![]() Grand Central’s location is better the studies done for the project 20 years ago found that for the majority of LIRR commuters, Grand Central was closer to their job than Penn Station. Penn Station’s location is at the southwestern margin of the job concetration of Midtown Manhattan. What was East Side Access supposed to serve? The Grand Central connection does not lead to the preexisting Metro-North terminal with its tens of tracks, but to a deep cavern: The tunnel across the East River was built in the 1970s and 80s together with the tunnel that now carries the F train East Side Access was the project to build the connection from this tunnel to Grand Central as well as to the LIRR Main Line in Queens. East Side Access is a tunnel from the LIRR Main Line to Grand Central, permitting trains to serve either of the two stations an under-construction project called Penn Station Access likewise will permit one Metro-North line to serve Penn Station. Traditionally, of New York’s two main train stations, Penn Station only served Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, and the LIRR, whereas Grand Central only served Metro-North. On current statistics, it appears that the opening of the new tunnel to Grand Central has had no benefit at all, making this project not just the world leader in tunneling cost per kilometer (about $4 billion) but also one with no apparent transportation value. I held judgment at the time because big changes take time to show their benefits, but in the months since, ridership has not done well. The opening was not at all smooth – commuters mostly wanted to keep going to Penn Station, contrary to early-2000s projections, and stories of confused riders were common in local media. Also, Grand Central has three floors, each possessing a dainty name - the Balcony, the Main and the Dining Concourse - while the labyrinthine passageways of Penn Station have been referred to as a “confusing catacomb.East Side Access opened in February, about four months ago, connecting the LIRR to Grand Central previously, trains only went to Penn Station. Penn Station flaunts Madison Square Garden, used for concerts, basketball games and… bull riding. DESIGN: Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall - used for events and known for its high domed ceiling and picturesque staircases - is a tourist attraction for its architecture alone.Here’s our comparison of the two transportation terminals. It’s only competition here is Penn Station, and we all know how that beast deserves to be tamed. But honestly, it doesn’t really seem necessary. ![]() Grand Central appears to be working hard to position itself as the best train station in the whole wide world (or at least in New York City). But who should really get the popular Apple Store and the trendy Shake Shack: Grand Central or Pennsylvania Station? ![]() Grand Central Terminal is about to add two new revenue-building establishments to its already full roster. ![]()
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