Editing Grand Central Terminal (section)

=== Platforms and tracks ===
{{multiple image| align = left| total_width = 320| direction = vertical
| footer = {{Circa|}} 1909 layout of the upper-level mainline tracks (''top'') and lower-level suburban tracks (''bottom''), showing [[balloon loop]]s
| image1 = RailUS GCT-upperTracksPlan.gif| alt1 = A diagram of the upper-level tracks and streets above
| image2 = RailUS GCT-lowerTracksPlan.gif| alt2 = A diagram of the lower-level tracks and streets above
}}
The terminal holds the [[Guinness World Records|Guinness World Record]] for having the most platforms of any railroad station:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-railway-station-(no-of-platforms)|title=Largest railway station (no. of platforms)|website=Guinness World Records|access-date=December 11, 2018|archive-date=March 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304083103/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-railway-station-(no-of-platforms)|url-status=live}}</ref> 28, which support 44 platform numbers. All are [[island platform]]s except one [[side platform]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nyctourist.com/grandcentral1.htm|title=Grand Central Terminal|work=nyctourist.com|access-date=March 3, 2015|archive-date=February 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225180856/http://www.nyctourist.com/grandcentral1.htm|url-status=usurped}}</ref> Odd-numbered tracks are usually on the east side of the platform; even-numbered tracks on the west side. {{As of|2016}}, there are 67 tracks, of which 43 are in regular passenger use, serving Metro-North.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interestingamerica.com/2010-12-08_Grand_Central_Terminal_by_Grigonis.html|title=Unknown Grand Central Terminal, New York City, New York|work=Interesting America|access-date=March 3, 2015|archive-date=August 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801063327/http://www.interestingamerica.com/2010-12-08_Grand_Central_Terminal_by_Grigonis.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="RN p. 136" /> At its opening, the train shed contained 123 tracks, including duplicate track numbers and storage tracks,<ref name="RN p. 136" /> with a combined length of {{Convert|19.5|mi|km|abbr=}}.<ref name="RN p. 138" />

The tracks slope down as they exit the station to the north, to help departing trains accelerate and arriving ones slow down.<ref name="Fitch Waite p. 4" /> Because of the size of the rail yards, Park Avenue and its side streets from 43rd to 59th Streets are raised on viaducts, and the surrounding blocks were covered over by various buildings.<ref>{{harvnb|ps=.|Robins|New York Transit Museum|2013|p=63}}</ref>

At its busiest, the terminal is served by an arriving train every 58 seconds.<ref name="Carlson 2015" />

{{clear left}}

==== Track distribution ====
{{GCT track map}}
The upper Metro-North level has 42 numbered tracks.<!-- viewed cross-sectionally at platform level, --> Twenty-nine serve passenger platforms; these are numbered 11 to 42, east to west.<ref name="RN p. 138" /><ref name=":42"/> Tracks 12, 22, and 31 do not exist, and appear to have been removed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Metro-North Railroad Track Charts, Maintenance Program, Interlocking Diagrams, & Yard Diagrams|publisher=Metro-North Railroad|page=84|url=https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/2647944/Operations-Metro-North-Railroad-Track-Charts.pdf|year=2015|access-date=May 12, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108132506/https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/2647944/Operations-Metro-North-Railroad-Track-Charts.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> To the east of the upper platforms sits the East Yard: ten storage tracks numbered 1 through 10 from east to west.<ref name="RN p. 136" /><ref name=":42"/> A [[balloon loop]] runs from Tracks 38–42 on the far west side of the station, around the other tracks, and back to storage Tracks 1–3 at the far east side of the station;<ref name=":42"/> this allows trains to turn around more easily.<ref>{{Cite AV media|url=http://www.gricer.com/gct/1-line-a.pdf|title=Grand Central Terminal, Upper Level|year=2004|first=Peter R.|last=Samson|access-date=March 3, 2015|archive-date=April 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417084350/http://www.gricer.com/gct/1-line-a.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Fitch Waite p. 5" />

North of the East Yard is the Lex Yard, a secondary storage yard under the [[Waldorf Astoria New York|Waldorf Astoria Hotel]].<ref name=":42"/> The yard formerly served the power plant for Grand Central Terminal.<ref name="RN p. 150" /> Its twelve tracks are numbered 51 through 65 from east to west (track numbers 57, 58, and 62 do not exist). Two private loading platforms, which cannot be used for passenger service, sit between tracks 53 and 54 and between [[Track 61 (New York City)|tracks 61]] and 63.<ref name=":42"/> Track 61 is known for being a private track for United States President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]; part of the original design of the Waldorf Astoria,<ref>{{harvnb|ps=.|Belle|Leighton|2000|p=67}}</ref> it was mentioned in ''The New York Times'' in 1929 and first used in 1938 by [[John J. Pershing]], a top U.S. general during World War I.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/gct61.html|title=Grand Central Terminal, Waldorf-Astoria platform|access-date=November 18, 2009|archive-date=November 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106232528/http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/gct61.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Roosevelt would travel into the city using his personal train, pull into Track 61, and take a specially designed elevator to the surface.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7830369.stm|title=The secret below Grand Central Station|date=January 16, 2009|access-date=January 17, 2009|work=BBC News|archive-date=August 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813054154/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7830369.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> It has been used occasionally since Roosevelt's death.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/gct61.html|title=Grand Central Terminal, Waldorf-Astoria platform|author=Joseph Brennan|year=2002|access-date=May 2, 2014|archive-date=November 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106232528/http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/gct61.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/05/01/fdr_secret_subway_in_the_amazing_spider_man_2_the_hidden_train_station_used.html|title=Is the Secret Subway in the New Spider-Man Real? Explained.|author=Forrest Wickman|date=May 1, 2014|magazine=Slate|access-date=May 7, 2015|archive-date=February 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216121850/http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/05/01/fdr_secret_subway_in_the_amazing_spider_man_2_the_hidden_train_station_used.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The upper level also contains 22 more storage sidings.<ref name="RN p. 138" /><ref name=":42"/>

[[File:GCT FDR Train Car-Untapped New York-Michelle Young.jpg|thumb|alt=An old windowless baggage car with rusting blue paint|Baggage car mistakenly identified as [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'s personal car, on display at the [[Danbury Railway Museum]]]]
Track 63 held MNCW #002, a [[baggage car]], for about 20 to 30 years. The railcar's location near Roosevelt's Track 61 led former tour guide Dan Brucker and others to falsely claim that this was the president's personal train car used for transporting his limousine. The baggage car was moved to the [[Danbury Railway Museum]] in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 12, 2019|title=Secret 'FDR Train Car' No Longer Beneath Grand Central (And Was Never His!)|url=https://untappedcities.com/2019/12/12/secret-fdr-train-car-no-longer-beneath-grand-central-and-was-never-his/|access-date=September 19, 2020|website=Untapped New York|language=en-US|archive-date=October 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030192205/https://untappedcities.com/2019/12/12/secret-fdr-train-car-no-longer-beneath-grand-central-and-was-never-his/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The 'FDR Car' Track 61 Myth|url=https://www.nycurbanism.com/blog/2019/9/27/track-61|access-date=October 1, 2020|website=NYC URBANISM|date=September 27, 2019|language=en-US|archive-date=May 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514082758/https://www.nycurbanism.com/blog/2019/9/27/track-61|url-status=live}}</ref>

The lower Metro-North level has 27 tracks numbered 100 to 126, east to west.<ref name="RN p. 136" /><ref name=":42"/><ref>{{Cite AV media|url=http://www.gricer.com/gct/1-line-b.pdf|title=Grand Central Terminal, Lower Level|year=2004|first=Peter R.|last=Samson|access-date=March 3, 2015|archive-date=December 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161207004341/http://www.gricer.com/gct/1-line-b.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Two were originally intended for mail trains and two were for baggage handling.<ref name="Schlichting pp. 62-63" /><ref name="nyt19041224" /> Today, only Tracks 102–112 and 114–115 are used for passenger service. The lower-level balloon loop, whose curve was much sharper than that of the upper-level loop and could only handle [[electric multiple units]] used on commuter lines<ref name="ENR1920 p. 501" /> was removed at an unknown date.<ref name="RN p. 136" /> Tracks 116–125 were demolished to make room for the [[Long Island Rail Road]] (LIRR) [[Grand Central Madison station|concourse constructed underneath the Metro-North station]] as part of the [[East Side Access]] project.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://web.mta.info/capital/esa_docs/eafiles06/01%20Purpose%20and%20Need.pdf|chapter=Chapter 1: Purpose and Need|title=Environmental Impact Statement|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|date=2006|access-date=December 12, 2019|at=PDF p. 3|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001445/http://web.mta.info/capital/esa_docs/eafiles06/01%20Purpose%20and%20Need.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

The upper and lower levels have different track layouts and, as such, are supported by different sets of columns. The upper level is supported by ultra-strong columns, some of which can carry over {{Convert|7|e6ftlbf|J|lk=on}}.<ref>{{harvnb|ps=.|Schlichting|2001|pp=77–78}}</ref>

The LIRR terminal constructed as part of East Side Access has four platforms and eight tracks numbered 201–204 and 301–304 in two {{Convert|100|ft|m|-deep|adj=mid}} double-decked caverns below the Metro-North station.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2016/6/access_2016_02_05_q.html|title=MTA OK's contract for East Side Access|website=TimesLedger|date=February 10, 2016 |access-date=February 17, 2016|archive-date=February 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160214030830/http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2016/6/access_2016_02_05_q.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It has four tracks and two platforms in each of the two caverns, with each cavern containing two tracks and an island platform on each level. A mezzanine is located on a center level between the LIRR's two track levels.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/MTA-East-Side-Access-Project-Grand-Central-Terminal-Long-Island-Rail-Road-Tour-340356972.html|title=Massive East Side Access Project Rolling On Under Grand Central|last=Dobnik|first=Verena|date=November 4, 2015|access-date=January 19, 2016|website=NBC New York|archive-date=December 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191201005016/https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/MTA-East-Side-Access-Project-Grand-Central-Terminal-Long-Island-Rail-Road-Tour-340356972.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://liherald.com/stories/east-side-access-transforming-the-long-island-rail-road,106293|title=East Side Access transforming the LIRR|date=August 21, 2018|website=Herald Community Newspapers|access-date=September 23, 2018|archive-date=August 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813054155/https://www.liherald.com/stories/east-side-access-transforming-the-long-island-rail-road,106293|url-status=live}}</ref>