In Pictures: Grand Central Terminal

By Kin Enriquez -

In celebration of its 100th birthday, In Pictures will feature the Grand Central Station of New York.
Grand Central Terminal is the largest train station in the world in terms of platforms. Located between East 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Manhattan, the terminal serves the Metro-North Railroad, as well as New York subway lines 4, 5, 6, 7 and the 42nd Street Shuttle.
This one's taken last March
The current Beaux-Arts landmark, which took ten years to build,  was finished in 1913. The keys to the terminal was said to have been given to the stationmaster on February 1, 1913 - 100 years ago today.
The main concourse

The central feature of the terminal is the enormous main concourse, with a ceiling 125 feet in height. On it are the information kiosks that are adorned with iconic clocks, with faces made of opal. The cavernous green ceiling is decorated with the signs of the zodiac, painted by portrait artist Paul Cesar Helleu. Taking the stairs from the main concourse will take you to the dining concourse and to the lower level tracks.

The facade on 42nd Street


Sculptures on the facade
Travelers of all shapes and sizes pass through the terminal, to buy tickets, get information on trains, and to meet people. It is always busy, but people use it for some other activities too, like couples having their engagement photo being taken in the concourse (first photo above). 

 It is also a popular tourist destination in itself, and a location for several movies, such as Hackers, I Am Legend, The Avengers and North by Northwest. 



The terminal is also the meeting place when I met my college friends (the second time I was in New York) before we went to dinner at Hell's Kitchen. The terminal was my first stop from the airport the first time I went to New York. From La Guardia, I took a bus to Grand Central Terminal, then took a subway from there to my hostel.

A traveler checks the train schedule


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