Grand Central: Grand by Design

J.M. Syken

Course Outline

In this course, we will examine the background and history of “The Gateway to a Continent” – Grand Central Terminal in New York City. We will examine the background of the development of the early railroad terminals on Manhattan Island and the associated problems/solutions of/for providing train service into and out of Manhattan. The life of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt (a.k.a. “The Commodore”) and his efforts to “assimilate” three separate railroads into one and consolidate their operations at a midtown “Grand Central Depot” in the post-Civil War era will be discussed in depth and detail.

The shortcomings of Grand Central’s first incarnation as a depot and its later expansion into “Grand Central Station” (1900) will also be discussed as well as the on-going problem of steam locomotive service and insufficient capacity. The solution to both problems: electric traction and sale of “air rights” to finance a major expansion of the Grand Central facility into a state-of-the-art “Terminal” will be the focus of discussion. The decline of rail travel in the post-WWII years and the terminal’s fall from grace, the fight to save Grand Central from the wrecker’s ball, its revitalization and future plans (i.e. the LIRR’s East-Side Access project) will also be discussed.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, the student will:

• Understand/appreciate the background of railroad development in the early 19th century and the evolution of depots, stations and terminals on Manhattan Island;
• Understand/appreciate the role of “The Commodore” – Cornelius Vanderbilt, in the consolidation and amalgamation of separate railroad lines to form one of the nation’s great railroads: The New York Central;
• Understand/appreciate the need for a central facility to consolidate railroad operations and how/why Grand Central Depot (1871) was created to serve that need;
• Understand/appreciate the shortcomings of the design of the depot including grade level tracks and insufficient capacity;
• Understand/appreciate the reasons for the sinking of the tracks serving the depot below Fourth (a.k.a. Park) Avenue;
• Understand/appreciate the improvements made to Park Avenue and the right-of-way serving Grand Central;
• Understand/appreciate the creation of an Annex (1885) and addition/renovation (1900) to increase passenger and track/platform capacity and how both fell short of the mark;
• Understand/appreciate the introduction and evolution of electric traction trains/trolleys and how this new technology would allow trains to travel underground free of the dangers posed by steam locomotives in tunnels;
• Understand/appreciate the January 1902 crash caused by low visibility in the Park Avenue Tunnel and how that tragedy was the catalyst for the creation of a new terminal;
• Understand/appreciate how William J. Wigus – Chief Engineer of the New York Central RR developed the plan to create a “Terminal City” whereby “air-rights” above the expanded subterranean train yard/shed would pay for the electrification of the Central’s lines, modernization and the new terminal complex;
• Understand/appreciate the unique structures associated with Terminal City (a.k.a. “The Grand Central Zone/District”)
• Understand/appreciate the difficulties in constructing the new terminal complex and its unique features both inside and outside;
• Understand/appreciate the design competition held for the new terminal and how it changed/influenced the final design of the terminal;
• Understand/appreciate the architectural/artistic features of the terminal’s exterior and interior and the terminals functional spaces;
• Understand/appreciate the reasons for the decline of GCT in the post-WWII years, threats from developers to destroy it in part or whole, the effort to save it and its ultimate rebirth as a NYC icon; and
• Understand/appreciate the second century of GCT including the LIRR’s East-Side Access (ESA) project and ideas for the surrounding midtown area.

Intended Audience

This course is intended for architects, engineers and other design professionals.

Benefit to Attendees

The attendee/s will gain an intimate knowledge and insight into New York City’s Beaux-Arts masterpiece: Grand Central Terminal.

Course Introduction

The course includes an extensive PowerPoint presentation.

Course Content

In this course, you are required to view/study the following slideshow and the materials contained in the following documents:

Grand By Design (parts 1 to 6) (printable handout in PDF, 12 MB, see Note A below for downloading instruction)
Grand By Design (parts 7 to 13) (printable handout in PDF, 13 MB, see Note A below for downloading instruction)
Grand By Design (parts 1 to 6) (non-printable slideshow for screen-viewing only, 54 MB, see Note A below for downloading instruction)
Grand By Design (parts 7 to 13) (non-printable slideshow for screen-viewing only, 70 MB, see Note A below for downloading instruction)

Note A: Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right-clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader from your computer.

Documentary Film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b4XQUE_u8o
(Film: Every Detail of Grand Central Explained -Architectural Digest - 18:17)

Course Summary

Perhaps no structure in all of New York City is more integral to its existence and smooth functioning than Grand Central Terminal. Located in the heart of the city’s midtown business district consisting of the “42nd Street Corridor” and the “Grand Central Zone,” 70% of the jobs located in this critical area are within walking distance of Grand Central. Though long-distance trains no longer arrive and/or depart its platforms, it serves commuters in two states and seven counties still providing easy access to the metropolis. Unlike Pennsylvania Station – Grand Central’s cross-town rival, it would not share the same ignominious fate thanks to the efforts of concerned citizens led by an inspired Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis whose tireless efforts on behalf of the great edifice gave the Beaux-Arts masterpiece a new lease on life. Unlike Penn Station; which always stood apart from the city surrounding it, Grand Central was/is an integral part of the city and the development that took/takes place all around it, particularly in the thirty block area of “Terminal City.” It was a simple yet ingenious idea whereby the air-rights above the train yard serving the terminal would pay back the improvement costs and then some. Chief Engineer of the New York Central RR William J. Wigus – who never reaped the rewards of his brainchild said it best: “Thus from the air would be taken wealth.” Indeed.

Related Links

For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Central_Terminal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Central_Railroad

http://archive.org/details/Arteries1941

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O3YsapSLGI
(Film - The East Side Access Project - O6:18)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HK5KQQzCD0
(Film - Inside the Tunnels - American Experience - 08:09)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epd3j2DWWYU
(Film: A Deep Dive Into NY's East Side Access Project - 05:36)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJi2-I18kW4
(Film: Ready to Build: Hudson Tunnel Project - 02:53)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSz0I9_lAVU
(Film: Hudson Tunnel Project Animation - 02:13)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M26t7O79QWI
(Film: Hudson River Tunnel and North Jersey Rail Connection - 08:31)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_MvbTxIbyY
(Film: Fixing Penn Station and Hudson River Tunnels - 35:04)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjrfyUPClSM
(Film: Why is the Air Above Grand Central Worth Millions? - 08:24)

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

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DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.

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