I wish that the old Pennsylvania Station had been saved.
I haven't been in the current Penn Station for over 20 years. The last time I was there, I was taking a train from NY to DC. I recall that the station was dirty, confusing, and the best part of it was leaving to get on the train. I hope that Amtrak has put some money into the place to make it passenger friendly.
The old Pennsylvania Station wasn't passenger friendly either. When I was in my early teens, I used to take the train from it to DC every summer. The old station had high skylights that amplified New York's heat. Everyone in those days, including me as a young teenager, wore a coat and tie to travel. I remember the station waiting room as being exceptionally hot. My shirt and pants were soaked with sweat.
Everyone had to descend a very long flight of stairs to board the train at the underground platforms. I recall that lugging my small suitcase down the stairs being a real challenge. The train platforms were even hotter than the waiting room. The blowers on those GG-1s put out a tremendous amount of heat. It was even worse climbing the stairs in the opposite direction. Grand Central had a better design with its ramps.
My parents usually bought me a parlor car ticket when I was traveling alone. Once I found my car, the parlor car attendant would take my suitcase, and I bought an ice cold coke. The trip was very pleasant all the way to Washington. The PRR had really good service.
New York should have a great station for its long distance trains. I hope that Amtrak will find the funds to build one.
I suppose the first priority is to build additional tunnels from NJ to NY. The originals are over 100 years old. It is hard to believe that infrastructure built at the start of the 20th Century is still serving so many trains and people over a 100 years later. The original PRR planners, designers and builders can be very proud of their accomplishments. NH Joe
