The Great Train Tradition

While traveling by plane has lost much of its once vaunted allure, train travel has managed to keep a better grip on the grand rail tradition. While the United States doesn’t have anything quite as glamorous as the Orient Express, we do have some beautiful temples of transportation- aka train stations.

Once, New York has two beautiful train stations. The old Pennsylvania Railroad Station, and Grand Central Terminal. The old Penn Station was built by the famed architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White. The building was neoclassical in style, and its architecture was inspired by the Baths of Caracalla in Rome. It was a beautiful building full of light and elegant neoclassical details. Sadly, it was demolished in 1963 to make way for a new below ground station and the Madison Square Garden complex. While much work has been done to clear up the underground train station, nothing to can ever return it to its former grandeur. To see what the orginal Penn Station looked like check out: The Late, Great, Pennsylvania Station http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b3331826~S84

The tragic destruction of Penn Station would not be in vain. It would make lawmakers and the public more aware of the importance of preserving historic buildings and their magnificent architecture. The tearing down of Penn Station is what would save New York’s other great train station- Grand Central Terminal. While most call it Grand Central or Grand Central Station, Grand Central Terminal is its proper name.

The Terminal is celebrating it’s 100th Anniversary this year. It is the largest train station in the world with a total of 44 platforms. By contrast, Penn Station which handles nearly double the number of commuters only has 21).

Constructed on the site of a much smaller station Grand Central Terminal was built to meet the demands of increased rail travel.

The building itself is an architectural marvel. It’s exterior is heavily ornamented with sculptures and sculptural details based on French neo-classical examples. The interior has a grand central concourse where travelers enter to purchase their tickets and get additional information.

While the terminal itself is a New York City Landmark, it contains a well known unofficial landmark, the clock on top of the information booth. Many people through the years have said meet me at the clock!

While the Grand Concourse of the terminal is a beautiful space, don’t forget to look up. In 1998 the ceiling was restored to its former grandeur. The beautiful blue/green ceiling features astronomical designs and the constellations all of which are highlighted with small electric lights. The lights are not very visible during the day, but at night the effect can be stunning! For all of its beauty the ceiling does have a small problem, the sky is actually backwards! No one is quite sure how or why, but it has been that way since it was completed. Most are so awed by the beauty they don’t notice!

The station has some interesting hidden architectural details. The Gustavino Tile Vaults-  are a feature of the Oyster Bar Restaurant. They are unusual for the way the tile has been laid, and the fact that each tile has been scored to give it texture. The Oyster Bar is the only restaurant that has been continuously been in operation since the station was opened. It operated under other names, but there has always been a restaurant in that particular location. There is also a hidden apartment that was restored as part of the station’s reconstruction in the 1990s. It was originally owned by John W. Campbell a businessman who used the space as an office.  The apartment has been turned into a chic bar and fully restored with all of its original architectural details.

There are plenty of places to shop and dine in Grand Central, so it is well worth a visit even if you are not travelling.

For more about this historic New York City landmark and transportation hub check out:

Grand Central: How a Station Transformed America by Sam Roberts http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b4595351~S50

Grand Central Terminal: 100 Year of a New York Landmark http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b4607264~S50

Inside Grand Central- DVD http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b3769465~S50

Grand Central: Gateway to a Million Lives http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b2840793~S50

Grand Central has made some famous film appearance. Can you see it in these films?

North by Northwest http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b4188478~S84

Spellbound http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b3350985~S50

Men in Black http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b4170255~S50

Revolutionary Road http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b4169467~S50

Need help locating any of these items? Stop by the Reference Desk and the librarians will be happy to help.