NYC Amtrak tracks

[Amtrak Alan]

After being on Amtrak and traveling into Penn Station, does anyone have a map of the Amtrak tracks in NYC?

 

[the_traveler]

There really are no specific Amtrak tracks. Any train can come into any track. However, most come into IIRC tracks # 5-13.

 

[BLOND37]

and since we are on the subject there's no rhyme or reason to track assignments, is there?

 

[PRR 60]

If you interested in the tracks in and around NYC, this map is a great resource. It is a very large PDF file, so best to right-click and download it.

http://www.richegreen.com/NJTV4.pdf

 

[AlanB]

and since we are on the subject there's no rhyme or reason to track assignments, is there?

No, there is some rhyme and reason to track assignments.

Tracks 1-4: NJT exclusively.

Tracks 5-10: Amtrak and NJT.

Tracks 11-16: Amtrak and LIRR.

Tracks 17-21: LIRR exclusively.

 

[BLOND37]

and since we are on the subject there's no rhyme or reason to track assignments, is there?

No, there is some rhyme and reason to track assignments.

Tracks 1-4: NJT exclusively.

Tracks 5-10: Amtrak and NJT.

Tracks 11-16: Amtrak and LIRR.

Tracks 17-21: LIRR exclusively.

OMG the holy grail! now are some tracks north and some south?

 

[railiner]

and since we are on the subject there's no rhyme or reason to track assignments, is there?

No, there is some rhyme and reason to track assignments.

Tracks 1-4: NJT exclusively.

Tracks 5-10: Amtrak and NJT.

Tracks 11-16: Amtrak and LIRR.

Tracks 17-21: LIRR exclusively.

OMG the holy grail! now are some tracks north and some south?

None....all through tracks are Eastward and Westward

 

[BLOND37]

and since we are on the subject there's no rhyme or reason to track assignments, is there?

No, there is some rhyme and reason to track assignments.

Tracks 1-4: NJT exclusively.

Tracks 5-10: Amtrak and NJT.

Tracks 11-16: Amtrak and LIRR.

Tracks 17-21: LIRR exclusively.

OMG the holy grail! now are some tracks north and some south?

None....all through tracks are Eastward and Westward

interesting...

 

[jis]

Tracks 1-4: NJT exclusively.Tracks 5-10: Amtrak and NJT.

Tracks 11-16: Amtrak and LIRR.

Tracks 17-21: LIRR exclusively.

Actually

Tracks 11-16: Amtrak, NJT and LIRR.

It is really rare but not unheard of for NJT to use 15 or 16. It regularly uses 11 - 14, specially westbound when the consist comes in from Sunnyside.

 

[Amtrak Alan]

Could not read this one, are their any others?

 

[AlanB]

If it didn't load at all, then you may not have Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer.

If by not being able to read it you mean that it was too small, then you need to magnify it to be able to see things. The default magnification is about 9%. To really see the tracks at Penn well, you'll need to get up to around 700% to 800%.

I suggest that you increase the magnification slowly though, going to 50 the first time and then by 100's and that you keep centering Penn Station each time you've increased the magnification.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

and since we are on the subject there's no rhyme or reason to track assignments, is there?

No, there is some rhyme and reason to track assignments.

Tracks 1-4: NJT exclusively.

Tracks 5-10: Amtrak and NJT.

Tracks 11-16: Amtrak and LIRR.

Tracks 17-21: LIRR exclusively.

Of course that's just a general rule of thumb. If things happen, NJT trains can end up on track 21 if some oddball problem occurs. But in general, Alans list with Jishnu's revision is correct. Overnight trains of NJT and Amtrak, 11:30 PM until around 4:30 AM, are generally confined to the tracks in the Amtrak concourse. The mezzenine is generally used for bum storage during those hours. :lol: LIRR trains are confined to 17-21 during that period, as well.

 

[AlanB]

If things happen, NJT trains can end up on track 21 if some oddball problem occurs.

It would have to be more than just an odd problem, to find NJT on 21, it would have to be major. And even then the LIRR wouldn't take kindly to having an NJT train tying up one of their platforms.

 

[jis]

If things happen, NJT trains can end up on track 21 if some oddball problem occurs.

It would have to be more than just an odd problem, to find NJT on 21, it would have to be major. And even then the LIRR wouldn't take kindly to having an NJT train tying up one of their platforms.

That would be the least of your problems . The real significant problem is that you cannot get to the North River tunnel tracks from track 21. Any stray NJT train that finds itself on track 21 will either have to back out and take tracks 19 or lower to get to NJ or by mistake show up at LIRR Richard B. Camarear Yard and surprise everyone and get all the railfans buzzing, even those that were not already buzzing due to the appearance of the NJT train at track 21.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

If things happen, NJT trains can end up on track 21 if some oddball problem occurs.

It would have to be more than just an odd problem, to find NJT on 21, it would have to be major. And even then the LIRR wouldn't take kindly to having an NJT train tying up one of their platforms.

That would be the least of your problems . The real significant problem is that you cannot get to the North River tunnel tracks from track 21. Any stray NJT train that finds itself on track 21 will either have to back out and take tracks 19 or lower to get to NJ or by mistake show up at LIRR Richard B. Camarear Yard and surprise everyone and get all the railfans buzzing, even those that were not already buzzing due to the appearance of the NJT train at track 21.

*looks at a Penn Station diagram*

Doh. What I meant to say, though, was anything can happen when things go wrong.

 

[Steve4031]

That was cool to look at. I gained a greater understanding of the complexity of Penn Station. I never really thought about the NJT transit yard, but I now see that the main line passes below the yard and enters the tunnel under the Hudson, and the the NJT yard continues for a bit.

It is amazing what is accomplished at Penn station compared with Union station in Chicago.

 

[jis]

That was cool to look at. I gained a greater understanding of the complexity of Penn Station. I never really thought about the NJT transit yard, but I now see that the main line passes below the yard and enters the tunnel under the Hudson, and the the NJT yard continues for a bit.

When you say the NJT Yard at Penn Station you surely mean the LIRR West Side Yard. NJT has minimal yard capacity at Penn Station, mainly in two yards, one with three tracks (usable effectively) I believe reachable from track 1 (E Yard), and the other with four tracks just beside the leads into the Hudson tunnels and the Empire Connection (A Yard).

 

[manchacrr]

What tracks do the Acelas and the Adirondack normally use? I will be leaving NYP on both trains on a trip this July.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

What tracks do the Acelas and the Adirondack normally use? I will be leaving NYP on both trains on a trip this July.

Hard to say it would between 5 and 12 though. I'm not sure about patterns that may emerge, so no way to pinpoint where your train would be.

 

[jis]

What tracks do the Acelas and the Adirondack normally use? I will be leaving NYP on both trains on a trip this July.

Adirondack somewhere between 5 and 8 inclusive, since those are the only ones from which you can get to the Empire Connection.

Acela usually anywhere between 7 and 16.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

What tracks do the Acelas and the Adirondack normally use? I will be leaving NYP on both trains on a trip this July.

Adirondack somewhere between 5 and 8 inclusive, since those are the only ones from which you can get to the Empire Connection.

Acela usually anywhere between 7 and 16.

Oh wow didn't know that thanks I will be taking Empire service at the end of this month. That narrows things down :lol:

 

[Steve4031]

That was cool to look at. I gained a greater understanding of the complexity of Penn Station. I never really thought about the NJT transit yard, but I now see that the main line passes below the yard and enters the tunnel under the Hudson, and the the NJT yard continues for a bit.

When you say the NJT Yard at Penn Station you surely mean the LIRR West Side Yard. NJT has minimal yard capacity at Penn Station, mainly in two yards, one with three tracks (usable effectively) I believe reachable from track 1 (E Yard), and the other with four tracks just beside the leads into the Hudson tunnels and the Empire Connection (A Yard).

Oops. Thanks for the correction. It is still an interesting layout. And maps like this help us understand how everything works.

 

[manchacrr]

What tracks do the Acelas and the Adirondack normally use? I will be leaving NYP on both trains on a trip this July.

Adirondack somewhere between 5 and 8 inclusive, since those are the only ones from which you can get to the Empire Connection.

Acela usually anywhere between 7 and 16.

Thanks for the information. This helps out as it has been ten years since I have been through NYP. I will be taking the Adirondack on 7/13 and the Acela #2170 to Boston on 7/16.

 

[Amtrak Alan]

Got it to work thanks!

How are the buildings located above the tracks?

If you interested in the tracks in and around NYC, this map is a great resource. It is a very large PDF file, so best to right-click and download it.
http://www.richegreen.com/NJTV4.pdf

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

http://www.richegreen.com/NJTV4.pdf

IIRC, the proposal that would relocate a subway line and then connect NYP to GCT would connect tracks 1-5 of NYP to GCT. That diagram shows tracks 1-5 being some of the shortest platforms at NYP. Is there any potential for lengthening the platforms on tracks 1-5 if the GCT connection gets built?