Grand Central Terminal
A major commuter rail terminal in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, opened in 1913 and known for its Beaux-Arts architecture and grand Main Concourse.
Main Concourse: The central hall of Grand Central Terminal, distinguished by its vaulted ceiling, astronomical mural, and information booth. This vast public room is the terminal’s architectural and visual centerpiece.
Cornelius Vanderbilt: An American railroad and shipping magnate who built a transportation empire in the nineteenth century. His railroad companies established the enterprise that developed Grand Central.
Railway electrification: The use of electric power to propel trains instead of onboard steam or diesel engines. Electric traction made extensive underground train operations possible at Grand Central.
Grand Central Partnership: A business improvement district responsible for public-space management and services in Midtown Manhattan. Its work reflects the commercial district that grew around the terminal.
Grand Central Terminal tracks: The rail infrastructure beneath Grand Central Terminal, arranged on two levels with 67 tracks. Its extensive track system handles commuter trains beneath the landmark halls.
Grand Central Depot: A railway station opened in 1871 on the site later occupied by Grand Central Terminal. It was the terminal’s predecessor before the 1913 building replaced it.
Park Avenue Tunnel: A rail tunnel carrying Metro-North trains beneath Park Avenue in Manhattan. It connects the terminal’s tracks with routes running north through the city.
Grand Central Terminal in popular culture: The terminal’s recurring representation in films, literature, photography, and other media. Its recognizable spaces have made the building a frequent setting and symbol.
Beaux-Arts architecture: An architectural style emphasizing classical forms, symmetry, elaborate ornament, and monumental composition. The terminal’s monumental design draws on this style’s classical vocabulary.
Park Avenue Tunnel crash: A 1902 train collision in New York’s Park Avenue Tunnel that killed 15 people. The disaster accelerated the removal of steam locomotives from Manhattan rail approaches.