Grand Central Secrets

[benjibear]

I know, not Amtrak, but may be of interest to some here:

http://www.nytimes.com/video/2013/01/18/nyregion/100000002009351/the-secrets-of-grand-central.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/video/2013/01/18/nyregion/100000002009351/the-secrets-of-grand-central.html

 

[Shanghai]

Thanks. That was an excellent video.

 

[the_traveler]

Another secret (but I forget if it's from NYG or NYP) is that there was a rail line directly from the station underground to an underground private stop at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. That was so the "big shots" did not have to go thru the streets to reach THE hotel!

 

[AlanB]

Its at Grand Central and it's not really a rail line. When Grand Central was built, they included a small yard on the northeast side of the station that runs from 47th Street up to 50th. The Waldorf Astoria was built above that yard and a platform just happened to be right under the hotel. A stairway and a freight elevator connect things.

More details can be found here and photos of the platform can be found here.

 

[TimePeace]

That is some fascinating stuff. It has been years since I have hung out in NYC but the interest in underground rails still is there.

Thanks for that.

 

[cirdan]

Its at Grand Central and it's not really a rail line. When Grand Central was built, they included a small yard on the northeast side of the station that runs from 47th Street up to 50th. The Waldorf Astoria was built above that yard and a platform just happened to be right under the hotel. A stairway and a freight elevator connect things.
More details can be found here and photos of the platform can be found here.

There was an article on this in Trains magazine not too long ago. It revealed some fascinating facts.

 

[railiner]

Wow! GCT received unbelievable coverage of its 100th anniversary yesterday, on all of the local and most of the national television news programs...

 

[the_traveler]

Well, buildings that are 100 years old in the US are unusual, especially if they're in good shape and used for the same purpose! :excl: In fact in Las Vegas, NV, a hotel more than 25-30 years old is "ancient" and is likely to be torn down and replaced, (Dunes, Frontier, Desert Inn, Hacienda, Continental, Landmark, etc...)