![]() The increase in electric services into the station brought about development of the suburbs around New York, as it was now much easier for commuters to reach Midtown Manhattan. The area above the underground tracks was developed into a business area, used in part to fund the building of the station. The information booth in the centre of the concourse contains a spiral staircase, connecting it with a similar booth on the lower level. ![]() The 3300 square metre hall later contained the famous Kodak Colorama display. The main concourse is on the same level as the upper platforms. The main concourse in the 1980s, with the Kodak Colorama in the background. The upper level of platforms was built for intercity trains, with the lower level serving commuter services. The original station building was demolished in 1910 and the new terminal was officially opened on 2nd February 1913. Nearly two and a half million cubic metres was excavated to accommodate the ten floors of the station. The existing station was demolished and rebuilt in three sections, one at a time, to minimise disruption to services. The architectural firm Reed and Stem was selected to oversee the whole project, with Warren and Wetmore brought in to design the exterior in the Beaux-Arts style.Ī plan of the lower level of platforms, showing the length of the tunnels and size covered by the platforms.The vertical lines are streets running between Madison Avenue and Lexington Avenue.Ĭonstruction began on 19th June 1903. The original building was torn down and the plans for the current building were drawn up. New York Central put together an improvement plan which involved electrifying the tracks and having all trains entering the station by tunnel. Due to fatal accidents, all steam trains were banned from Manhattan in 1908. In 1885 an annex with more platforms was added.īy the end of the 19th Century the station had reached its capacity. Improvements were made to the station in 1874 for the safety of pedestrians, with trains travelling through the Park Avenue Tunnel and entering the station from underground. This first station was called Grand Central Depot and was completed in 1871. The first station built on the site was a compromise between three companies – Hudson River Railroad, New York and Harlem Railroad, and the New York and New Haven Railroad. The original Grand Central Depot in the late 1800s. Grand Central is the third busiest station in North America and has 44 below ground platforms, split over two levels. The current station was built in 1913 by the New York Central Railroad on the location of two previous stations. It’s a definite must.Grand Central Station (or Grand Central Terminal as it is officially known) is a railway station located at the intersection of 42nd Street and Park Avenue on the island of Manhattan. A Must-Seeįew tourists miss out on visiting one of the most impressive halls in the world and one of the most famous train stations in the world. Apart from its size, it is also worthwhile taking a look at the decoration and ceiling. Vanderbilt Hall serves as the entrance area, and has over 12,000-square-feet of space. ![]() The most striking aspect of Grand Central Terminal is its hall. Over 100,000 people use this station on a daily basis, but the number has to be multiplied several times if you take into account all those that visit its shops, restaurants or simply visit and photograph the Train Station. This sale of the offices led to the construction of the Pam Am (now MetLife) skyscraper, 59 floors tall. To save the station a new shopping area was built inside Grand Central Station and the offices it had at the back of the building were sold. These, plus the fact that the price of land was increasing, put in jeopardy the existence of Grand Central Terminal. The Declineĭuring the 1950s, trains were no longer in such demand due to the boom of the automotive industry and the new residential areas in New York. The construction of the Grand Central Terminal came about due to the necessity of modernising the train system no longer using steam trains and including a lower level of tracks. The present building, opened in 1871, was built over the old Grand Central Station, a name still used by many to refer to the current train station.
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