Wednesday, September 5, 2012

The Secret Train Platform Under the Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan


Track 61 is an abandoned, once secret train platform beneath Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City. It was once used by VIPs -most famously by Franklin D. Roosevelt- who wanted to make an entrance or exit the hotel without being seen or having to go through New York's traffic. A private elevator, existing even today, was large enough to fit Roosevelt's armored car and lead it to the hotel's garage.

The secret platform was first used in 1938 and in 1965 Andy Warhol threw a fittingly named 'Underground Party'. By 1978, the platform was known as one of the many places in Grand Central Terminal where squatters lived. Today, the train car which used to carry Roosevelt is parked abandoned in the track which is not accessible to visitors. It remains however a "holy grail" for many urban explorers.



SEE ALSO: More abandoned railways and train stations // More abandoned places found underground // More abandoned places in New York // More abandoned places in the United States // LIST OF ALL DESERTED PLACES 
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The Franklin D. Roosevelt car



The elevator constructed for Roosevelt's limo



Stairs leading to a subbasement













Waldorf's exteriror and the entrance to the garage




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2 comments:

  1. The baggage car was left for work-train service and was NOT used by FDR. His car had Xtra wide doors to allow the presidential limo (a Pierce-Arrow) to drive on and off the railroad car to and from the freight elevator.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Why is it underground is empty and not intended for tourists? Awesome party all you can do here. People import and export by train :)

    ReplyDelete

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