Scanning tickets at NYP

[DingDong]

I often travel from New Haven to Philadelphia. Why does Amtrak insist on scanning the tickets of all through passengers at NYP a second time? It can't just be the crew change: we have seat checks after all and there are plenty of other places with crew changes where they don't rescan tickets.

 

[amamba]

They have done that for a long time - even before e-tickets.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I would venture to guess with all the confusion of people coming and going they want to make sure nobody is missed.

 

[OBS]

Not to mention, people move around, change seats without taking their seat checks, etc.

 

[the_traveler]

I also think that historically it has been done at NYP.

Also at NYP, there are many trains on the adjacent track that may be going to the same place or similar direction!. For example, Amtrak may be going south to Newark and Washington on track 11, while NJT may be going south to Newark on track 12 - right across the same platform.

BTW - The only Amtrak train thru NYP that they do not recheck tickets (thankfully) is 66/67. Thankfully since departure from NYP is about 3 am! And this is true in both coach and BC.

 

[jis]

Historically, for through trains at NYP it was the point where trains were handed over from NH to PRR or vice-versa. I guess traditions die hard.

 

[Acela150]

Keep in mind that each conductor crews have their own seat check "code". Most conductors will put one type of seat check for WAS, PHL, NYP, and the BOS stops. So typically the crew from say WAS to NYP will put say a green seat check for through passengers it doesn't state their destination. Unless you're on 66/67. So the conductors going to BOS or NHV will check them again and put a new seat check that could be blue and white. Acela FC passengers usually get one seat check for the entire trip. I've only been checked after NYP once.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[PRR 60]

About 10 years ago they did not recheck tickets for through New York passengers. It started maybe in 2005 and I first noticed it when, on a trip PHL-BOS, they pulled my seat check heading into NYP. I thought it was a mistake until the new crew asked for all tickets or stubs and issued new seat checks. As for why - I can think of excuses, but not reasons. Gee, how many Amtrak practices meet that description?

 

[NS]

Tickets are also re-checked on through trains at WAS.

 

[jis]

Amtrak must have had a chat with LIRR where all tickets are checked after Jamaica no matter where you came from and where you are going.

But fortunately not through New Haven which is also a T&E crew change point for the Regionals, but not Acelas. That crew change is another historical vestige for which there is no rational reason anymore.

 

[SubwayNut]

I wonder if this practice will continue once Amtrak institutes the printed receipts that are currently going under testing on the Capital Corridor, I assume at some time in the future these will start being used on the corridor:

The Vermonter has a quite interesting seat check routine going north of Springfield. The new crew comes through and verbally confirms everyone's destination, writing the three letter code on an NEC seat check with the destination punched. They don't rescan tickets. Crews on the NEC also don't know what to do for the stops that aren't on the pre-printed special Vermonter only punch seat checks that haven't been updated in many years with new stops, I think they still have Northampton on them!

 

[efin98]

I also think that historically it has been done at NYP.

Also at NYP, there are many trains on the adjacent track that may be going to the same place or similar direction!. For example, Amtrak may be going south to Newark and Washington on track 11, while NJT may be going south to Newark on track 12 - right across the same platform.

BTW - The only Amtrak train thru NYP that they do not recheck tickets (thankfully) is 66/67. Thankfully since departure from NYP is about 3 am! And this is true in both coach and BC.

Even 66/67 gets it. Four times through on the 66/67 across multiple years, four times I had the ticket checked by the crew at NYP, four times shaken awake by the crew with warnings over the PA that we must show our tickets again

 

[June the Coach Rider]

This is purely a guess on my part, but I wonder if the practice started because they had a lot of stow-aways, or trespassers trying to get a free ride?

 

[HAL]

I often travel from New Haven to Philadelphia. Why does Amtrak insist on scanning the tickets of all through passengers at NYP a second time? It can't just be the crew change: we have seat checks after all and there are plenty of other places with crew changes where they don't rescan tickets.

A ticket sweep with change of crews is an Amtrak rule. If the crew is not doing it they are not following the rule.

Can't go by seat checks as people move around, take wrong seat checks, plus some put up their own, etc.

 

[Acela150]

Amtrak must have had a chat with LIRR where all tickets are checked after Jamaica no matter where you came from and where you are going.

But fortunately not through New Haven which is also a T&E crew change point for the Regionals, but not Acelas. That crew change is another historical vestige for which there is no rational reason anymore.

I was on 171 last month and after adding an additional toaster at NHV the Train crew was the same conductors from BOS, not sure about the head end. But IIRC last time I took 171 the practice was the same. So It's possible there trying to lose NHV as a crew change point on Regionals because I agree that it's not needed anymore, but it's probably in union contracts.

I also think that historically it has been done at NYP.

Also at NYP, there are many trains on the adjacent track that may be going to the same place or similar direction!. For example, Amtrak may be going south to Newark and Washington on track 11, while NJT may be going south to Newark on track 12 - right across the same platform.

BTW - The only Amtrak train thru NYP that they do not recheck tickets (thankfully) is 66/67. Thankfully since departure from NYP is about 3 am! And this is true in both coach and BC.

Even 66/67 gets it. Four times through on the 66/67 across multiple years, four times I had the ticket checked by the crew at NYP, four times shaken awake by the crew with warnings over the PA that we must show our tickets again

I've traveled on 66 about 5 times and was never rechecked. I was fully awake as well.

 

[the_traveler]

And I also have traveled on both 66 & 67, in both coach and BC and have been both awake and asleep (and have been awake prior to NYP and asleep on departure or vis-a-versa) - and I've never had a recheck on 66/67. On any other thru train, yes, but not on 66/67.

 

[Acela150]

The few times I've ridden 66 only once have I had no announcements. That was this past May. WAS to BOS. The rest of the times they make announcements up to NYP. Then resume before PVD saying that commuters will be boarding and to make all seats open for the taking.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I've never been in Coach on 66/67, only Biz Class, and of the approximately 10 times I rode that Train I was never asked for a Ticket or awakened by Conductors after I boarded in Washington! Of course the Cafe car Was Busy (the Curtain dividing the Car worked somewhat to keep Noise Down as well as Light)but with the Curtains on the Windows and the 2X1 Seating, I was able to Sleep Really Well Except during the Lengthy Dwell in NYP! (Boy are those Platform Lights Bright! :help: ) There were Announcments before Stops, and the Car did Fill Up from PVD to BOS with Commuters, but it was Light already so I was awake by then! Hopefully a Viewliner Sleeper will be added to this Route once the new Equipment comes into Service!

 

[the_traveler]

The few times I've ridden 66 only once have I had no announcements. That was this past May. WAS to BOS. The rest of the times they make announcements up to NYP. Then resume before PVD saying that commuters will be boarding and to make all seats open for the taking.

Announcements at Kingston or Westerly are acceptable, as there are many commuters taking 66 and it is 6 am. However what gets me is that the WAS-NYP conductors insist on using the PA for station stops. OK, at 10 pm it's OK but not at 2 am ! And it's not just once per station. ("PHL in 10 minutes", "Now arriving PHL", "Last call for PHL"!) After NYP, the new crew does not use the PA, except as above (after 6 am).

 

[gdj]

RVR - BOS is a fairly common trip for me. I get checked at RVR, WAS, and NYP northbound and the reverse southbound. I don't always ride 66/67; however, on my most recent trip I took 67 back to RVR. As we left BOS, they announced that we would be rechecked at NYP. On one of my trips I asked on one of the conductors about all the re-checking. He claimed that with etickets and scanning Amtrak was recovering a lot of money on the corridor.

By the way for any of you who use smartphones for your eticket on the NEC,do you have the problem of once it is scanned that the bar code or whatever you call it disappears so that the conductor has to check you manually at other checks. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[HAL]

As far as a ticket sweep in the middle of the night, that should not be done. There is an exception to the ticket sweep rule that covers not having to do it during those hours. Also PA announcements are not supposed to be made then either.

 

[PRR 60]

RVR - BOS is a fairly common trip for me. I get checked at RVR, WAS, and NYP northbound and the reverse southbound. I don't always ride 66/67; however, on my most recent trip I took 67 back to RVR. As we left BOS, they announced that we would be rechecked at NYP. On one of my trips I asked on one of the conductors about all the re-checking. He claimed that with etickets and scanning Amtrak was recovering a lot of money on the corridor.

By the way for any of you who use smartphones for your eticket on the NEC,do you have the problem of once it is scanned that the bar code or whatever you call it disappears so that the conductor has to check you manually at other checks. Am I doing something wrong?

Yes, I have. On a recent trip from New London CT back to Philadelphia, my e-ticket had disappeared from the app for the New York recheck with the message, "paper ticket required."
To avoid app issues like that, I take a screenshot of my e-ticket prior to boarding. Then, I can just display the screenshot if necessary.

 

[jis]

RVR - BOS is a fairly common trip for me. I get checked at RVR, WAS, and NYP northbound and the reverse southbound. I don't always ride 66/67; however, on my most recent trip I took 67 back to RVR. As we left BOS, they announced that we would be rechecked at NYP. On one of my trips I asked on one of the conductors about all the re-checking. He claimed that with etickets and scanning Amtrak was recovering a lot of money on the corridor.

By the way for any of you who use smartphones for your eticket on the NEC,do you have the problem of once it is scanned that the bar code or whatever you call it disappears so that the conductor has to check you manually at other checks. Am I doing something wrong?

Yes, I have. On a recent trip from New London CT back to Philadelphia, my e-ticket had disappeared from the app for the New York recheck with the message, "paper ticket required."
To avoid app issues like that, I take a screenshot of my e-ticket prior to boarding. Then, I can just display the screenshot if necessary.

The only use I make of the Amtrak App as far as e-tickets is concerned is to get the e-tickets into Passbook App on iPhone. Once there, they appear to be safe and stay there unmolested by Amtrak until I remove them myself.

 

[amamba]

You can also save the .pdf that is emailed to you as a file on your phone. That is what I do. Then I just had to go into docstogo (or whatever app you have) to grab the .pdf.

 

[CHamilton]

You can also save the .pdf that is emailed to you as a file on your phone. That is what I do. Then I just had to go into docstogo (or whatever app you have) to grab the .pdf.

Agreed. One easy way to do this (which I got from someone on AU, but forget who -- my apologies!):

1. Copy the PDF of your eTicket to Dropbox, or another service that syncs between devices.
2. Let the file sync to your phone.
3. Open the file on your phone, and make it a Favorite. This makes a local copy on your phone, so it's always available, even if you don't have an internet connection.