Weekend, January 28-29, 2023 – WHAT A FUN AFTERNOON EXPLORING THE LATEST RAIL STATION

By admin

FROM THE ARCHIVES

WEEKEND, JANUARY  28-29,  2023


ISSUE 898

THE TUNNEL

Transportation Link to New York’s Future

May, 1971
Nelson Rockefeller, Governor

MY FIRST TRIP ON THE NEW ROUTE

OVER 50 YEARS FROM TUBE PLACEMENT 
TO L.I.R.R.MIDTOWN DIRECT UNDER ROOSEVELT ISLANDDIRECTLY INTO
GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL

We have an original of this 1971 brochure describing the process of building the 63rd Street tunnel. I will be glad to give you a clear copy for you to read.

Judith Berdy

MY TRIAL RUN

I decided to try to get to Jamaica thru the new line.
I left Roosevelt Island on the F train to 42 Street Bryant Park.
Exit train at rear and take staircase “S” shuttle thru new passage.

At the end of the passage you are on the “S” shuttle platform.
Board the train for the 3 minute ride to Grand Central.

At Grand Central look for exit to the left directly into LIRR area.

You are now under the new One Vanderbilt building. You are exiting the subway system.
Follow the signs to the LIRR, It is a rather long walk

Take the elevator or escalator down to LIRR area.

The directional signs are the best to follow.  The map on the wall needs studying .You are walking south from 42 Street north to 48 Street under Vanderbilt Avenue.  There are street entrances, which  I have not explored,  As you go along the  concourse passage there is art, two public bathrooms (easy to find) and escalators leading down to a mezzanine level and then to the track levels.  There are two track levels also.
The track to the Jamaica train was 303 and easy to find.
In simple terms there are 4 access points to each track from 45,46 47 a 48th Streets plus and entry from Park Avenue and Grand Central.

I did not worry, I figured this out after studying the map when I got home.

Since there are only shuttles running to Jamaica the next few weeks, the schedule indicated the schedule was ever 30 minutes.

There are graphics in light boxes all over the terminal.  My favorite is the LIRR route map stretched out over 8 panels. Easy to read and vibrant!!!! Many mosaics decorate the vast walls.  Too many to photograph and study today!

One the mezzanine level mosaics of wildlife decorate the panels. I feel this deer is lost in the woods,

Finally down to the track and on to the 1:59 p.m. local to Jamaica.  I did find 3 lone vending machines in the terminal selling tickets. The conductor on the way out gave me a free ride, seeing my curiosity.

After local stops at Woodside, Forest Hills, & Kew Gardens we arrive at Jamaica. A  MTA staff member gave me a map of Grand Central for me to study on the way home.

Twenty minutes later, I am back on the train to Grand Central.  This conductor accepted my $5- fare for the in-city fare.

I met some wonderful, enthusiastic staff members and they should be proud of a project that took over 50 years and billions to complete. 

WEEKEND PHOTO OF THE DAY

SEND YOUR RESPONSE TO:
ROOSEVELTISLANDHISTORY@GMAIL.COM

FRIDAY PHOTO OF THE DAY
FRAUNCES TAVERN MUSEUM

FROM ED LITCHER:  
Fraunces Tavern is a museum and restaurant in New York City, situated at 54 Pearl Street at the corner of Broad Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan. DeLancey built the current building as a house in 1719. The small yellow bricks used in its construction were imported from the Dutch Republic and the sizable mansion ranked highly in the province for its quality. His heirs sold the building in 1762 to Samuel Fraunces who converted the home into the popular tavern, first named the Queen’s Head. Periodically known as Boltons Tavern or The Coffee house.

ANDY SPARBERG, PAT SCHWARTBERG, HARA REISER, LAURA HUSSEY AND ARLENE BESSENOFF ALL GOT IT RIGHT!

Text by Judith Berdy
Thanks to Bobbie Slonevsky for her dedication to Blackwell’s Almanac and the RIHS
Thanks to Deborah Dorff for maintaining our website
Edited by Melanie Colter and Deborah Dorff

All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated

NEW YORK STATE 1971

JUDITH BERDY

THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.

Copyright © 2022 Roosevelt Island Historical Society, All rights reserved.Our mailing address is:
rooseveltislandhistory@gmail.com