GCT Loop Track

How often is the upper level loop track used these days? What are the reasons to use it? When used, do trains always go from the Track 40 side to Track 1 side, or is it possible to use it the other direction?

every day it is used some trains go around to get to yard near waldorf astoria.

It's also used frequently for other equipment being towed. Last Sunday a GP-35 came south from Brewster towing a dead Gennie to GCT. It landed on track 40, changed crews and looped to go back north to Harmon Shops.

I was always wondering if the loop on the lower level, comming from track 200 will be cut off completely on the west side (due to ESA) or will there be at least one track that will be kept to keep the loop function?

The lower level loop has been out of service for quite a while now. It doesn't connect to anything anymore. Only part of it remains in service as a storage track.

(NOT my video) saw this - almost a week ago, a consist of M3As arriving off the upper level loop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS5T3j4h5r8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(kinda wished he had been more parallel with the walkway so you could see down the passage a little, but safety first! Also, Every time I'm by that platform, and see that graffiti, I scratch my head. "Dentist"? Who the hekk risks possible arrest (with the security cameras there especially) just to write "Dentist" on the wall?

Grand Central was actually built with three loop tracks. There was one on the upper level and two on the lower level. The inner loop on the lower level was taken out of service in the 1940s when cars became too long to navigate its tight curvature. You can still see some remnants of the track at the end of 101 track and 117.

I thought that the inner loop was in service for the old NYC heavyweight MU cars until they were retired in 1971. The PC Metropolitan Region ETT as late as 2/1/71 lists a restriction for "All cars and engines except PC multiple unit cars in 1200 series inclusive" for "G.C.T. Lower Level Track No. 103 between signals 19WA & 18W" and "Track No. 102 east of sign '6' located east of stairway." There are also restrictions for all but these cars listed for Tk.'s 115-117.

The same restrictions were still listed in the 12/8/74 ETT (although the old heavyweight MU's must have been retired for at least 3 years) so I'm assuming it was still there, and the restrictions were still listed in Conrail Metro Region G.O. 739 which has a revision date of 12/29/78, although at that point the restriction was for "All cars and engines."

Does anyone know when Tracks 102 and 103 were finally disconnected from the inner loop?