to the low numbered platforms, you have to navigate through them which is not an easy task, then you have to go past the Amtrak "security rope "that may or may not be actually manned and have a helpful employee. There was also a Amtrak train unloading passengers and we had to navigate through them (this was a pretty small deal compared to the Metra rush)
We finally reach track 26 and an Amtrak employee is there wondering what we were doing. I told him we were there to board train 305, and he tried to send me back to the coach waiting area. I then explained we were business class and he took down a barricade shuffled us into the waiting area in front of the coach waiting area (where they board seniors and children ) and said we would board in a few minutes. He asked us to sit down, but since we all assumed we would be boarding very shortly we all stood near the door.
After about 5 minutes, an Amtrak police officer came in and not so politely said the train wasn't boarding yet and we all needed to sit down. I told him as I went to sit down that we were informed the train was boarding in the lounge, at which point he went off and talked to an Amtrak employee.
About 5 minutes later (around the normal boarding time of 4:45), we were informed that business class was now boarding. However, we were not given any instructions on what to do other then go to track 26. My son had noticed earlier that the business class /cafe cars was in the front (it is normally in the rear), do we headed down to there where a conductor was waiting. Nowhere else from the gate to the front of the train were any employees to be seen.
I am a pretty seasoned Amtrak rider, and I found this whole process pretty frustrating. Imagine how a first time rider would have felt? Keep in mind that many sleeper and business class passengers are connecting through Chicago because they have to, and are not used to being in a busy large commuter train station.
That said, I DON'T think the solution is a dedicated hallway. I think the solution is a dedicated employee that walks you from the lounge directly to the train. I am not sure this is feasible for all of the local service trains with business class, but it is certainly feasible for the 7-8 trains a day that have sleeper passengers.
A side note, about 40 minutes after departure and person was brought up to business class and took the last available seat. She apparently had purchased but had boarded and sat in coach.