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Posted on 12/20/2023 6:24:31 PM PST by SamAdams76
This "60 Minutes" piece is now nearly 35 years old.
As a daily Grand Central commuter for ten years now, this video is both historic and contemporary.
The station itself is much the same, except many less commuters are looking for information at the booth (we have apps for that now).
The homeless are still around and still getting rousted, however not as brusquely as seen in this video.
The bar carts are now shut down but you can still bring alcoholic beverages onboard the commuter trains for the way home.
Grand Central is now triple the size due to the Long Island Railroad now coming three levels below. For those who haven't been to Grand Central recently, miles of subterranean passages have been added. On rainy or cold days, I can leave my office and get a 3 or 4 mile walk indoors without any overlap.
Also, the classical violin players are back during rush hours.
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When our son was about six years old, he was a huge Yankees fan even though we lived in California. We were visiting my folks outside Philly and I took him to NYC for the day to catch a Yankees game. I kept our destination a secret. We changed trains in Philly and headed north on an express train through Jersey to NYC.
We arrived at Grand Central Station and my son’s eyes got REAL WIDE. “Wow, Dad, this is incredible!” Why we were there was still a secret. I was going to surprise him by taking a taxi to Yankee Stadium and let him see the stadium as we got out of the cab.
We were in that very magnificent hall in the photo and a very nice police officer came up to us ask asked my son “Are you going to the Yankees game today?” LOL. So much for keeping it a secret! But the look on his face was priceless right at Grand Central Station.
Great memory!
ummm, Grand Central Terminal...
That’s a wonderful memory, especially for a parent.
Kids stay that young and excitable for just a short while.
Giod thing you were truthfully able to say “Yes, we’re going to the game!”
Lovely memories.
GREAT Post Sam!
Can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that.
Although most of my friends and family frequently take day trips to NYC (from Philadelphia), it has nothing to offer me, so I’m speaking from conjecture, but I suspect it’s much worse today.
Thanks. Merry Christmas.
I noticed that in the clip. Being from Philadelphia, I'd always heard it called Grand Central Station (although I don't think I've ever been there).
Is it a mis-nomer that's just incredibly common now? I can't tell you how many times visitors asked me for directions to "Penn Station" when they meant 30th Street Station.
Thanks! Also pinging nopardons, as I know she likes my posts about NYC.
Penn Station allows trains to go in one side and out the other. Hence, a station.
And so, just chose what you care to call it. ;^)
Thanks Sam...love these old pictures and films of a time now sadly long gone.
Give it a few years and the leftists will tear it down, because it’s racist or something.
Is it a mis-nomer that’s just incredibly common now?
i think so
some do some don’t...
Yes. A station is a stop where trains continue on. A terminal, as is Grand Central, is where train lines end.
However - The building was originally designed for future train growth. The arched windows (in the photo above) were to be for passage of additional of rail lines. So it could possibly be a station.
Thank God that never happened though. Such a classic and super functional building!
So, it actually IS a terminal, but the common parlance is station.
Thanks, folks - if you're not learning, you're not living!
Merry Christmas to you, as well.
Actually, most just call it “GRAND CENTRAL”; at least they used to. :-)
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