Tour of Grand Central's top-secret tunnel that only presidents use

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It is no secret now that Franklin D. Roosevelt had the unique challenge of hiding his crippling disease of what was believed to be polio throughout his terms as president. He went through great lengths to hide this disease from the press and the public. One of his many tricks of disguise can still be seen on a secret track, hidden below Grand Central Terminal.

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2:13 Wait a minute .. hold up! You're telling me they moved an elevator by pushing a button? Get the hell outta here with that mess!!

teddykgb

Its called track 61, it was NOT built for FDR, Fact is, it was built in 1929, 3 yrs prior to him being elected president, he used it once in 1944, it was orig a freight elevator with track -the elevator was a direct link to the hotel...but it was NOT built just for him.

NHPsychoticGoat

"The location is still confidential." Hell no it isn't, the gold entry door is clearly visible from the outside and the location is all over google.

DX

I believe this guy did commentary on a similar video for Discovery / History Channel a few years ago and it's obvious he doesn't have all the fact straight when they show a RR car that doesn't have a large enough door to stow an automobile, and neither does the elevator. Also "backing right into the ballroom" is not correct because NOBODY drives into a ballroom. They might use a special entrance from the outside but can't drive into the facility directly. BTW, this was never a secret entrance. Employees are aware that most commercial buildings have a loading dock or back door for deliveries, and in that era most well to do people traveled via RR so likely that entrance (or another) was much better looking in the day. After all, well off people usually don't enter through the same door as the janitor or kitchen supplies.

rupe

It was NOT a secret taht FDR had (past tense) polio. It was a secret that he was paraplegic. He could appear to walk with heavy steel leg braces and two strong men at his side. This made him look like a strong man fighting instead of the apparent weakness associated with being in a wheelchair. Unlike today most of the press were in on the secret and even the opposition press wouldn't think to exposed him. I miss those innocent days.

RMoribayashi

Probably a much more sinister reason for this tunnel as well as tunnels under Central Park

triumph

Why would FDR need to drive a car DIRECTLY into the Waldorf Astoria ballroom?

bonez

So why isn't this so-called "historic" rail car donated to a railroad museum somewhere? Kind of a shame that it is allowed to deteriorate like this.

eingang

The major press colluding to keep his disability a secret was both noble and disturbing

kevingarnett

2:04 No doubt that's a freight elevator, but that's way too narrow for a car to fit through.

LongIslandCityLayout

So, the moral of the story is that the federal government wasted a ton of money back then as well. That's somehow not a surprise.

EagleOne

And I belive that track is gonna be rebuilt for the LIRR right?

nyctenthusiast

how the fuck is it a secret if you are showing it to us?

REXXSEVEN

A lot of historical misinformation and simplification to be found in this piece. Track 61, in fact, was not built expressly to be used by the special train of visiting U.S. Presidents, but did find such use at least once during FDR's Presidency, and this both for wartime security reasons and to conceal Roosevelt's debilitating disability from the NY press. There is no proof, though, that this wayside track - and the rail car sitting on it - were ever designated by the NY Central, Waldorf Astoria, or Secret Service for express use by VIPs such as the POTUS. As with so many things, time and rumor have made a legend out of something quite unextraordinary!

Ryan-onon