Grand Central Terminal Turns 100 Today.

Grand Central Terminal opened on February 1st, 1913.

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For the most part, train terminals are desperate places. They're an unavoidable evil linking us to somewhere else -- but not before assaulting us with tepid coffee, drafty waiting rooms and smelly, ugly ticket halls. Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal, which turns 100 this month, is a glorious exception.
But it's not just its iconic opal-faced clock (a century old and valued at more than $10 million), flawless marble staircases (modeled on those in the Paris Opera House) and gleaming chandeliers (fitted with 35,000 custom-designed, low-energy light bulbs) that lend Grand Central a sense of golden age grandeur.
The terminal -- not station, never station -- also has a fascinating history, with stories to rival Manhattan's better known, pointier landmarks.

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The story has some very interesting historical anecdotes too.

Memorable moments in Grand Central's 100 years

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I had not realized it was newer than my dad.

There's an Apple store in grand central now.

Back during the 1970's when I was twixt 18 and 20 I used to love to explore Grand Central Terminal. I used to love to see where different stairways, tunnels, and pathways led. I remember getting a beautiful view of the main terminal from up near the ceiling when I discovered the walkways that ran in between the huge windows. I allways had a deep admiration and fascination with Grand Central.

Then there are a lot of oddities. Like the hole in the ceiling that was made in 1957 in order to enable a Redstone missile to be put on display in the main terminal concourse.

A few more oddities here

http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.81203...inal-1.1382517

GCT Virtual Tour

Virtual Tourist GCT

GCT Panorama (scroll up to see the famous celestial ceiling)

Panorama of elevated GCT Street

New York Times Special Reprint of a Century Ago.

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"Well below the main concourse is a room with ancient machinery that was targeted by German saboteurs during World World II."
Targeted but never carried out. That ancient machinery is a bank of rotary converters and electrical controls that powered trains in the terminal. Today it's all solid state in another room.

"In this room, there’s even a red button that could halt train traffic above."
That's the emergency kill switch, there's one on the modern control panel as well.

There's another point of interest on the top level of the terminal building. Formerly the private office and salon of 1920's tycoon, John W. Campbell; The Campbell Apartment has been fully restored to its original splendor and reborn as a chic cocktail lounge that has already been cited in the national media as one of "the best bars in America". The Apartment is open Monday-Saturday from 3pm to 1am, Sunday from 3pm to midnight, and is always available for private parties. Proper attire (no baseball caps, t-shirts, athletic shoes, etc.) is required. In other words they have a Jersey Shore policy; no shirt, no shoes, no service.

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Grand Central Terminal is fabulous, no argument there. I do have to take issue with the person who wrote that train stations are "desperate places," however. Quite the contrary. Even San Diego's own Santa Fe station, while lacking the immensity and grandeur of GCT, is quite beautiful and welcoming to the traveler.

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Originally Posted by KJ6BSO

Grand Central Terminal is fabulous, no argument there. I do have to take issue with the person who wrote that train stations are "desperate places," however. Quite the contrary. Even San Diego's own Santa Fe station, while lacking the immensity and grandeur of GCT, is quite beautiful and welcoming to the traveler.

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Beautiful station Carl. Very airy and light.

I have to agree with you. I rode on New Jersey Transit and on the LIRR within the last year and like Metro-North, most stations were modern and clean with LED schedules that were kept up to date. Most of the stations on the Metro North System are airy, clean and rarely do you see the kind of squalor that is commonplace on the subways of NYC. The one that serves my area overlooks the Hudson River and the mountains across the way to the west. Some pics follow.

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Metro-North recently completed significant renovations to the interior and exterior of the building, which was built in 1911 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by Warren and Wetmore, the architects of Grand Central Terminal.

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But it is also 2 years older than GCT.

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Eh, the LIRR must have cleaned up its act, when I was riding some years ago stations left a lot to be desired and Jamaica was the pits. NJT still leaves much to be desired overall but some stations are great like Lackawanna Terminal in Hoboken. It's been restored and well kept, ferry service is back too. I have lots of pictures showing the finer points but these two give a good overview, one literally and on the right is Frank Sinatra Park.