grand, central, terminal, railway, terminal, york, city, grand, central, station, redirects, here, other, uses, grand, central, station, disambiguation, metro, north, railroad, terminalclockwise, from, left, 42nd, street, facade, underground, train, shed, trac. Railway terminal in New York City Grand Central Station redirects here For other uses see Grand Central Station disambiguation Grand Central TerminalMetro North Railroad terminalClockwise from top left 42nd Street facade underground train shed and tracks Main Concourse iconic clock atop the information boothGeneral informationLocation89 East 42nd StreetManhattan New York CityOwned byNYC amp Hudson River 1913 1914 New York Central 1914 1968 Penn Central 1968 1994 American Premier Underwriters 1994 2006 Midtown Trackage Ventures 2006 2020 Metropolitan Transportation Authority 2020 present Operated byNYC amp Hudson River 1913 1914 New York Central 1914 1968 New York New Haven and Hartford 1913 1968 Penn Central 1968 1976 Amtrak 1971 1991 Conrail 1976 1983 Metro North 1983 present Managed byGeorge Monasterio director Line s Park Avenue Tunnel Hudson Line Platforms44 43 island platforms 1 side platform 6 tracks with Spanish solution Tracks67 56 passenger tracks 30 on upper level 26 on lower level 43 in use for passenger service11 sidingsConnectionsLong Island Rail Roadat Grand Central Madison New York City Subway 8203 8203 8203 8203 8203 at Grand Central 42nd Street NYCT Bus M1 M2 M3 M4 M42 M101 M102 M103 Q32 NYCT Bus MTA Bus Academy Bus express servicesConstructionPlatform levels2Disabled accessAccessible 91 N 1 93 Other informationStatusActiveWebsiteOfficial websiteKey datesConstruction1903 1913Opened February 2 1913PassengersFY 201867 million annually based on weekly estimate 91 2 93 8195 160 0 6 32 Metro North ServicesPreceding station Metro North Railroad Following station Terminus Harlem Line Harlem 125th Streettoward North White Plains or Southeast Hudson Line Harlem 125th Streettoward Croton Harmon or Poughkeepsie New Haven Line Harlem 125th Streettoward Stamford or New Haven New Canaan Branchpeak service Harlem 125th Streettoward New Canaan Danbury Branchpeak service Harlem 125th Streettoward DanburyFormer servicesPreceding station New York Central Railroad Following station 125th Streettoward Chicago Main Line Terminus 125th Streettoward Peekskill Hudson Division 125th Streettoward Chatham Harlem Division Preceding station New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad Following station Terminus Main Line Harlem 125th Streettoward New Haven Preceding station Amtrak Following station Croton Harmontoward Chicago Lake Shore Terminus Croton Harmontoward Detroit Michigan Central Niagara Rainbow Yonkerstoward Montreal Adirondack Yonkerstoward Niagara Falls New York Empire Service Yonkerstoward Toronto Maple LeafFormer services pre 1913 Preceding station New York Central amp Hudson River Railroad Following station 110th StreetUntil 1906toward Peekskill Hudson Division Terminus 86th StreetUntil 1901toward Chatham Harlem Division 72nd StreetLimitedtoward ChathamInteractive mapCoordinates40 45 10 N 73 58 38 W xfeff xfeff 40 75278 N 73 97722 W xfeff 40 75278 73 97722 Coordinates 40 45 10 N 73 58 38 W xfeff xfeff 40 75278 N 73 97722 W xfeff 40 75278 73 97722ArchitectReed and Stem Warren and WetmoreArchitectural style s Beaux ArtsVisitors21 6 million 160 in 2018 91 3 93 U S National Historic LandmarkDesignatedDecember 8 1976Reference 160 no 75001206U S National Register of Historic PlacesDesignatedJanuary 17 1975August 11 1983 increase Reference 160 no 75001206 83001726New York City LandmarkDesignatedAugust 2 1967 facade September 23 1980 interior Reference 160 no 0266 facade 1099 interior Grand Central Terminal GCT also referred to as Grand Central Station 91 N 2 93 or simply as Grand Central is the largest commuter rail terminal in the Americas located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan New York City Grand Central is the southern terminus of the Metro North Railroad s Harlem Hudson and New Haven Lines serving the northern parts of the New York metropolitan area It also contains a connection to the Long Island Rail Road through the Grand Central Madison station a 16 acre 65 000 160 m2 rail terminal underneath the Metro North station built from 2007 to 2023 The terminal also connects to the New York City Subway at Grand Central 42nd Street station The terminal is the second busiest train station in North America after New York Penn Station The distinctive architecture and interior design of Grand Central Terminal s station house have earned it several landmark designations including as a National Historic Landmark Its Beaux Arts design incorporates numerous works of art Grand Central Terminal is one of the world s ten most visited tourist attractions 91 4 93 with 21 6 million visitors in 2018 excluding train and subway passengers 91 3 93 The terminal s Main Concourse is often used as a meeting place and is especially featured in films and television Grand Central Terminal contains a variety of stores and food vendors including upscale restaurants and bars a food hall and a grocery marketplace The building is also noted for its libraries event hall tennis club control center and offices for the railroad and sub basement power station Grand Central Terminal was built by and named for the New York Central Railroad it also served the New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad and later successors to the New York Central Opened in 1913 the terminal was built on the site of two similarly named predecessor stations the first of which dated to 1871 Grand Central Terminal served intercity trains until 1991 when Amtrak began routing its trains through nearby Penn Station Grand Central covers 48 acres 19 160 ha and has 44 platforms more than any other railroad station in the world Its platforms all below ground serve 30 tracks on the upper level and 26 on the lower In total there are 67 tracks including a rail yard and sidings of these 43 tracks are in use for passenger service while the remaining two dozen are used to store trains 91 N 3 93 Contents 1 Name 2 Services 2 1 Commuter rail 2 2 Connecting services 2 2 1 Long Island Rail Road 2 2 2 Local services 2 3 Former services 3 Interior 3 1 Main Concourse 3 2 Passageways and ramps 3 2 1 Grand Central North 3 3 Other spaces on the main floor 3 3 1 Vanderbilt Hall 3 3 2 Biltmore Room 3 3 3 Station Master s Office 3 3 4 Former theatre 3 4 Dining Concourse 3 4 1 Lost and found bureau 3 5 Other food service and retail spaces 3 6 Vanderbilt Tennis Club and former studios 3 7 Basement spaces 3 7 1 Power and heating plants 3 7 2 Carey s Hole 3 8 Platforms and tracks 3 8 1 Track distribution 3 9 Office spaces and control center 3 10 Hospital 3 11 Libraries 4 Architecture 4 1 Structure and materials 4 2 Facade 4 3 Interior 4 3 1 Main Concourse 4 3 2 Iconography 4 4 Influence 5 Related structures 5 1 Park Avenue Viaduct 5 2 Post office and baggage buildings 5 3 Subway station 6 History 6 1 Predecessors 6 2 Replacement 6 3 Heyday 6 4 Decline 6 5 Renovation and subsequent expansions 7 Innovations 7 1 Passenger improvements 7 2 Track improvements 7 3 Terminal City 8 Emergency services 9 Art installations and performances 10 Visitors 11 In popular culture 11 1 Film and television 11 2 Other 12 See also 13 References 13 1 Explanatory notes 13 2 Citations 13 3 General references 14 Further reading 15 External links Name Edit Grand Central Terminal was named by and for the New York Central Railroad which built the station and its two predecessors on the site It has always been more colloquially and affectionately known as Grand Central Station the name of its immediate predecessor 91 5 93 91 6 93 91 N 2 93 that operated from 1900 to 1910 91 8 93 91 9 93 The name Grand Central Station is also shared with the nearby U S Post Office station at 450 Lexington Avenue 91 10 93 and colloquially with the Grand Central 42nd Street subway station next to the terminal 91 11 93 Services Edit Commuter rail Edit Grand Central Terminal serves some 67 million passengers a year more than any other Metro North station 91 2 93 91 12 93 During morning rush hour a train arrives at the terminal every 58 seconds 91 13 93 Three of Metro North s five main lines terminate at Grand Central 91 14 93 Harlem Line to Wassaic New York Hudson Line to Poughkeepsie New York Amtrak connection to Albany New Haven Line to New Haven Connecticut Amtrak connection to Hartford Springfield Boston Shore Line East to New London New Canaan Branch to New Canaan Connecticut Danbury Branch to Danbury Connecticut Waterbury Branch to Waterbury Connecticut Through these lines the terminal serves Metro North commuters traveling to and from the Bronx in New York City Westchester Putnam and Dutchess counties in New York and Fairfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut 91 14 93 Connecting services Edit Long Island Rail Road Edit The MTA s Long Island Rail Road operates commuter trains to the Grand Central Madison station beneath Grand Central completed in 2023 in the East Side Access project 91 15 93 The project connects the terminal to all of the railroad s branches via its Main Line 91 16 93 linking Grand Central Madison to almost every LIRR station 91 17 93 Partial service to Jamaica began on January 25 2023 91 18 93 Local services Edit The New York City Subway s adjacent Grand Central 42nd Street station serves the following routes 91 11 93 4 32 8203 5 32 8203 6 and 32 lt 6 gt 32 trains IRT Lexington Avenue Line situated diagonally under the Pershing Square Building 110 East 42nd Street 42nd Street and Grand Hyatt New York 7 32 and 32 lt 7 gt 8203 32 trains IRT Flushing Line under 42nd Street between Park Avenue and west of Third Avenue 42nd Street Shuttle S under 42nd Street between Madison Avenue and Vanderbilt Avenue These MTA Regional Bus Operations buses stop near Grand Central 91 1 93 91 19 93 NYCT Bus M1 M2 M3 M4 and Q32 local buses at Madison Avenue northbound and Fifth Avenue southbound X27 X28 X37 X38 SIM4C SIM6 SIM8 SIM8X SIM11 SIM22 SIM25 SIM26 SIM30 SIM31 and SIM33C express buses at Madison Avenue northbound X27 X28 X37 X38 SIM4C SIM8 SIM8X SIM25 SIM31 and SIM33C express buses at Fifth Avenue southbound M42 local bus at 42nd Street M101 M102 and M103 local buses at Third Avenue northbound and Lexington Avenue southbound X27 X28 X63 X64 and X68 express buses at Third Avenue northbound SIM6 SIM11 SIM22 and SIM26 express buses at Lexington Avenue southbound SIM23 and SIM24 express buses at Madison Avenue northbound and Fifth Avenue southbound MTA Bus BxM3 BxM4 BxM6 BxM7 BxM8 BxM9 BxM10 BxM18 BM1 BM2 BM3 BM4 and BM5 express buses at Madison Avenue northbound and Fifth Avenue southbound BxM1 express bus at Lexington Avenue southbound BxM1 QM21 QM31 QM32 QM34 QM35 QM36 QM40 QM42 and QM44 express buses at Third Avenue northbound Former services Edit See also Amtrak services to Grand Central Terminal The 20th Century Limited at Grand Central Terminal c 1952 The terminal and its predecessors were designed for intercity service which operated from the first station building s completion in 1871 until Amtrak ceased operations in the terminal in 1991 Through transfers passengers could connect to all major lines in the United States including the Canadian the Empire Builder the San Francisco Zephyr the Southwest Limited the Crescent and the Sunset Limited under Amtrak Destinations included San Francisco Los Angeles Vancouver New Orleans Chicago and Montreal 91 20 93 Another notable former train was New York Central s 20th Century Limited a luxury service that operated to Chicago s LaSalle Street Station between 1902 and 1967 and was among the most famous trains of its time 91 21 93 91 22 93 From 1971 to 1991 all Amtrak trains using the intrastate Empire Corridor to Niagara Falls terminated at Grand Central interstate Northeast Corridor trains used Penn Station 91 23 93 Notable Amtrak services at Grand Central included the Lake Shore Empire Service Adirondack Niagara Rainbow Maple Leaf and Empire State Express 91 24 93 91 25 93 91 26 93 Interior Edit Midday pedestrian traffic in the Main Concourse Grand Central Terminal was designed and built with two main levels for passengers an upper for intercity trains and a lower for commuter trains This configuration devised by New York Central vice president William J Wilgus separated intercity and commuter rail passengers smoothing the flow of people in and through the station After intercity service ended in 1991 91 27 93 the upper level was renamed the Main Concourse and the lower the Dining Concourse 91 27 93 91 28 93 The original plan for Grand Central s interior was designed by Reed and Stem with some work by Whitney Warren of Warren and Wetmore 91 29 93 91 30 93 Main Concourse Edit Main article Main Concourse The Main Concourse is located on the upper platform level of Grand Central in the geographical center of the station building The 35 000 square foot 3 300 160 m2 concourse 91 31 93 leads directly to most of the terminal s upper level tracks although some are accessed from passageways near the concourse 91 32 93 The Main Concourse is usually filled with bustling crowds and is often used as a meeting place 91 33 93 At the center of the concourse is an information booth topped with a four sided brass clock one of Grand Central s most recognizable icons 91 34 93 The terminal s main departure boards are located at the south end of the space The boards have been replaced numerous times since their initial installation in 1967 91 35 93 91 36 93 91 37 93 Floor plan of the main level of the terminal Passageways and ramps Edit Graybar Passage In their design for the station s interior Reed amp Stem created a circulation system that allowed passengers alighting from trains to enter the Main Concourse then leave through various passages that branch from it 91 38 93 Among these are the north south 42nd Street Passage and Shuttle Passage which run south to 42nd Street and three east west passageways the Grand Central Market the Graybar Passage and the Lexington Passage that run about 240 feet 73 160 m east to Lexington Avenue by 43rd Street 91 32 93 91 39 93 Several passages run north of the terminal including the north south 45th Street Passage which leads to 45th Street and Madison Avenue 91 40 93 and the network of tunnels in Grand Central North which lead to exits at every street from 45th to 48th Street 91 32 93 Each of the east west passageways runs through a different building The northernmost is the Graybar Passage 91 32 93 built on the first floor of the Graybar Building in 1926 91 41 93 Its walls and seven large transverse arches are made of coursed ashlar travertine and the floor is terrazzo The ceiling is composed of seven groin vaults each of which has an ornamental bronze chandelier The first two vaults as viewed from leaving Grand Central are painted with cumulus clouds while the third contains a 1927 mural by Edward Trumbull depicting American transportation 91 42 93 91 43 93 Grand Central Market s interior and its Lexington Avenue facade between the Grand Hyatt New York and Graybar Building The middle passageway houses Grand Central Market a cluster of food shops 91 32 93 91 44 93 The site was originally a segment of 43rd Street which became the terminal s first service dock in 1913 91 45 93 In 1975 a Greenwich Savings Bank branch was built in the space 91 46 93 91 47 93 which was converted into the marketplace in 1998 and involved installing a new limestone facade on the building 91 48 93 The building s second story whose balcony overlooks the market and 43rd Street was to house a restaurant but is instead used for storage 91 39 93 91 49 93 The southernmost of the three the Lexington Passage was originally known as the Commodore Passage after the Commodore Hotel which it ran through 91 39 93 When the hotel was renamed the Grand Hyatt the passage was likewise renamed The passage acquired its current name during the terminal s renovation in the 1990s 91 48 93 The Shuttle Passage on the west side of the terminal connects the Main Concourse to Grand Central s subway station The terminal was originally configured with two parallel passages later simplified into one wide passageway 91 45 93 The Oyster Bar ramps shown c 1913 They were completely restored in 1998 with one change lower walls on the pedestrian overpass Ramps include the Vanderbilt Avenue ramp and the Oyster Bar ramps The Vanderbilt Avenue or Kitty Kelly ramp leads from the corner of Vanderbilt Avenue and 42nd Street down into the Shuttle Passage The ramp was likewise restored in 1998 originally and currently its space was two stories high Most of the space was built upon becoming the Kitty Kelly women s shoe store and later operating as Federal Express 91 50 93 The Oyster Bar ramps lead down from the Main Concourse to the Oyster Bar and Dining Concourse 91 32 93 They span a total of 302 160 ft 92 160 m from east to west under an 84 160 ft 26 160 m ceiling 91 51 93 The ramps were partially covered by expanded main floor ticket offices from 1927 until the terminal s restoration in 1998 A pedestrian overpass spans over the ramps leading from Vanderbilt Hall to the Main Concourse The bridge has been visible since 1998 restoring the original appearance with one minor change the bridge now has a low balustrade replacing an eight foot high solid wall that blocked views between the two levels 91 50 93 The underside of the bridge is covered with Guastavino tiling 91 52 93 The bridge s arches create a whispering gallery a person standing in one corner can hear another speaking softly in the diagonally opposite corner 91 53 93 91 54 93 Grand Central North Edit Interactive map Grand Central North tunnels and entrances Northwest Passage Northeast Passage 45th Street Cross Passage 47th Street Cross Passage Headhouse and train shed Grand Central North is a network of four tunnels that allow people to walk between the station building which sits between 42nd and 44th Street and exits at 45th 46th 47th and 48th Street 91 55 93 The 1 000 foot 300 160 m Northwest Passage and 1 200 foot 370 160 m Northeast Passage run parallel to the tracks on the upper level while two shorter cross passages run perpendicular to the tracks 91 56 93 91 57 93 The 47th Street cross passage runs between the upper and lower tracks 30 feet 9 1 160 m below street level it provides access to upper level tracks The 45th Street cross passage runs under the lower tracks 50 feet 15 160 m below street level Converted from a corridor built to transport luggage and mail 91 57 93 it provides access to lower level tracks The cross passages are connected to the platforms via 37 stairs six elevators and five escalators 91 58 93 The tunnels street level entrances each enclosed by a freestanding glass structure 91 57 93 sit at the northeast corner of East 47th Street and Madison Avenue Northwest Passage the northeast corner of East 48th Street and Park Avenue Northeast Passage in the two pedestrian walkways underneath the Helmsley Building between 45th and 46th streets and since 2012 on the south side of 47th Street between Park and Lexington avenues 91 59 93 Pedestrians can also take an elevator to the 47th Street passage from the north side of East 47th Street between Madison and Vanderbilt avenues this entrance adjoined the former 270 Park Avenue 91 60 93 Proposals for these tunnels had been discussed since at least the 1970s The MTA approved preliminary plans in 1983 91 61 93 gave final approval in 1991 91 62 93 and began construction in 1994 91 56 93 Dubbed the North End Access Project the work was to be completed in 1997 at a cost of 64 5 million 91 62 93 but it was slowed by the incomplete nature of the building s original blueprints and by previously undiscovered groundwater beneath East 45th Street 91 56 93 The passageways opened on August 18 1999 at a final cost of 75 million 91 56 93 In spring 2000 construction began on a project to enclose the Northeast and Northwest passages with ceilings and walls Work on each passage was expected to take 7 5 months with the entire project wrapping up by summer 2001 As part of the project the walls of the passages were covered with glazed terrazzo the Northeast Passage s walls have blue green accents while the Northwest Passage s walls have red ones The ceilings are 8 to 10 feet 2 4 to 3 0 160 m high the cross passages ceilings are blue green the same color as the Main Concourse and have recessed lights arranged to resemble the Main Concourse s constellations The passages were to be heated in winter and ventilated 91 63 93 Originally Grand Central North had no restrooms or air conditioning 91 58 93 The passages contain an MTA Arts amp Design mosaic installation by Ellen Driscoll an artist from Brooklyn 91 56 93 The entrances to Grand Central North were originally open from 6 30 a m to 9 30 160 p m Monday through Friday During weekends and holidays the 47th and 48th Street entrances were open from 9 00 a m to 9 30 160 p m while the two entrances to the Helmsley Building were closed 91 58 93 Five years after they opened the passageways were used by about 30 000 people on a typical weekday 91 64 93 But they served only about 6 000 people on a typical weekend so the MTA proposed to close them on weekends to save money as part of the 2005 2008 Financial Plan 91 64 93 91 65 93 Since summer 2006 Grand Central North has been closed on weekends 91 66 93 As a COVID 19 precaution Grand Central North closed on March 26 2020 91 67 93 It reopened in September with hours from 6 30 to 10 a m and 4 to 7 p m 91 68 93 In 2021 its original hours were restored 91 69 93 On November 1 2021 the entrance to the northeastern corner of Madison Avenue and 47th Street was closed long term to accommodate the construction of 270 Park Avenue 91 70 93 After Grand Central Madison begins full service Grand Central North will be open from 5 30 a m until 2 a m seven days a week 91 71 93 Other spaces on the main floor Edit Vanderbilt Hall Edit Vanderbilt Hall c 1913The Tournament of Champions squash championship in 2012 Vanderbilt Hall is an event space on the south side of the terminal between the main entrance and the Main Concourse to its north 91 32 93 The space is lit by Beaux Arts chandeliers each with 132 bulbs on four tiers 91 72 93 Vanderbilt Hall was formerly the main waiting room for the terminal used particularly by intercity travelers The space featured double sided oak benches and could seat 700 people 91 73 93 When intercity service ceased at Grand Central in 1991 hundreds of homeless people began using the room The terminal s managers first removed the room s benches before closing the space entirely 91 N 4 93 In 1998 the hall was renovated and renamed after the Vanderbilt family which built and owned the station 91 39 93 It is used for the annual Christmas Market 91 75 93 as well as for special exhibitions and private events 91 76 93 From 2016 to 2020 the west half of the hall held the Great Northern Food Hall an upscale Nordic themed food court with five pavilions The food hall was the first long term tenant of the space the terminal s landmark status prevents permanent installations 91 77 93 91 78 93 Since 1999 Vanderbilt Hall has hosted the annual Tournament of Champions squash championship 91 79 93 Each January tournament officials construct a free standing glass enclosed 21 by 32 foot 6 4 by 9 8 160 m squash court Like a theatre in the round spectators sit on three sides of the court 91 80 93 South of Vanderbilt Hall is the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Foyer which leads south to the main entrance on 42nd Street 91 81 93 91 82 93 A men s smoking room and women s waiting room were formerly located on the west and east sides of Vanderbilt Hall respectively 91 77 93 In 2016 the men s room was renovated into Agern an 85 seat Nordic themed fine dining and Michelin starred restaurant operated by Noma co founder Claus Meyer 91 83 93 who also ran the food hall 91 77 93 Both venues permanently closed in 2020 during the COVID 19 pandemic 91 78 93 City Winery signed a lease for both the food hall and the Agern space in 2022 91 84 93 91 85 93 The firm opened a wine bar a quick service restaurant named City Jams and a farm to table restaurant named Cornelius in these spaces that November 91 86 93 91 87 93 Biltmore Room Edit Newsstand in the Biltmore Room 2017 The Biltmore Room is a 64 by 80 foot 20 by 24 160 m marble hall 91 88 93 northwest of the Main Concourse that serves as an entrance to tracks 39 through 42 91 32 93 Completed in 1915 91 89 93 directly beneath the New York Biltmore Hotel 91 88 93 it originally served as a waiting room for intercity trains known formally as the incoming train room and colloquially as the Kissing Room 91 89 93 As the station s passenger traffic declined in mid century the room fell into neglect In 1982 and 1983 the room was damaged during the construction that converted the Biltmore Hotel into the Bank of America Plaza In 1985 Giorgio Cavaglieri was hired to restore the room which at the time had cracked marble and makeshift lighting During that era a series of lockers was still located within the Biltmore Room 91 90 93 Later the room held a newsstand flower stand and shoe shine booths 91 89 93 91 91 93 In 2015 the MTA awarded a contract to refurbish the Biltmore Room into an arrival area for Long Island Rail Road passengers as part of the East Side Access project 91 92 93 As part of the project the room s booths and stands were replaced by a pair of escalators and an elevator to Grand Central Madison s deep level concourse 91 89 93 91 91 93 The room s blackboard displayed the arrival and departure times of New York Central trains until 1967 91 35 93 when a mechanical board was installed in the Main Concourse 91 88 93 Station Master s Office Edit Doorway and front deskTicketed waiting area The Station Master s Office located near Track 36 has Grand Central s only dedicated waiting room The space has benches restrooms and a floral mixed media mural on three of its walls The room s benches were previously located in the former waiting room now known as Vanderbilt Hall Since 2008 the area has offered free Wi Fi 91 93 93 Former theatre Edit Central Cellars interior the theater projection window is at the top left One of the retail areas of the Graybar Passage currently occupied by wine and liquor store Central Cellars was formerly the Grand Central Theatre or Terminal Newsreel Theatre 91 94 93 91 95 93 Opened in 1937 with 25 cent admission the theater showed short films cartoons and newsreels 91 96 93 from 9 a m to 11 p m 91 97 93 91 98 93 Designed by Tony Sarg it had 242 stadium style seats and a standing room section with armchairs A small bar sat near the entrance 91 99 93 The theater s interior had simple pine walls spaced out to eliminate echos along with an inglenook a fireplace and an illuminated clock for the convenience of travelers The walls of the lobby dubbed the appointment lounge were covered with world maps the ceiling had an astronomical mural painted by Sarg 91 94 93 The New York Times reported a cost of 125 000 for the theater s construction which was attributed to construction of an elevator between the theater and the suburban concourse as well as air conditioning and apparatuses for people hard of hearing 91 98 93 The theater stopped showing newsreels by 1968 91 100 93 but continued operating until around 1979 when it was gutted for retail space 91 97 93 A renovation in the early 2000s removed a false ceiling revealing the theater s projection window and its astronomical mural which proved similar in colors and style to the Main Concourse ceiling 91 96 93 Dining Concourse Edit Dining Concourse food stalls and track entrancesOne of several public seating areas Access to the lower level tracks is provided by the Dining Concourse located below the Main Concourse and connected to it by numerous stairs ramps and escalators For decades it was called the Suburban Concourse because it handled commuter rail trains 91 28 93 Today it has central seating and lounge areas surrounded by restaurants and food vendors 91 32 93 The shared public seating in the concourse was designed resembling Pullman traincars 91 39 93 These areas are frequented by the homeless and as a result in the mid 2010s the MTA created two areas with private seating for dining customers 91 101 93 The terminal s late 1990s renovation added stands and restaurants to the concourse and installed escalators to link it to the main concourse level 91 39 93 The MTA also spent 2 2 million to install two circular terrazzo designs by David Rockwell and Beyer Blinder Belle each 45 feet in diameter over the concourse s original terrazzo floor 91 102 93 Since 2015 part of the Dining Concourse has been closed for the construction of stairways and escalators to the new LIRR terminal being built as part of East Side Access 91 103 93 A small square framed clock is installed in the ceiling near Tracks 108 and 109 It was manufactured at an unknown time by the Self Winding Clock Company which made several others in the terminal The clock hung inside the gate at Track 19 until 2011 when it was moved so it would not be blocked by lights added during upper level platform improvements 91 104 93 Lost and found bureau Edit MTA Police and lost and found offices Metro North s lost and found bureau sits near Track 100 at the far east end of the Dining Concourse Incoming items are sorted according to function and date for instance there are separate bins for hats gloves belts and ties 91 105 93 91 106 93 The sorting system was computerized in the 1990s 91 107 93 Lost items are kept for up to 90 days before being donated or auctioned off 91 54 93 91 108 93 As early as 1920 the bureau received between 15 000 and 18 000 items a year 91 109 93 By 2002 the bureau was collecting 3 000 coats and jackets 2 500 cellphones 2 000 sets of keys 1 500 wallets purses and ID s 32 91 sic 93 and 1 100 umbrellas a year 91 107 93 By 2007 it was collecting 20 000 items a year 60 of which were eventually claimed 91 108 93 In 2013 the bureau reported an 80 return rate among the highest in the world for a transit agency 91 110 93 91 54 93 Some of the more unusual items collected by the bureau include fake teeth prosthetic body parts legal documents diamond pouches live animals and a 100 000 violin 91 106 93 91 108 93 One story has it that a woman purposely left her unfaithful husband s ashes on a Metro North train before collecting them three weeks later 91 54 93 91 108 93 In 1996 some of the lost and found items were displayed at an art exhibition 91 111 93 Floor plan of the Dining Level Other food service and retail spaces Edit Entrance to the Oyster BarThe Campbell Bar Grand Central Terminal contains restaurants such as the Grand Central Oyster Bar amp Restaurant and various fast food outlets surrounding the Dining Concourse There are also delis bakeries a gourmet and fresh food market and an annex of the New York Transit Museum 91 112 93 91 113 93 The 40 plus retail stores include newsstands and chain stores including a Starbucks coffee shop a Rite Aid pharmacy and an Apple Store 91 32 93 91 114 93 The Oyster Bar the oldest business in the terminal sits next to the Dining Concourse and below Vanderbilt Hall 91 32 93 91 77 93 An elegantly restored cocktail lounge the Campbell sits just south of the 43rd Street Vanderbilt Avenue entrance A mix of commuters and tourists access it from the street or the balcony level 91 32 93 The space was once the office of 1920s tycoon John W Campbell who decorated it to resemble the galleried hall of a 13th century Florentine palace 91 115 93 91 116 93 In 1999 it opened as a bar the Campbell Apartment a new owner renovated and renamed it the Campbell in 2017 91 117 93 Vanderbilt Tennis Club and former studios Edit The Vanderbilt Tennis Club s court From 1939 to 1964 CBS Television occupied a large portion of the terminal building particularly in a third floor space above Vanderbilt Hall 91 118 93 91 119 93 The CBS offices called The Annex 91 119 93 contained two program control facilities 43 and 44 network master control facilities for local station WCBS TV 91 118 93 91 119 93 91 120 93 and after World War II two 700 000 square foot 65 000 160 m2 production studios 41 and 42 91 121 93 The total space measured 225 160 ft 160 60 160 ft 160 40 160 ft 69 160 m 160 18 160 m 160 12 160 m 91 122 93 Broadcasts were transmitted from an antenna atop the nearby Chrysler Building installed by order of CBS chief executive William S Paley 91 120 93 91 121 93 and were also shown on a large screen in the Main Concourse 91 121 93 In 1958 CBS opened the world s first major videotape operations facility in Grand Central Located in a former rehearsal room on the seventh floor the facility used 14 Ampex VR 1000 videotape recorders 91 118 93 91 119 93 Douglas Edwards with the News broadcast from Grand Central for several years covering John Glenn s 1962 Mercury Atlas 6 space flight and other events Edward R Murrow s See It Now originated there including his famous broadcasts on Senator Joseph McCarthy which were recreated in George Clooney s movie Good Night and Good Luck although the film incorrectly implies that CBS News and corporate offices were in the same building The long running panel show What s My Line was first broadcast from Grand Central as were The Goldbergs and Mama CBS eventually moved its operations to the CBS Broadcast Center on 57th Street 91 118 93 91 119 93 91 121 93 In 1966 the vacated studio space was converted into the Vanderbilt Athletic Club a sports club named for the hall just below 91 118 93 91 119 93 91 123 93 91 124 93 Founded by Geza A Gazdag an athlete and Olympic coach who fled Hungary amid its 1956 revolution 91 125 93 its two tennis courts were once deemed the most expensive place to play the game 58 an hour until financial recessions forced the club to lower the hourly fee to 40 91 125 93 Club amenities included a 65 by 30 foot 19 8 160 m 160 9 1 160 m nylon ski slope a health club facility and sauna and spaces for golf fencing gymnastics and ballet practice 91 126 93 91 127 93 Gazdag s business was evicted from Grand Central in 1976 amid a lease dispute 91 128 93 In 1984 the club was purchased by real estate magnate Donald Trump who discovered it while renovating the terminal s exterior 91 129 93 In 2009 the MTA planned a new conductor lounge in the space and terminated Trump s lease that year It divided the space into three floors with the lounge on the original third floor A single tennis court was added on the new fourth floor in 2010 along with two practice alleys on the new fifth floor Trump found the new space too small to release and so the current Vanderbilt Tennis Club operates independent of Trump 91 119 93 Basement spaces Edit Grand Central Terminal s 48 acre 19 160 ha basements are among the largest in the city 91 130 93 Basement spaces include M42 which has AC to DC converters to power the track s third rails 91 131 93 91 132 93 as well as Carey s Hole a former retail storage space and present day employee lounge and dormitory 91 133 93 Power and heating plants Edit Rotary converter relics in the M42 basement Grand Central Terminal contains an underground sub basement known as M42 Its electrical substation is divided into substation 1T which provides 16 500 kilowatts 22 100 160 hp for third rail power and substation 1L which provides 8 000 kilowatts 11 000 160 hp for other lighting and power 91 131 93 The substation the world s largest at the time was built about 100 feet 30 160 m under the Graybar Building at a cost of 3 million and opened February 16 1930 91 131 93 91 134 93 It occupies a four story space with an area of 250 by 50 feet 76 by 15 160 m 91 131 93 91 132 93 Carey s Hole Edit 1913 map showing the space beneath Carey s barbershop Another part of the basement is known as Carey s Hole The two story section is directly beneath the Shuttle Passage and adjacent spaces In 1913 when the terminal opened J P Carey opened a barbershop adjacent to and one level below the terminal s waiting room now Vanderbilt Hall Carey s business expanded to include a laundry service shoe store and haberdashery In 1921 Carey also ran a limousine service using Packard cars and in the 1930s he added regular car and bus service to the city s airports as they opened Carey would store his merchandise in an unfinished underground area of the terminal which railroad employees and maintenance staff began calling Carey s Hole The name has remained even as the space has been used for different purposes including currently as a lounge and dormitory for railroad employees 91 133 93 Platforms and tracks Edit c 1909 layout of the upper level mainline tracks top and lower level suburban tracks bottom showing balloon loops The terminal holds the Guinness World Record for having the most platforms of any railroad station 91 135 93 28 which support 44 platform numbers All are island platforms except one side platform 91 136 93 Odd numbered tracks are usually on the east side of the platform even numbered tracks on the west side As of 2016 91 update 93 there are 67 tracks of which 43 are in regular passenger use serving Metro North 91 137 93 91 138 93 At its opening the train shed contained 123 tracks including duplicate track numbers and storage tracks 91 138 93 with a combined length of 19 5 miles 31 4 160 km 91 139 93 The tracks slope down as they exit the station to the north to help departing trains accelerate and arriving ones slow down 91 140 93 Because of the size of the rail yards Park Avenue and its side streets from 43rd to 59th Streets are raised on viaducts and the surrounding blocks were covered over by various buildings 91 141 93 At its busiest the terminal is served by an arriving train every 58 seconds 91 110 93 Track distribution Edit vteGrand Central track map Legend Metro North upper level 32 Park Avenue Tunnelto Harlem 125th Street 32 59th Street unused to lower level to lower level 65636159565452 Mail baggage platforms 6460555351 9290 939182 9483 42403836343229272523201816141197531 4139373533302826242119171513108642 Grand Central Metro North lower level to upper level to upper level 185184182180 183 141 160138136134 137135 img, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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