# GCT Lower Level



## John Bobinyec (Jan 25, 2021)

Before covid, how much was the lower level of Grand Central Terminal used? What was it used for? Is it as busy as the upper level?

Thanks,
jb


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## railiner (Jan 26, 2021)

The concourse has long been converted into a food court. The tracks are used for peak hour commuter trains. When long haul trains ran out of GCT, they mostly used upper level tracks...


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## NS VIA Fan (Jan 26, 2021)

What is the status of the new lower.....lower level (new LIRR Concourse) at GCT. Seems it's been under construction for years!


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## jis (Jan 26, 2021)

NS VIA Fan said:


> What is the status of the new lower.....lower level (new LIRR Concourse) at GCT. Seems it's been under construction for years!


December 2022 is now the expected in service date...









East Side Access


East Side Access is the MTA’s largest capital project with work spanning three boroughs. The finished project will provide Long Island Rail Road riders with 40 miles of new tracks.




web.mta.info







railiner said:


> The concourse has long been converted into a food court. The tracks are used for peak hour commuter trains. When long haul trains ran out of GCT, they mostly used upper level tracks...


I have seen the lower level tracks used on weekends too, as recently as 2019 before COVID.

Barring a few exceptions, LD trains generally used the tracks near the edge of the upper level, mainly because that is where the turning loops are (were) accessible from.


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## NS VIA Fan (Jan 26, 2021)

jis said:


> December 2022 is now the expected in service date...



Thanks.....Hopefully things will have settled down by then and I'll be able to go and have a look!


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## railiner (Jan 26, 2021)

NS VIA Fan said:


> What is the status of the new lower.....lower level (new LIRR Concourse) at GCT. Seems it's been under construction for years!


To me, one of the flaws of its design, was not providing some means of a connection between LIRR and MNCR lines. The extreme difference in elevation, made it too difficult...


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## bratkinson (Jan 26, 2021)

railiner said:


> To me, one of the flaws of its design, was not providing some means of a connection between LIRR and MNCR lines. Population on Long Island was far, far smaller than today. The extreme difference in elevation, made it too difficult...



The reason is obvious: New York Central built GCT and Pennsylvania built Penn station and owned the LIRR. Considering that both were built more than 100 years ago, the competition between those railroads could only be called 'the fiercest'.


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## railiner (Jan 26, 2021)

bratkinson said:


> The reason is obvious: New York Central built GCT and Pennsylvania built Penn station and owned the LIRR. Considering that both were built more than 100 years ago, the competition between those railroads could only be called 'the fiercest'.


That may be true, but really doesn't have any bearing on this discussion, about the modern day LIRR expansion plan.


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## Dutchrailnut (Jan 27, 2021)

the LIRR has nothing to do with GCT lower level , East side access is a complete separate terminal, only connection a pair of stairs/escalators and elevators.


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## MARC Rider (Jan 27, 2021)

John Bobinyec said:


> Before covid, how much was the lower level of Grand Central Terminal used? What was it used for? Is it as busy as the upper level?
> 
> Thanks,
> jb


In June 2019, I took a Metro-North from Bridgeport and we came in on the lower level.


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## John Bobinyec (Jan 27, 2021)

Due to the East Side Access project, are the number of tracks on the lower level of Grand Central Terminal being reduced? Perhaps for the LIRR concourse?

jb


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## Dutchrailnut (Jan 27, 2021)

only tracks lost, were yard tracks of Madison Ave yard, it is were now LIRR concourse is being built, they were replaced years ago by new facility at highbridge near old yankee stadium site.


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## west point (Jan 27, 2021)

It would have been nice if there was at least an elevator from each of the 2 levels of LIRR to intercept a MNRR platform. However it probably would have taken an enterprise turbo lift ?


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