The secret railway platform Track-61, built in 1930, was built under New York’s Grand Central Terminal.
Have you ever heard that a secret railway platform has been built somewhere? That too for very special people. The same thing happened in New York. That New York which is in the news once again. Indian-origin Zoharan Mamdani has become the first Muslim and South Asian mayor of New York. Along with this, the railway station where the secret railway platform of New York is built is also being discussed.
Built in 1930, this secret railway platform was built beneath Grand Central Terminal. It is claimed that a train used to come here secretly and that special person was taken to the hotel connected to this railway line. The name of that special person was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Whereas he was not the only one to do so. Know, who was Franklin Delano Roosevelt and why was the secret railway platform built and what is its complete story.
Who was Franklin D. Roosevelt?
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the 32nd President of America. People also called him FDR. Franklin D. Roosevelt led America for 4 consecutive terms from 1933 to 1945. He brought America out of major crises like the Great Depression and World War II. This is the reason why Franklin D. Roosevelt is counted among the great leaders of America.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Roosevelt suffered from polio and remained in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, but he never let his illness prove to be a weakness. By bringing America out of the crisis, he became immortal in history forever.
How was the secret railway platform made?
Many claims are made about the secret railway platform Track-61, but The History report says, not all the tracks of Grand Central Terminal were originally built for passengers. It also included Track 61, which was constructed as a loading platform for freight traffic, and a steam powerhouse, which was once located at 49th Street and served the terminal as well as other nearby buildings.
This situation changed in 1929, when the Powerhouse closed and the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria Corporation leased the air rights over a portion of Grand Central’s extensive track network to build its new property. An article published in The New York Times on September 8, 1929, claimed that there was “a private railway siding beneath the building” from which guests with private rail cars could “disembark by a special elevator which takes them directly to their suites or the lobby.”Although this track was already present before the hotel, the lift was new.
Track-61 was connected to a part of the hotel.
What do experts say?
Michelle Young, assistant professor of architecture at Columbia University and founder of Untappd New York, says, “It is true that an elevator and stairs connect the Track 61 platform to the exterior of the hotel, but this elevator is believed to have been built during the construction of the Waldorf-Astoria. It appears to open into the garage, not directly into the hotel.”
This track was made available only in rare circumstances, especially to high-end hotel guests.On April 21, 1938, it was claimed in The New York Times that General John J. Pershing was the first to use the Waldorf-Astoria track. Pershing had come to New York City from Tucson, where he was resting in a sanatorium after suffering from rheumatism, in February. He was allowed to use this track to save himself extra effort on the last leg of his journey for his son’s marriage.
Track-61 platform was also used by American President Roosevelt.
It is also claimed that this platform was also used by American President Roosevelt. Due to polio, he lived in a wheelchair. At that time he did not want to show his illness publicly, so that his weakness would not be visible. Therefore, whenever he stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, his train came directly to this secret platform. From there one could directly reach inside the hotel through a special elevator.
At present Track-61 is closed to the general public, but the history here is still a mystery to the people. Different types of stories make their place on social media from time to time.
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