GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL CENTENNIAL Parade of Trains BY OTTO M. VONDRAK/PHOTOS BY STEVE BARRY
CONTINUING THE CELEBRATION of Grand Central Terminal’s 100th anniversary (see February 2013 RAILFAN & RAIL- ROAD), MTA Metro-North Railroad hosted a spectacular “Parade of Trains” on May 11-12, coincidental with Am- trak’s National Train Day nationwide celebrations. An unprecedented 35,000 visitors came through Grand Central for the event, far more than expected by the event promoters. While there were a number of activities ranging from model train displays to a railroadiana sale to various demonstrations and ex- hibits, it seemed that the star of the show were the trains themselves. Metro-North Railroad, itself cele- brating its 30th anniversary (see Feb- ruary 2013 R&R), provided a number of historic and high-tech cars for display. The nearby Danbury Railway Museum loaned several interesting pieces from their collection, including the 1928 Pullman Tonawanda Valley and a fully
restored 1910 Pennsylvania Railroad Railway Post Office. Metro-North proudly showcased their latest M-8 multiple-unit cars and Brookville BL14 diesel locomotives.
The main attraction appeared on Track 35 and 34, where sixteen private cars from the golden age of rail travel were on display and open for tours. These classics looked right at home spotted along Grand Central’s well- worn platforms. It’s not a far stretch to say nearly each one had most likely vis- ited New York City on these rails some- time in the last sixty years or so. The restored 1948 Pullman Hickory
Creek settled into a familiar spot at the bumping block of Track 35. Having brought up the rear of New York Cen- tral’s 20th Century Limited until 1967, this fully restored private car was no stranger to the confines of Grand Cen- tral Terminal. Following the Hickory Creek was New York Central 43, a
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