Grand Central and the BBC

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Also be sure to listen to the programme using the i-player - it is a 10 minute talk about the two iconic New York terminals (Penn and Grand Central)

PHIL
 
It's good to read about Grand Central, as so much of our rail heritage has been lost. I briefly went through Penn Station in Jan 1964 right before it came down. Here in Houston we have lost both of our great passenger stations. The SP's beautiful Grand Central was torn down in the 1960's for a Post Office building and Union Station became a baseball park. Many other cities have similar stories I am sure.
 
A BIG correction to the story!

It never was, and should never be, called Grand Central Station! :angry2: That is a Post Office located nowhere near NYG! And it is a terminal, since there are no thru tracks. Union Station would be a terminal if not for track #30 IIRC that runs between the North and South Concourses, next to the Metropolitan Lounge.
 
the_traveler said:
That is a Post Office located nowhere near NYG! And it is a terminal, since there are no thru tracks.
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Actually the Grand Central Station Post Office is right next door to Grand Central Station and immediately adjacent. There are even tracks, no longer in use, with platforms for mail delivery directly below the post office.
 
lo2e said:
the_traveler said:
And it is a terminal, since there are no thru tracks.
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Aren't there numerous true terminals that aren't called "xxxx Terminal"? BOS and BON off the top of my head. MIA also.
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Before Grand Central Terminal (the current head house and track layout was built), there was Grand Central Station which had an arched roof car shed and no tracks going south of it. Before that there were a few tracks that went south. Basically when the current head house was built it was named Grand Central Terminal. There is not much more significance to the word "Terminal". Colloquially many people still call it Grand Central Station and haplessly get lectured by rail experts if they hear such usage. :)

One of the largest stations of the past with all tracks ending at bumper posts was called St. Louis Union Station, and not St. Louis Union Terminal for example.
 
Los Angeles Union Station comes to mind here. All the tracks (currently) end in bumper posts, and going any further would mean you're going to need some wings!

AT%26SF_train_19_crashing_through_a_retaining_wall_at_Los_Angeles_Union_Station.jpg
 
One little known fact about Grand Central Terminal is the single spur track that runs from it, 12 blocks under Park Avenue to a secret station below the Hotel Waldorf Astoria. It was a secure stop for the Presidental train in the days before Air Force One. There are elevator facilities for unloading and bringing the presidential limousine from a boxcar on the train to the street level. There was also a passenger elevator that could bring the president and staff into their hotel suites without anyone ever noticing. I believe that I read that the presidential train was also armored and bulletproof.

The terminal building itself has many offices, a ball room and an area that the Vanderbuilts once used in the New York Central days. The sad thing is that no overnight trains depart from it anymore. Today it's basically a commuter terminal and a big deviation from what it once was when they rolled out the red carpet at boarding time each day for the luxurious 20th Century Limited. Its great that this architectural masterpiece was saved but its far cry from what it once represented.
 
I was Fortunate enough to get to Ride/Wait Many Times To/From Both of New Yorks Grand Old Stations, Grand Central and Penn, Back in the Day! :wub: Being in the Navy with No Money ,both served as Hotels while waiting on my Train back to the Base when I had Weekend Liberty! (The New Haven RR let you Ride Free when in Uniform, NYC gave us a 50% Discount and Penn charged $5 to Ride in Coach to PHL and WAS! :cool: ) The Cops on Duty would Watch over Us and even Wake Us Up when it was Time for Our Train! (this was before so Many Homeless Hung Out in the Stations in New York, they would get run by Offcier Clancy, Kelly etc. back when the Bowery was where the Unfortunate Hung Out! ;)
 
the_traveler said:
There is actually one thru track now at LAUS. But it is used by the Gold Line (I believe). But you are correct that all "regular" tracks end at the bumper posts.
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That will likely change soon. Currently in preliminary engineering is a set of four run-through tracks. The next milestone is in April when the PE is supposed to be done.
 
dlagrua said:
One little known fact about Grand Central Terminal is the single spur track that runs from it, 12 blocks under Park Avenue to a secret station below the Hotel Waldorf Astoria. It was a secure stop for the Presidental train in the days before Air Force One. There are elevator facilities for unloading and bringing the presidential limousine from a boxcar on the train to the street level. There was also a passenger elevator that could bring the president and staff into their hotel suites without anyone ever noticing. I believe that I read that the presidential train was also armored and bulletproof.
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Actually, it's not a spur track. It's an entire yard that extends just north of GCT towards the hotel. Two tracks, out of 15 in the yard, 61 & 63 serve the platform under the hotel with the elevator. Some of the other tracks used to serve Grand Central Station, the post office.

And it's less than 12 blocks too. The GCT tracks end in between 43rd Street and 44th Street, save the loop tracks which extend close to 42nd. That makes it 6 blocks to 49th, 7 to 50th Street and the Waldorf is located between 49th & 50th Streets. The shorter platforms extend to close to 45th Street and the longer ones running a bit past that I believe.
 
Grand Central - I live in Minnesota and only been in GCT 3 times - but the place is - what - "iconic" something like that.

First - my mom's family always took the train (NYC) to GCT from Rochester for Xmas shopping on 5 Ave or so from 1892 thru 1970.

I believe that GCT has been so much used in movies that any American as old as me has the place burned into false memory or imaginary memory or somewhat.

Second -- after my parents died I went to GCT on the Lakeshore back in 1989. Total deja vu. But never was there before. When a passenger ahead of me dropped his icepick I just stood aside so he could pick it up again -figured he was feeling "insecure" never felt threatened.

A few years later took my 4 year old son to the "Oyster Bar" (mom was at some national meeting down at the hotel by the big towers way downtown - not there any more.

Me and the kid sat in the then small space between the overpriced restaurant and the smoky bar - then (1993) there were 2 formica-topped booths there - me and my 4 yo son ate 2 dozen super sweet raw ones - he still remembers the "moonstones" . He lives in Seattle now where they have real good oysters also.

Grand Central -- even us post-war boomers know the place - even if we never were there, or were there only once long after the place was so iconic.
 
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NW cannonball said:
A few years later took my 4 year old son to the "Oyster Bar" (mom was at some national meeting down at the hotel by the big towers way downtown - not there any more.
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The Oyster Bar is my must-go-to place whenever I'm in NYC. (Last time two years ago.) I fondly remember watching the old guys prepare my oyster pan fry (not fried at all) behind the marble counter while I sipped my Beck's in anticipation.
 
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