Amtrak Grand Central Terminal Operations

...........and, of course, an architectural treasure.

Talk about a 'photo line'; when I last went through GCT this past August on a Saturday afternoon, there was a 'photo line' at the
Vanderbilt Ave entrance (former hack stand until 9/11) - and I don't many, if any, were railfans. But I was starting to think, when I ascended to street level, as this was the most convenient way for me to get out of there) I was breaching a 'photo line' on a fantrip.

25Hz wrote:The big issue with ESA loading gauge is the east river double deck tunnel, the top level of which the NYC subway F train uses. If the tunnel were not in use on the top level they might be able to modify it, but that as they say is the way it is.

Just to forestall a host of "why did they design it like that?" questions/complaints, I think it's worth noting that said double-deck tunnel was built in 1969-70. ESA actually dates back to that time, but (like the 2nd Ave. Subway) construction was stalled when the City essentially went broke in the mid-1970's. A few years back, when the MTA restarted construction, they had an exhibit in GCT with the original architectural renderings from the mid-1960's, showing men wearing Mad Men-style skinny neckties and fedoras riding under the East River in M1's.

Yeah, we've covered that to some extent. The most restrictive segments of the ESA tunnels were built long before the bi-levels (and even the M7's) were a twinkle in the LIRR's eye.

Ha Mad Men-style skinny ties are back in. I don't wear them because I'd feel like an idiot, but you see people wearing them all the time now. Especially those of us into high fashion or that work in advertising.

In other words, now we know Tadman's no hipster

One issue i've had with using the subwway to connect (IRT only) to GCT is when the shuttle is out of service you gotta walk all the way down to the pit bottom of the earth to hop on the 7. I'd probably mind less if the air was less stale and dusty. The other issue with the moynahan bit is you walk to the 8th ave line, then you gotta walk a block and a quarter to get to the shuttle or down the pit to the 7. For someone like myself i do this without a thought, but, you know it just seems not very elegant solution. Perhaps a moving walkway to connect the 7 to penn underground would help?

An 8 block long moving walkway? Or are you talking about after the Hudson Yards station is open (that would still be quite a long moving walkway)? Anyways, the (7) only really resembles a 'pit' on the Grand Central side. It's not that deep or hard to get to in Times Square (especially coming off the (A)(C)(E)).

But it doesn't matter all that much because the shuttle runs all times except late nights (12:01am-6am daily).

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/199 ... nce-trains" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Last train was April 6 1991 271 to Albany

When Amtrak trains served Grand Central were they confined to tracks 38 to 42 (the ones that continue to the loop) or did they also use the stub end tracks? If the latter is also the case how were inbound consists turned for the next run?

arrival was on the loop tracks for standard consists, the MN Niagara Jct switchers (E10b) would pull train around loop and shove it in to its departure track (24/25/26/27.
the Turbo's came in on their departure tracks .

The turbos were bidirectional, though even they came in on the loop tracks often.

I had an emergency engineer's job at Grand Central Terminal for some time in the mid 80's. We regularly handled Amtrak equipment. A train would come in on the loop with an FL-9 and coaches, a yard crew would take the whole train around the loop and place the Amtrak equipment on a track in the East Yard unless it was going out very soon which was not usually the case. The same move with the Turbo Trains but in this case they did not use a yard crew but rather an emergency engineer would take the train around the loop change ends and put it in the East Yard. I believe 48l and 49 were handled by a yard crew using a yard engine. Amtrak trains were often scheduled for departure on tracks 23 or 24 and the yard crew would take the train from the East Yard to 23 or 24 as the case may be. Train 49 also came out of the East Yard and often it left from track 18. To sum it up, light engines off trains were handled by emergency engineers and so was the Turbo Trains but otherwise a yard crew (engineer, conductor and at least one trainman) would handle the move.
Hope this answers your questions.
Noel Weaver

Noel I made the moves many times, had my OJT with Mr Winchell , Barney Menk, and switcher with Don Bisonette , been there done that

Now there's some names I remember, good guys all of them. I liked working in the emergency room (Track 19). I said we put the Turbos in the East Yard but sometimes I think we went right back in to 23 or 24 with them too, it all depended on the time. Most of my time in Track 19 was middle trick although for a while I had a relief job which worked two last tricks (Friday and Saturday nights one man job).
Noel Weaver

now I am retired my son Brian is working the room at night, almost 50 years difference in age with you.