Secrets below New York's Grand Central Terminal

[JCitron]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/se...d-central-terminal/vi-AAeb44b?ocid=spartandhp

A short-clip on the basement under GCT showing some of the ancient, early computer and electrical equipment used.

 

[cascaderailroad]

President (Correction: Roosevelt) private passenger car is still sitting down there, the railcar a compartment for carrying his private automobile, and an elevator that could transport his automobile

 

[JCitron]

President Truman's private passenger car is still sitting down there, the railcar a compartment for carrying his private automobile, and an elevator that could transport his automobile

There was an article about that in a Trains issue some years ago. I think President Roosevelt used the elevator as well. There's a picture of him somewhere in the car up in the lobby of GCT.

 

[whitepass]

That car was made for FDR, if it is that car, they can not get into it or get it out.

 

[MeowRailroad]

Why can't they get into it?

 

[jordon412]

Correction about the car:
The car sitting down there isn't on the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) roster. Also, the siding is no longer connected to the mainline. Plus there is an elevator next to it that was large enough for FDR's car to fit in. Even more interesting is that the siding isn't under GCT, but underneath the Waldorf Astoria hotel. This allowed FDR to get to the presidential suite in the Waldorf Astoria without the public seeing him in a wheelchair going from GCT to the hotel.

EDIT:
Here's some more info about the car. Judging by how it looks on several TV shows that it has appeared on, and the dialog in the shows, it is supposedly extremely heavy, like it was armored and intended to carry something, or someone very valuable.

 

[cascaderailroad]

Why can't they get into it?

Because it is rusted shut, and it has lotsa' inky dinky spiders, and yucky cobby webs inside it ... and only FDR had the keys ... and they are still in his pocket.

 

[simulatortrain]

I've also heard that it's a normal baggage car, and the people making the show didn't realize where the name "heavyweight" came from.

 

[gary6204]

Correction about the car:
The car sitting down there isn't on the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) roster. Also, the siding is no longer connected to the mainline. Plus there is an elevator next to it that was large enough for FDR's car to fit in. Even more interesting is that the siding isn't under GCT, but underneath the Waldorf Astoria hotel. This allowed FDR to get to the presidential suite in the Waldorf Astoria without the public seeing him in a wheelchair going from GCT to the hotel.

EDIT:
Here's some more info about the car. Judging by how it looks on several TV shows that it has appeared on, and the dialog in the shows, it is supposedly extremely heavy, like it was armored and intended to carry something, or someone very valuable.

Don't forget it has the X marking, meaning that it's government owned.

 

[wilh]

Don't forget it has the X marking, meaning that it's government owned.

Not necessarily, there are several hundred reporting marks that end in X, and the vast majority are not goverment owned.

From what I understand, MNCX is a variation of the Metro North reporting mark, specifically, the MOW variant.

 

[JCitron]

I've also heard that it's a normal baggage car, and the people making the show didn't realize where the name "heavyweight" came from.

The only experience the probably have with heavyweights is the people a the local supermarket. :hehe:

I wouldn't doubt it in the least...

 

[simulatortrain]

Not necessarily, there are several hundred reporting marks that end in X, and the vast majority are not goverment owned.

From what I understand, MNCX is a variation of the Metro North reporting mark, specifically, the MOW variant.

If I remember correctly, they claimed that in one of the shows, so he may be referencing that.