Grand Central Terminal

The 42nd Street sidewalk gives you the best view of the facade of Grand Central Terminal, the most famous train station in the world. It opened on February 2, 1913, replacing two earlier stations of the Vanderbilt family, owners of the railroads that ran here.

1A revolution underground

The big breakthrough was electrification. By burying the tracks and running electric trains, the smoke and noise of steam locomotives disappeared, and on top of the covered tracks Park Avenue was born, one of the most expensive avenues in the world. The station was designed by the firms Reed & Stem and Warren & Wetmore.

2Mercury watches the street

The facade is crowned by a sculptural group by Jules-Félix Coutan: Mercury, god of commerce and travelers, flanked by Hercules and Minerva. In the center is the clock, with Tiffany glass. Beneath the viaduct, the bronze statue of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt honors the founder of the dynasty.

In 1963 New York tore down the old Penn Station. When Grand Central faced the same fate, the city said enough.

In the late 1960s, an office tower was planned on top of the terminal. Citizens including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis rallied, and in 1978 the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the landmarks law that blocked the project. The ruling is still a reference point across the country.

3What to look for

• The Mercury group and the great clock above the facade.
• The statue of Commodore Vanderbilt, beneath the viaduct.
• The Park Avenue Viaduct, which wraps around the station so traffic can pass over 42nd Street.