Grand Central station (IRT 42nd Street Branch)

This article is about the New York City elevated rapid transit station. For the subway station complex, see Grand Central–42nd Street station.

The Grand Central station was the terminal for some trains of the IRT Third Avenue Line, also known as the Third Avenue El, in Manhattan, New York City. This station originally had one island platform and two side platforms, all connected at the west end (later converted to three tracks and two island platforms). The tracks ended just east of the Park Avenue Viaduct ramp over Pershing Square.^[1]

Grand Central
Former Manhattan Railway elevated station
42nd St. elevated station (bottom right)
General information
Location	East 42nd Street between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue Midtown Manhattan, Manhattan, New York
Coordinates	40°45′6.88″N 73°58′37.89″W
Operated by	Interborough Rapid Transit Company
Line(s)	42nd Street Branch
Platforms	2 side platforms 2 island platforms Spanish solution
Tracks	3
Construction
Structure type	Elevated
History
Opened	August 26, 1878; 146 years ago (August 26, 1878)
Closed	December 6, 1923; 101 years ago (December 6, 1923)
Former services
Preceding station Interborough Rapid Transit Following station Terminus 42nd Street Shuttle 42nd Street Terminus
Location

It opened August 26, 1878,^[2] and served not only Grand Central Terminal but also its two predecessors, Grand Central Station (1899–1913) and Grand Central Depot (1871–1899). When the El opened north of 42nd Street in September 1878, this segment was reduced to a shuttle, which connected to the mainline at the 42nd Street station, at Third Avenue.

In 1904, the Interborough Rapid Transit Company opened the Grand Central station as part of its first subway line.^[3] Platforms for the IRT Flushing Line opened in 1915,^[4] followed by those for the IRT Lexington Avenue Line in 1918;^[5] after the Lexington Avenue Line platforms opened, the original platforms at the station were converted for use by the 42nd Street Shuttle.^[6] By this time, the El station had become obsolete and it was closed on December 6, 1923.^[7]