Track 61 (New York City)

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.

For the industrial rail terminal track in South Boston, Massachusetts, see Track 61 (Boston).

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 The track was also reportedly set as an escape option for President George W. Bush, Colin Powell, and Condoleezza Rice in 2003, while in U.N. General Assembly meetings.[11] As of May 1, 2014, it has been reported to still be in occasional use.[1]

Roosevelt traincar
Baggage car mistakenly identified as Franklin D. Roosevelt's personal car

Track 63 held MNCW #002, a baggage car, for about 20 to 30 years. The railcar's location near Roosevelt's Track 61 led former tour guide Dan Brucker and others to falsely claim that this was the president's personal train car used for transporting his limousine. The baggage car was moved to the Danbury Railway Museum in 2019.[12][13]

See also

References
  1. 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. 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.
  11. https://untappedcities.com/2019/12/12/secret-fdr-train-car-no-longer-beneath-grand-central-and-was-never-his/
  12. https://untappedcities.com/2019/12/12/secret-fdr-train-car-no-longer-beneath-grand-central-and-was-never-his/
  13. https://www.nycurbanism.com/blog/2019/9/27/track-61

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