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Bush used it to secretly escape the public. Track 61, that shares a platform with track 63, was originally used for other purposes but some famous people like President Franklin D. The terminal has a secret underground passage that leads to the Waldorf Astoria hotel.According to Grand Central’s founder Cornelius Vanderbilt this was on purpose because it was supposed to be seen from a divine perspective. If you look up at the giant zodiac paintings you may notice that it’s painted backwards. The celestial images on the ceiling in the cathedral-like Main Concourse are painted in gold leaf.The Vanderbilt Tennis Club is open to the public and offers a unique sports environment. The terminal has a hidden tennis court on the rooftop, which was used by railroad executives in the 1920s and 1930s.Grand Central Terminal was nearly demolished in the 1960s to make way for a skyscraper, but a campaign led by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis helped to save it and preserve it as a national landmark.The clock above the information desk in the main concourse is not only known from movies & TV, but also meant when New Yorkers say “Meet me at the clock”. But despite its size, it is probably only the second most famous clock in Grand Central Terminal. The terminal is home to the world’s largest Tiffany clock, which is located on the outside at 42nd Street and Park Avenue on top of the building.The acoustics are such that a person standing in one corner can hear a whisper from someone standing in the opposite corner, despite the noise of the terminal. Grand Central Terminal has its own “Whispering Gallery” located in the main concourse next to the Grand Central Oyster Bar.It opened in February, 1913, and the rest, as they say, is history!Īnd one of our favorite things to do after getting to know Grand Central Terminal? Heading up to SUMMIT One Vanderbilt! To learn more about getting tickets to one of the best views of New York City (it has the second-highest outdoor deck in NYC!), head over to our guide here.
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The building was torn down, and construction on what would become the Grand Central Terminal began in 1903. Unfortunately, a crash of two southbound trains in 1902 led to rewritten legislature and some big changes for Grand Central. In 1900, Grand Central Station was born, a dramatic feat of engineering that rivaled the Eiffel Tower and the Crystal Palace. As New York City grew in popularity, so did the use of its public transportation system, so this central terminal had to be expanded, too. That history began back with the construction of the Grand Central Depot in 1871.
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In fact, thanks to its stunning Beaux-Arts design, it has also been designated a National Historical Landmark.
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Grand Central Station, known more formally as Grand Central Terminal, is one of the most historic train stations in New York City. A Brief History of Grand Central Station NYC
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