Is Grand Central Madison a Waste of Money? : Timed Commute Compared to Penn Station

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Жыл бұрын

Grand Central Madison is a new $11 Billion Train Terminal for Long Island Railroad that opened in January 2023. After over 15 years of construction, it sits at a depth of 140 feet below ground, boasts the longest escalators in the city, and serves Manhattan's East Side. The new station allows passengers to transfer to Metro-North, as well as the NYC Subway at the Grand Central-42nd Street Station. I join ‪@HereBeBarr‬ to compare the commute times from the LIRR Platforms at Grand Central Madison and Penn Station and see how long it takes to get to the Grand Central Terminal Main Concourse. The results may surprise you.
Recorded February 3, 2023
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Пікірлер: 274

@A350flyernyc Жыл бұрын

I live in southwest CT. Absolutely worth it for me. A lot of places on Long Island and in Queens just became much more accessible. Not only that, but this will free up track space at Penn Station for Metro-North Penn Station access to begin, so absolutely huge for me.

@NickyD Жыл бұрын

metro north wont for many years now that amtrak is closing two tunnels for major work next year

@A350flyernyc Жыл бұрын

@@NickyD that’s true, but this is a crucial milestone for that to eventually happen.

@ActionKid Жыл бұрын

Absolutely! I will make it so much easier for you to transfer from Metro-North to LIRR without having to leave the station

@A350flyernyc Жыл бұрын

@@ActionKid opens up a lot of practical train destinations

@MichaelPigott Жыл бұрын

Before this extension, Newark Airport was easier to get to from the Metro North than JFK because of the Newark Airport Bus from Grand Central. Now it's just as easy, and faster!, to get to JFK from Grand Central.

@kingdonaltron Жыл бұрын

I live on Long Island and work 3 blocks from Grand Central. Not having to back track to the West Side saves me up 30-40 mins every day I work plus a taxi or MTA fare. I can now be home in 30-35 mins down from an 1hr 1hr-20 commute. Absolutely worth it

@dr.woozie7500 Жыл бұрын

Penn Station gets extremely crowded during rush hour. If you get off on the back of the train you'll be stuck in the crowd getting up the escalator/stairs for 5 minutes. Once passengers are off the platform they have to navigate through various narrow corridors before reaching the main concourse/exits. On top of that, subway and train arrivals don't match up so you are bound to lose precious time during the transfer.

@ActionKid Жыл бұрын

This will relieve some congestion at Penn Station for sure! Hopefully this new project delivers that when full service is introduced.

@AndyL6 Жыл бұрын

As a LIRR commuter myself, I admit that the time savings are minimal. But I totally think that this project is worth it. It is nice to have extra travel options and that's what this project delivers. For instance, when a train gets stuck in the East River tunnel and service gets suspended between Jamaica and Penn Station you had no real other option unless you wanted to cram onto the E train or take the 2/3 to Atlantic Ave. Now you can go to Grand Central rather then having to cram onto the subway. Which brings me to my next point, they are a fair amount of commuters and people coming from JFK who take the E train to get from Jamaica to the east side, now GCM serves as a viable alternative and to decongest the E train. Also this project will get some people off the 7 train too as they will not need to transfer at Woodside or Hunterspoint to get to the East Side. So not only does this project benefit people from a passenger standpoint but also from an operational standpoint as it provides alternate means of getting around.

@jamallhayden2512 Жыл бұрын

Don’t forget that Amtrak is planning on fixing the east river tunnels to Penn Station which will reduce the amount of service to Penn station but the opening of Grand Central allows the Lirr to maintain almost the same level service of into Manhattan pre-Grand Central Madison while Amtrak fixes the East river tunnels! The commuters from the East Bronx via Penn Station Access (This project is only possible because Grand Central Madison opened up some slots at Penn station formally used by the Lirr) gain just as much if not more benefits than some Long Island commuters with 4 new train stations some of which are underserved by direct subway access, quicker commutes & time savings of at-least 50 minutes compared to alleged “20 minutes time saved each way” for Long Island commuters using Grand Central Madison that work on the East side of Manhattan.

@AndyL6 Жыл бұрын

@@jamallhayden2512 Yup that too! This project gives the LIRR more flexibility.

@ActionKid Жыл бұрын

Great points! There are minimal time savings with this new station but great benefits on the operational side of things.

@keystonetuscanred4921 Жыл бұрын

Absolutely!

@unknown1201 Жыл бұрын

None of these points matter. Far more people would have been benefitted if the MTA had extended the subways Instead. For one, the second Ave subway phase 2 and 3 could have been completed. Instead the MTA choose to cater to a vocal minority that are suburban riders.

@dl8704 Жыл бұрын

You left out the extra fare for subway + taking additional 2 trains . Can't count on both trains were already @ stations ready to depart on daily basis.

@kevinlin343 Жыл бұрын

Basically for a commuter, it’s roughly 40 trips on subway per month. $110 per month incremental to your LIRR monthly.

@frogger1952 Жыл бұрын

There is an elevator just to the right of the ticket services (near the 47th Street escalator)that will take you up to the LIRR mezzanine level thus avoiding the 98 second ride up that ridiculously long escalator. Then, as you walk south on the mezzanine, instead of making a left through those blue doors, make a right and take the elevator in One Vanderbilt. That will take you right to the main staircase in the GCT main hall. Also, when exiting the train, exit far north near the 47th elevator or far south, nearest to the One Vanderbilt elevator. Those two steps will probably save you about 2 to 2:30 off the 8:30 minutes. Additionally, at the far north end, there is an elevator that takes you directly from the mezzanine right to 48th street, completely bypassing every escalator and the GCT maze altogether. Is it worth it? I say a qualified "yes". Speaking personally, I'm not a 9 to 5 commuter anymore, but if I were, I'd be absolutely thrilled for this upgrade. To avoid that soul crushing, psychological beat down of the NYC subway system is more than worth the time savings. And time savings isn't the only factor to consider. This, along with the 3rd track addition between Hicksville and Floral Park will add about 40% more trains thus providing more train service and reducing congestion at Penn. But that $11B price tag!!!!! That is a big fiscal pill to swallow.

@ActionKid Жыл бұрын

Very good points! I actually timed that ticket services elevator too, it took 1 minute and 26 seconds. Not too much of a difference compared to the escalator. Ultimately, it all depends on passengers' destinations and physical ability to walk whether this new station makes sense or not. $11 Billion is a huge price tag!

@ravisriram6746 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for mentioning elevator access to the Main Hall and the street, as all everyone talks about is the much bally-hooed escalators that take forever to get one upstairs. This will be of great help to the elderly, the physically challenged, or anyone who prefers elevators as an alternative means.

@maril1379 Жыл бұрын

Right everything you said. I'm near GC will go check it out this week.

@victoriasmith2518 Жыл бұрын

You can’t compare the hustle and bustle of taking 2 trains to the aesthetics of the brand new Grand Central Madison. There’s no comparison between a clean transportation hub and the alternative in my opinion.

@JoeGirardot Жыл бұрын

Is a clean hub worth $11 billion though?

@victoriasmith2518 Жыл бұрын

@@JoeGirardot , In my opinion, New York is competing with the major tourist destinations globally. The city has been working on this Grand Central Madison Project for several years. It’s too late to question the expenditures at this point. This is a debate for future transportation expansion projects.

@victoriasmith2518 Жыл бұрын

@@JoeGirardot The level of security provided through Metro North , NYPD , Armed Services is impeccable at Grand Central Terminal. The new hub offers a viable, safe alternative for commuters and tourists.

@HengMiao Жыл бұрын

It all depends on the destinations where commuters need to go. I'm interested to read more reviews once the train services in Grand Central Madison are in full operation. The new station is beautiful and modern, but I hope they'll add benches in the future. Thank you for making this dedicated timed video from the two stations along with Jon, AK!! 🤗

@ActionKid Жыл бұрын

Very true, it ultimately depends on the passengers' destinations. I really do hope seating is added in the future. It's unreasonable for many people to walk for such long distances, or stand around while waiting for a train.

@MichaelPigott Жыл бұрын

Grand Central Terminal isn't a comfortable place to hang around because if it was, you would see more homeless people there.

@kmao2236 Жыл бұрын

Definitely worth it. Looking at all the exposed pipes above the platform at the Penn Station, it is obvious that NYC needs to spend $ to update its many infrastructures to the 21st century standards.

@inwoodliver Жыл бұрын

Agreed. I was at GCMadison in January and it is clean has 4 sets of those big escalators and will possibly take a lot of congestion from Penn . It is open, Clean, and no homeless so less germs and diseases

@navyseal1689 Жыл бұрын

totally waste of money

@dream.machine Жыл бұрын

To me, they need 21st century architecture with their upgrades lol. The Fulton Center was excellent 👌 but the Madison Station extension was a bit underwhelming to me. This is the same city that has unique skyscrapers such as billionaires row.

@Bk6346 Жыл бұрын

Looks beautiful but $11 billion is a lot of money

@victoriasmith2518 Жыл бұрын

ActionKid, the commute from Penn Station during the weekday morning rush hour using the subway is quite a different experience with overcrowded platforms and trains.

@ActionKid Жыл бұрын

Very true, it can be difficult to get on trains at that time.

@MalcomJones Жыл бұрын

This didn’t really factor in the additional time on the subway a rider has when going to Penn - you just started at Penn - so in the old world a rider from Long Island would be on the train and pass by Grand Central to Penn, then have to back track to Grand Central. That’s a good 15-20min savings or more in addition to the walk time. There’s also the monetary savings for a rider not having to use additional swipes.

@sampa2nyc Жыл бұрын

True. He should have started at Jamaica station for a more realistic comparison. The real benefit would be for people arriving from Long Island. Now they have do not have to transfer at Jamaica station, but simply stay on until Grand Madison station. Also, people coming from JFK now have an east side/west side option, which is great.

@zenpharaohs Жыл бұрын

Yes, this is the same sort of comment as mine about how they should have included the time difference for LIRR riders who could change at Jamaica (which is a huge population).

@ActionKid Жыл бұрын

That's right, I would like to know the travel time between Jamaica and Penn Station / Grand Central Madison. Judging by the LIRR timetables though, it should take 21 minutes from Grand Central Madison to Jamaica, and 23 minutes from Penn Station to Jamaica. So add 2 minutes to the total commute time and the subway fare for the Penn Station commute.

@zenpharaohs Жыл бұрын

@@ActionKid add two minutes from the timetable, and add the connection delays which occur in reality. That's not a guaranteed two minutes.

@HereBeBarr Жыл бұрын

Fun walk with you!

@trustnoone3007 Жыл бұрын

Oh suga! That's the guy from this video! Wow lol.

@patabbathon1466 Жыл бұрын

You really didn't mention that this will save some commuters an extra fare. If you are a daily commuter that can be a significant savings, but I do like what you are doing. Keep up the good work.

@danielwaitzman2118 Жыл бұрын

Your video is right on the money. The new Grand Central-LIRR terminal is a perfect example of Fascistic design: Albert Speer would have been proud. Its linear design, its endless corridors, its lack of seating, and its lack of easy access to Forty-second Street and to the Grand Central main concourse make it useless for the elderly and the handicapped, and burdensome for the rest of its passengers. Its designers should have found some way of bringing LIRR trains into the upper, former long distance, station level, so as to be fully integrated with the main station. They should, at least, have designed the new station around a central atrium, with waiting room and ticket office, and provided easy and rapid access to the street, via both escalators and elevators. The present mammoth escalator terminates, of all places, in the "Food Court". The so-called 'art work" is a foolish waste of money that might otherwise have been spent on passenger amenities. Imagine the plight of the passenger who arrives at the station, with no place to sit and wait, especially when confronted with the inevitable delays. The original Grand Central Terminal, like its predecessors, had waiting rooms with easy access to the trains: typically, the powers-that-be converted the waiting room into a Mickey-Mouse exhibition hall. Now it will be necessary to spend considerable money to provide benches and moving sidewalks down the length of the corridors, and to cut through additional and contiguous escalators and elevators to street-level. The Moynihan Train Hall suffers from some of the same type of neglect of passenger comfort, as did the original Penn Station, for that matter. And now we witness the destruction of the once-beautiful Pennsylvania Hotel, the hexastyle of which echoed that of the original Penn Station--so that yet another bizarrely ugly office building may stand half-empty for God knows how long. And, incidentally, what genius made a mall out of Vanderbilt Avenue, thus further reducing cab access to Grand Central Terminal, and exacerbating the effects of the transformation of the old underground cab access ramp into a parking lot? As long as we have architects and designers whose allegiance is to some mythical academic perfection, rather than to the accommodation of mortal human beings, we shall see New York become less and less accessible to people, until the seas rise and reclaim it for the fishes. I love the City too much to say, "Good riddance!"

@Neville60001 Жыл бұрын

I must say, the two subway stations that Action Kid went through in this video were very clean! Great to see this, but there's still room for improvement.

@ActionKid Жыл бұрын

It's getting better but there's much more room for improvement.

@JoeGirardot Жыл бұрын

I would say that John’s comment about hitting both the 1 train and the Shuttle without any wait time was spot on. I would imagine a normal time from Penn Station to GCT would be more in the 15-25 minute range (time of day dependent). So, all other things being equal, Grand Central Madison will probably get people to the east side much more quickly (remember, this is after a potentially 60-90 minute LIRR ride). However, all other things are not equal and I doubt all the time saving and congestion relief will ever be worth the $11 billion cost. The US has got to get its cost per rail mile down to where the Europeans have it.

@ActionKid Жыл бұрын

Good points! $11 billion is a huge price to pay for this station, and I'm not too sure if it will ever be worth it like you said.

@Egraham61 Жыл бұрын

Not a waste of momey. It will serve a purpose. Maybe try the elevator routes next time ??

@graffmixer Жыл бұрын

WELCOME BACK TO NY!!! I haven't checked the new Grand Central Madison yet but from what I'm seeing, I think its definitely worth it but of course it depends on your destination. Remember, we haven't seen the station in its max capacity. There are certain exits at the station not opened yet like the Biltmore Room exit by 44th. I think once Grand Central Madison is running trains on regular schedule, we' ll see a difference. A friend told me that theres going to be seating by the ticketing area but I could understand the lack of seating a concern. Those heavy doors heading to the dining room 7:53, they way the walls are constructed, it looks to me like those are temporary walls and doors especially since there's no accessibility motorized doors.

@FerraroR Жыл бұрын

So, there are a few benefits to this…1. Saves on the subway $ and volume, (as you said) helps mitigate congestion at Penn, and your comparison does factor if the connection subways are both with minimal wait. Also, if you are a LI resident and are venturing to CT,(let’s say you have luggage also), super easy to transfer. It just offers more options all around

@JoAnn-LXKY Жыл бұрын

From where I live, all of this underground area is amazing. How do they do this!? New York City is an awesome place for sure!

@JeanClaudeCOCO Жыл бұрын

It’s definitely something else. A lot of cities have a fraction of the length and breath of NYC. I can see why construction is a pain and the cost to construct a modern terminal under Billions $$$ of real estate stretching miles is unbelievable to an outsider. Is it worth it? Absolutely the city has to improve its infrastructure and getting New Yorkers around safely, efficiently and in a modern space is critical and to maintain its status as a global city.

@marblehillpjs Жыл бұрын

it does save time, space and money for those commuting to the east side. You also got the 2 train and shuttle right away. Time wise it depends on where your office is. the side exits are much more practical than going up through grand central. The BIG rush would be those rushing to catch the train not leaving the train. When the trains start going straight instead of the shuttle it'll be even better

@NYMetroRover Жыл бұрын

I was actually on that very first ride (at the front of the train). Also, as far as a timed commute, you definitely don't seem to save too much time via LIRR, even though your subway connections were both perfectly timed. As many have commented, it will benefit many that actually commute and work on the east side, and removing a footprint of congestion at Penn Station, which is what the MTA claims on doing. And if we look at this from a sports perspective, baseball fans will certainly benefit from the new station; Yankee fans from Long Island will no longer need to walk from Penn to Herald Square subway to continue their trip to Yankee Stadium. And Mets fans from Connecticut will now have a second, faster option to Citi Field.

@AbdullahMalik-km5ce Жыл бұрын

When ever I come to this station it gives me anxiety like my legs shake

@jamallhayden2512 Жыл бұрын

I think it’s worth it, Amtrak is planning on fixing the east river tunnels to Penn Station which will reduce the amount of service to Penn station but the opening of Grand Central allows the Lirr to maintain almost the same level service of into Manhattan pre-Grand Central Madison while Amtrak fixes the East river tunnels! The commuters from the East Bronx via Penn Station Access (This project is only possible because Grand Central Madison opened up some slots at Penn station formally used by the Lirr) gain just as much if not more benefits than some Long Island commuters with 4 new train stations some of which are underserved by direct subway access, quicker commutes & time savings of at-least 50 minutes compared to alleged “20 minutes time saved each way” for Long Island commuters using Grand Central Madison that work on the East side of Manhattan.

@Slickmickyoyo97 Жыл бұрын

Add an extra 3-5 minutes (and potentially much more if your destination is on the East side north of 42nd street) since you made relatively rare perfect connections with the subway, also add an extra $25 a week (over $1200 yr) in subway fare. Come on Kenny, love ya but you're wrong about this one!

@armorpro573 Жыл бұрын

Doesn't the delays on the subways add more headaches for those near Penn Station?

@Slickmickyoyo97 Жыл бұрын

@@armorpro573 Absolutely, this station subverts those. And this video was not filmed during rush hour when they're most likely to occur, it was a Saturday.

@armorpro573 Жыл бұрын

@@Slickmickyoyo97 Idk about you, but in the next few months after full service starts, a lot of Penn Station users will be cramming up Grand Central Terminal.

@allrandomstuff Жыл бұрын

I would think that not having to pay for the subway everyday would be a game changer for a commuter. Not sure why AK is glossing over this. It would save a commuter $127/month for a monthly pass. The new station was meant to save commuters money and time, which he showed in this video.

@Neville60001 Жыл бұрын

A solution to this problem is simple; have the upcoming OMNY card (which is replacing the MetroCard) give you a two-hour transfer when you tap onto it the first vehicle you get onto (which in this case is the LIRR train if your coming from outside NYC.)

@allrandomstuff Жыл бұрын

@@Neville60001 I doubt that would ever happen. Still doesn't take back the time you lose. There's also variables like missing the train or shuttle and having to wait. Another thing someone else pointed out is the time you lose on the LIRR having to ride further out west to Penn.

@inwoodliver Жыл бұрын

The art and quotes from famous native ny'ers is an added bonus

@chrismv102 Жыл бұрын

Penn station congestion, working in Midtown Manhattan east side. How about getting to Grand Central Madison or Penn Station from Long Island? Which is faster from Jamaica? The reality is that they really need to build this station. The population in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties will just keep growing. Sending everyone into Penn station or The Atlantic Terminal wasn't a viable option for much longer. This gives the MTA more options over the next few decades. They can make tweaks to Grand Central Madison like moving sidewalks or benches but they can do that now.

@zenpharaohs Жыл бұрын

I agree. I asked the "what about Jamaica" question before I read your comment. Spot on.

@milospotykievic710 Жыл бұрын

Interesting comparison, although i would think the most important part of the whole project is one that you've discussed briefly, which is the decreased load of Penn station, which might allow future developments of the station to make it look a little less... you know... the way is is. and more like the Moynihan hall

@ActionKid Жыл бұрын

Yes, hopefully this increases capacity at Penn Station once they have everything sorted out.

@bizmen81 Жыл бұрын

Overall I think adding GC Madison was worth it. I've been to Penn Station during Rush Hour and its incredibly crowded. Most likely a fire hazard at least and at worst a potential place to hurt alot of people all at once. Yes, I know people can get hurt anywhere but Penn Station is notable. Plus you were incredibly lucky to catch a 2/3 train and a Shuttle right as they were in the station, so if there are delays for whatever reason, your commute would have been much longer. So could have been much longer compared to GCM.

@jimsannerud6254 Жыл бұрын

Actionkid, when are Metro North trains going to arrive at Penn? I have been commuting between Grand Central and the Herald Square/Penn Station area for years. Usually I walk the 20 minutes, but in bad weather I'll take subway combo you did. I have to say you were very lucky with the connections. A few minutes waiting for each train and you're better off walking. It's better for you too. Keep up the good work; I love your videos.

@armorpro573 Жыл бұрын

Well, according to some sources, Penn Station Access is scheduled to open in fall of 2027. It got delayed because of some nonsense with Amtrak, but hopefully we'll get to see it in fruition.

@edcasado6651 Жыл бұрын

From a resiliency standpoint this project is key for the region. We need some Hudson Line Metro North trains to also terminate at Penn Station Its not just about the minutes!

@armorpro573 Жыл бұрын

Well, Penn Station Access is currently in the works, even though it's being delayed. Hopefully we'll see it come to fruition

@TrainsFerriesFeet Жыл бұрын

Seats are definitely needed. I'm acrophobic and not sure about the escalators.

@geetamoonesar249 Жыл бұрын

Hi Ken & Jon, so nice to see you both. Jon, I saw the 90 year Iranian day with the shop in Manhattan was attacked.

@robinstevenson6690 Жыл бұрын

3.5 minutes for one trip = 7 minutes saved round trip. The trip might be 5 minutes each way on average counting the actual waiting time for subway & shuttle. If so, the average commuter would save 10 minutes per day, round trip (50 minutes per week; ~40 hours per year).

@kwacou4279 Жыл бұрын

Try it carrying luggage. Convenience does matter as well Should have brought some of that Miami weather with you. LOL

@emergencystoppingonly Жыл бұрын

This station saves me a full 30 minutes (had to edit because I underestimated, it's truly 30 whole minutes), $5.50 subway fares per day, and about 3/4 mile of walking. Major game changer for me, I love commuting now as opposed to having to walk 30 min/1.5 miles to my office or spending on subway fare. I would be very hesitant to quit my job because of this station being so convenient. I time myself every day from between 2nd/3rd ave to sitting down in the exact middle of a lirr train in the farthest track away (304). I leave work at 957 on the dot from my desk and sit inside a train at 1010 or 1011. Timing a subway from penn station should include a caveat. The fastest I've done it is 9 minutes, the slowest was 30 minutes, and my average was about 20. That's a huge possible variation. I go to work at an odd time when there is less subway service, 90% of the time I walked because taking the trains could potentially be just as slow. I'd get to Penn and looking at the train app if the subways lined up then I would take them, but usually it would be over 20 minutes, and the walk was already 22-25 min so what was the point.

@emmanyc Жыл бұрын

This is very beautiful footage, Alex. I was just in there a couple of weeks ago via LIRR but didn’t have time to go down there to see it. This helps!

@ericking1676 Жыл бұрын

I agree on the time factor, but it saves me $128 a month from buying a metro card with now saves me $1536 yearly

@nyr94yanks2000 Жыл бұрын

There is a seating area with next to the Long Island railroads new ticket office

@Neville60001 Жыл бұрын

There needs to be _more_ seating in the complex, particularly at the lower levels.

@trustnoone3007 Жыл бұрын

@@Neville60001 Time to really voice that complaint because it's very necessary, esp when the full service happens later

@Towelatthemoon Жыл бұрын

But you’re on the LIRR longer if you don’t get off at Grand Central Madison. You guys need to add the time between Grand Central Madison to Penn Station on the LIRR…then add 12 mins to back track. Right?

@zenpharaohs Жыл бұрын

Spot on.

@jrbergsten Жыл бұрын

1. You didn’t mention saving the subway fare. 2. You should use the average wait time for the two subway rides. Train right there is minimum time.

@ProjectArjun Жыл бұрын

Really depends where you are working or ultimately commuting to. If your workplace is on the east side, the Grand Central Station might save some time whereas if your workplace is on the west side, you might just be better off with Penn Station

@jaminova_1969 Жыл бұрын

I'd say it is an improvement in the sense that it will relieve some congestion. I used to work in mid-town, so it would have been a nice option. Of course the subway was my main transportation from/to Brooklyn and Queens. I was alive to see the renovation of Grand Central in the 80's and they've done a really good job of maintaining it. Cool video!

@thadaHawk Жыл бұрын

private developers of new towers in midtown east are building better access on the street (and therefore egress) to GCM in exchange for density bonuses. It will improve with time. I would particularly point at 415 Madison, which is right across the avenue from the JP Morgan Chase Headquarters.

@alisonusa Жыл бұрын

It cost over a 11 billion and took 22 years to complete. MTA funded? Taxpayers? Maybe a private rail company like Brightline would have done the job in just a few years at one quarter of the cost, but then certain politicians and others would not have gotten sweet kickbacks.

@americangiant1003 Жыл бұрын

Allison if you include the nearly 20 plus year "pause' between the first time construction started in the early 1970's and the restart around 2000/'01, actually it has been around a 50 year job.

@elizabethshort6347 Жыл бұрын

Love that you guys teamed up. It's great seeing my favorite guys together

@eddiew2325 Жыл бұрын

11 billion? Imagine how many big Macs you can buy with that money 🤪

@navyseal1689 Жыл бұрын

11 billion is not alot in New York

@Neville60001 Жыл бұрын

At least it's not money for a stupid jet fighter that might just end up being a kludge (take a wild guess which fighter I mean.)

@henrysousa2502 Жыл бұрын

Good morning Action ( Brother ) Kid🙂...Unfortunately, you're missing the Ferrari car show on Fifth in Naples today...😪artist, Old Naples Florida🌴🎨

@jamallhayden2512 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video!

@wenopyuhe6742 Жыл бұрын

GCM won’t be worth it that much until they have full service there

@letsrolloutnyc Жыл бұрын

I mean, it’s a 50-50 thing, but I think it’s needed because it’s already congested at Grand Central Penn Station, but also, you were walking a little bit faster on your second route even going up the stairs. Second not everybody wants to transfer to too many trains. For me, I’d rather walk if it’s quicker. Plus normal people on rush-hour walk pretty fast and not at a leisure walk so I think by having this new station it will help. I do like how you made this comparison video and very informative. Great video.

@armorpro573 Жыл бұрын

Well hopefully it'll relieve some pressure on Penn Station's crowded hallways. It'll be another lifetime before the station sees some much needed improvements.

@unknown1201 Жыл бұрын

The best thing about Grand Central Madison is that it is finally complete. This boondoggle was a drain on capital resources and time. I hope the MTA learnt is lesson. The focus should be expanding the subway not vanity projects for suburban riders

@JimmyLem Жыл бұрын

Because I have had difficultly walking, I know all the elevators. As I recall there was a super shortcut in Grand Central using the 7 train from Times Square and an elevator right from the 7 platform to an area near the clock. As for GS Madison, I haven't been there but coming from LIRR and working in the UES occasionally, I plan to just take the elevators that are right at the top of the big escalators. One goes to 48th. I think the transfer in Jamaica is an up-and-over to the new Jamaica tracks, not sure.

@leomarshall4059 Жыл бұрын

At Penn, my walk from the back of the train on Track 20 to the subway fare control takes about a minute. At Grand Central... a lot more than a minute. Overall, it will be great if your destination is within walking distance of Grand Central, or if you need to travel uptown on the East Side. For others, maybe not so much.

@8avexp Жыл бұрын

They've stripped my birth year R-62A (1956) clean! My mother's birth year car (1928) is still in that consist, too.

@georgeawestjr.9087 Жыл бұрын

I can see the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) jacking up subway and Long Island Rail Road fares for the $11 billion, 60 year boondoggle, Grand Central Madison, that was just built.

@guyfaux3978 Жыл бұрын

Here's the thing-- suppose it's not a matter of people coming TO GCM, as trying to get people to use GCM to LEAVE Manhattan, especially going to JFK-- a train to Jamaica, get on the AirTrain JFK. Compare it to taking NJTransit from Penn Station to the Newark Airport stop and then the monorail into the airport itself. Using one of the Madison Av entrances to go down to the LIRR, bypassing the Main Concourse altogether, has got to be a nicer easier thing than going through Penn Station's main concourse (or some part of it) to catch the Newark Airport train. Since nobody was ever going to say that GCM was built as the East Side quick way to JFK (since it would be used for far more than just for THAT purpose), maybe they just forgot that that's really what it's good for.

@herwaldmckay5789 Жыл бұрын

Thank you guys.

@robertbeck168 Жыл бұрын

Other things to consider in addition to the minimal time savings: : Increased MTA debt for money borrowed to build ESA Fewer trains to Penn if that's your preferred destination. Fewer one seat ride trains to Brooklyn and no more simple cross platform transfers to Brooklyn trains at Jamaica. Avoiding the subway transfer cost is a savings to customers but lost revenue to the MTA. It's good that the LIRR has an alternate route to Manhattan if something happens to Penn or the East River Tunnels. However, this probably wasn't the best way to do it especially at the escalated $11.5 B cost. Earlier proposals included a new stand alone terminal on the East Side or connecting to GCT's existing lower level.

@arc8216 Жыл бұрын

Was Penn Station crowded or something? I don't know. They can probably extend one of their subway lines for that money.

@jamtrack7867 Жыл бұрын

Beyond crowded, and the whole penn to subway thing during rush hour was a nightmare!

@TrevorEMayo Жыл бұрын

From a macro economic perspective one of the nation's biggest issues is low productivity - we don't get much of a bang for the bucks that we spend and so the standard of living of the common man is sinking. The younger generations are and will continue to suffer greatly due to inefficient use of resources. Billions and trillions pissed away providing very little benefit and leaving a long-term debt service load. This project is just another example of the issue. 11 billion dollars so a small subset of the population MIGHT save 15-20 minutes on average at BEST. You have to wonder if the long-term standard of living could have been improved for the NYC region by spending that money elsewhere?

@rodgerollins Жыл бұрын

No subway fare for shuttle 1/2/3 involved with GC Madison so that’s a savings

@ptownrob Жыл бұрын

You really miss the point. It's not about saving 5 minutes, but rather about letting those of us who work on the East Side and above 42nd St. to avoid the insanity of Penn Station. If you lived on the Island, you'd understand the relief of the commuting pressure having to go through Penn Station.

@HChampagne63 Жыл бұрын

I disagree with both of you. Long Island will be growing by an order of magnitude in the proximate and distant future. Penn station is over crowded NOW. When Madison ramps up to full speed with all LIRR routes you will see that this old man living in Cajun country is correct.

@AHVlogs16 Жыл бұрын

Hey ActionKid! I ran into you and Jon Barr in Times Square yesterday and I just wanna say it was an honor and a privilege to meet you, keep up the good work!

@trustnoone3007 Жыл бұрын

Did you get their autograph on the go 😂👌

@AHVlogs16 Жыл бұрын

@@trustnoone3007 lol I didn't but I got a photo with them on the TKTS stairs, pretty amazing background nil

@Koopalingfan Жыл бұрын

It does give people from Long Island a easy way to the Metro North Railroad.

@AndyL6 Жыл бұрын

I saw you guys yesterday!

@mikeg5280 Жыл бұрын

The biggest upside is that if you commute to work from Long Island and you work on the East Side this gets you to the East Side. From Penn you'd need to take a series of trains to get you here to the East Side. That said, it's a bit of a trek to get to the subway from the new LIRR section. At Grand Central you have access to the Lexington Avenue lines only. At Penn you have access to the 8th and 7th Avenue lines plus the 6th Avenue lines are a block away. Actually there's a tunnel from Penn to the 6th Avenue lines but it's shut for no good reason that I can see. We need some benches. Whoever heard of a train station with no place to sit? Moynihan? A complete waste of money. Penn has 21 tracks. 9 tracks are missing at Moynihan. Whoever heard of a station that's missing tracks? That's the moron Cuomo for you. Nice clock though.

@tonylarussa4046 Жыл бұрын

That long ass corridor between the terminal and the LIRR Madison though!!!!!!!

@joeyhardy2673 Жыл бұрын

It was very smart to do this. Too many trains for the subway version.

@rafaelbatista5452 Жыл бұрын

What a great opportunity to exercise every day when you an office worker. Keep it healthy NYC.

@sevrent2811 Жыл бұрын

Its a necessary project and a good idea. The problem is just how bad NYC is at infrastructure projects. It should not have been this expensive. And the entire process is just corrupt

@J21822 Жыл бұрын

This is definitely for the future. It will help give more options for commuters and ease congestion on top of saving time for those working on the east side

@dijikstra8 Жыл бұрын

Capacity increase, reduction of crowding on trains between Penn Station and Grand Central, redundancy. I'd say it's overall a good thing. Now connect these tubes to a new Hudson tunnel, connect to Metro North, and you can have proper through running regional services much more in the vein of an S-bahn, it would be hugely beneficial to the entire region I'm sure.

@armorpro573 Жыл бұрын

It'll be a lifetime, but once the Hudson/East River tunnels are rehabitated, they'll be a lot more capacity.

@rochellelisa7959 Жыл бұрын

Amazing new station. It seems very important for these train stations to have a mystifying effect on tourists. How easy it is to get lost. Some stations are so complex that they seem to be different at various times of the day like a parallel universe or the twilight zone. Getting off the train one might find oneself in what seems like a different station altogether....

@rpvitiello Жыл бұрын

It seems needed if for no other reason than relieve congestion on all the old spaces that need renovate and repair. You also have to consider they are doubling the number of trains. You won’t have to wait as long for a lirr train coming into NYC now as trains will run more frequently. The time savings isn’t just in walking, but I’m waiting

@AshmewStudios Жыл бұрын

Something to note is that there *are* waiting areas in the new terminal, just not on the platform.

@Neville60001 Жыл бұрын

There needs to be seats _everywhere_ , including the platform.

@AshmewStudios Жыл бұрын

@@Neville60001 Yes

@MiamiBeachNativeInNYC Жыл бұрын

@@Neville60001 the old stations for LIRR or MetroNorth don’t have any seats on the platforms. You don’t really know what platform your train is leaving on until boarding time so people don’t really spend much time hanging out or waiting on the platforms

@vektheartist Жыл бұрын

It gets me every time I see newer NY train station escalators looking like the DC metrorail mine shafts 🤣

@maril1379 Жыл бұрын

No seats that's not good because there are people with disabilities who need to rest. I guess the thought was that people cannot hang out. Artwork is a waste of money. Peoole just want to get where they are going. Great when you both put together videos thumbs up. Honestly I think 11B could have been better spent on housing. Thumbs up

@armorpro573 Жыл бұрын

I'm guessing it's to keep homeless out, which doesn't really make sense since they'll likely show up anyways.

@maril1379 Жыл бұрын

@@armorpro573 yes you are right.

@armorpro573 Жыл бұрын

@@maril1379 I've seen a few around Mohyian Train Hall and it's really a poor sight

@gru11on Жыл бұрын

I like the new terminal Just because I don’t like to transfer to different trains most of the time the train is full Is really a pain on the neck

@lavernec7812 Жыл бұрын

Excellent video !

@gregoryedwards8781 Жыл бұрын

Total ignores the connectivity to Metro North services and GC Madison also allows the New Haven line to go direct to Penn Station

@carlsmith5545 Жыл бұрын

Wow! The station looks beautiful. Nice an clean too. Now all you have to do is take out the old trains and install highspeed bullet trains. Highspeed bullet trains and maglev super train technology, the new american dream..

@nicolasblume1046 8 ай бұрын

the station itself is not a waste, but the layout is! 8 platforms is way too much, this inflated the cost a lot. It would have been better to have just 4 or even 2 platforms and then have sidings behind it, which could be used to extend the line to the south in the future

@wavesnbikes Жыл бұрын

Now if only you can merge LongIsland RR + MetroNorth RR to a complete MTA Regional Rail and ride on the same train from Ronkonkoma to Yonkers that be pretty sweet...

@PinePowerLI Жыл бұрын

Strongly disagree, there was definitely a need for Grand Central Madison. You seemed to walk faster going out of Penn vs GCT. You also didn't have any waits for the subway. I think a time savings of 10 minutes is more typical. And you forgot the comfort factor, as well as money, since commuters won't have to deal with crowded subways and paying extra for that. Definitely well worth it.

@armorpro573 Жыл бұрын

And also, the folks down at Penn Station may see some congestion relief. Now with the convenience of transferring to Jamaica, more people will be more incentive to ride at Grand Central. Now it's just Metro North transferring to Penn

@jamesparson Жыл бұрын

This should be tied again during rush hour.

@airbus7373 Жыл бұрын

Of course, as others have mentioned, rush hour commuter volumes and worse transfers would push the time back to >15 mins. However, taking 8 and a half minutes to get to the surface from the station platform is ridiculous. Even DC metro’s deepest stations take around 3 minutes to get from the mezzanine to the platform. But this project does provide new one-seat rides to the east side from JFK and LGA (not counting the airtrain/Q70 bus) via the LIRR, even if it does so in an inefficient way. Should take some people off of the E, F, and 7 trains. Also, for people on the lower east side, this project really won’t do that much. They already have to take the Lex avenue line, so adding one extra transfer in exchange for not having to go into the Earth’s core to catch a train is probably better.

@SicilianStealth Жыл бұрын

I was going up the escalator as a man was coming down the escalator he looks at me and says whatever you do don't look up.

@patlubin9197 Жыл бұрын

Haven't been on the shuttle in ages. When did they take the seats out? It actually makes complete sense.

@MultiScooter68 Жыл бұрын

You lucked out and had a BEST-CASE SCENARIO by not having to wait for either subway. More realistic would be 10 mins assuming a 2-3-minute wait for each subway. Also, if you're going off hours or on weekends the time difference will be a bit longer. Now how about the interboro train, the connection of the queens blvd subway to the former rockaway beach branch, and phase 2 of the 2 ave subway??

@3985uprr Жыл бұрын

Well, because you think it doesn’t save that much time what are they supposed to do? Tear the place down and say OK we will go back to the way it was. I am delighted of this Grand Central terminal station because most of the places in Manhattan that I like to go to a very close to Grand Central. The only time I would use Penn station these days is if I need to connect with New Jersey transit or Amtrak.

@armorpro573 Жыл бұрын

With full service, it's hopeful that Grand Central will divert some congestion away from Penn Station. But I'm still wondering about Penn Station Access. With the amount of commuters already at Grand Central, won't that cause a burden for Penn Station's capacity?

@3985uprr Жыл бұрын

@@armorpro573 Should make it better since less trains will be going to Penn

@winstonsmith2902 Жыл бұрын

You're not counting in the switch at Jamaica either. Imagine they took those billions and spent it on last mile transit on Long Island.

@qolspony Жыл бұрын

3 1/2 minutes? Wow! All that money spent just to save 4 minutes? Unbelievable! But it does remove some trains from Penn though. It just would have been much better if the LIRR ran on the same level as the Metro North. But the damage is done! And I'm sure when the next generation becomes responsible for planning and building infrastructure, it would be ten times worse! Thank God! I won't be here to witness it!

@qolspony Жыл бұрын

8 plus minutes! That's ridiculous! I don't think was worth it, because it could have been much cheaper and a time savings for LIRR to share tracks and platform space with Metro North .The whole purpose of putting these services under one Agency umbrella was to simplify operations. But all it did was create divisions (tuffs) within the agency.

@danielkurlan182 Жыл бұрын

At Penn Station they do have a waiting if you have a LIRR ticket

@zenpharaohs Жыл бұрын

Yes they do, and they have Metro North waiting area at Grand Central. But who has paper tickets anymore?

@danielkurlan182 Жыл бұрын

@@zenpharaohs you can show them the ticket on the phone I guess

@zenpharaohs Жыл бұрын

@@danielkurlan182 I haven't tried that, mainly because I try pretty hard to avoid waiting for trains. Always did, and now because of Covid.

@damnimloomin Жыл бұрын

Everyone making these videos is ignoring such a HUGE factor of this stations “purpose” there is going to be an alleged 47% increase in service overall and that hasn’t happened, they don’t even have schedules yet. How can we determine how much time it realistically can save me if we don’t even know when or how this service will be implemented. When I use MTA/NJT I waste time because I have to leave so early to get to my destination on time it is not about the subway ride or navigating Manhattan at all for 75% of the people who will save time it’s about getting to the subway. The media only showing This perspective of “it’s the same amount of time/ it’s barely shorter” is exactly why the United States public sees no value in public transit when it could be so good beyond select cities. This was not supposed to do anything in terms of saving time when it was planned that was just “marketing” to get the public to go for this. in the end the entire goal was to relieve Penn station congestion, have a way to increase service for MNR/LIRR (considering LIRR alone is the busiest commuter rail in the entire country) and in my opinion its also to serve as a contingency for Penn should the tunnels need emergency repairs, or Amtrak causes a major traffic disruption somehow they can just divert trains. This was never about “saving time” within Manhattan they reached the ceiling and needed more room to add more frequency to save you time.

@robertorota3328 Жыл бұрын

6:25 approaching a creepy weird man in black standing on the right

@dream.machine Жыл бұрын

As far as the walk timing is concerning, nahh it isn't worth it so much. I agree with both you and Here Be Barr, it only saved a few minutes... It's okay but not the best either... The new Madison Station isn't THE best architecture I've seen, it's good but felt average. Not saying it has to be ultra modern either, but for the price they paid to have it built, I felt they could've designed it better to be honest. The stunning amazing part is they built this the equivalent of 15 stories underground! Whoa that's a deep basement 😉 😏 For me I'd give the Grand Central Madison these ratings. Design: 7/10 Practicality: 6/10 Convenience: 7/10 These are just my ratings 😉

@grazz7865 Жыл бұрын

11 billion dollars for 8 blocks? In Long Island we drive for miles to the nearest station. Everyone is complaining about 8 blocks?