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Track 61 (New York City)

Coordinates: 40°45′23″N 73°58′27″W / 40.75639°N 73.97417°W / 40.75639; -73.97417
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For the industrial rail terminal track in South Boston, Massachusetts, see Track 61 (Boston).

Track 61 is a storage track abutting a private railroad platform on the Metro-North Railroad in Manhattan, New York City. It is located beneath the Waldorf Astoria New York hotel, within an underground storage yard northeast of Grand Central Terminal.[1][2] The platform is part of the Grand Central Terminal complex.

History

Track 61 is part of the "Lex Yard", a twelve-track storage yard under the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. It shares a platform with track 63, to its west. A similar platform exists between tracks 53 and 54, to the east.[3] The yard was built during the construction of Grand Central Terminal in the 1910s, and served the terminal's power station and heating plant. The platforms at tracks 61/63 and 53/54 were originally used to carry ashes away. The power plant was demolished in 1930 to make way for the hotel.[4]: 150 

The platform was not originally intended to be used as a station, but its location made it ideal for unobtrusive access to the Waldorf Astoria when the hotel was built.[4]: 164 [5] Track 61 was famously used by General John J. Pershing in 1938; by Franklin Delano Roosevelt during World War II in 1944; and by General Douglas MacArthur in 1951.[6][7][4]: 163  The track was also used for the exhibition of American Locomotive Company's new diesel locomotive in 1946;[4]: 166  a fashion show by Filene's and the New Haven Railroad in 1948;[8] a charity-benefit dinner in 1955;[9] and an event featuring Andy Warhol in 1965.[10] The 1946 event was the only event in which Track 61 was open to the public.[4]: 164 

In 1978, there were plans to convert Track 61 into a platform for Amtrak trains, though this never happened.[4]: 163  As of May 1, 2014, it has been reported to still be in occasional use.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Forrest Wickman (May 1, 2014). "Is the Secret Subway in the New Spider-Man Real? Explained". Slate.
  2. ^ Ella Morton. "Track 61". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  3. ^ Green, Richard E. (2009). Metro-North Railroad Track Map (Map). § Grand Central Terminal.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Robins, A.W.; New York Transit Museum (2013). Grand Central Terminal: 100 Years of a New York Landmark. ABRAMS. ISBN 978-1-61312-387-4. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  5. ^ Joseph Brennan (2002). "Grand Central Terminal, Waldorf-Astoria platform". Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  6. ^ Carlson, Jen. "A Look Inside Track 61, The Secret Train Platform Under The Waldorf-Astoria". Gothamist. Archived from the original on 2016-10-11. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  7. ^ Margaret Heidenry, for. "Secrets of New York: Track 61 and Grand Central's M42". CNN. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  8. ^ Pope, Virginia (1948-06-11). "TOUCH OF CAPE COD AT GRAND CENTRAL; Models Disport on Balcony in Beach Togs in Show by Filene and Railroad". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  9. ^ "DYSTROPHY GROUP WILL GAIN IN FETE; Dinner Cotillion Here New Year's Eve to Be Benefit for Westchester Chapter". The New York Times. 1955-12-11. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  10. ^ Alexander, Dolores (October 1, 1965). "Now It's The Underground Party" (PDF). Newsday. Newsday. p. 97. Retrieved January 14, 2019.

External links

40°45′23″N 73°58′27″W / 40.75639°N 73.97417°W / 40.75639; -73.97417

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