I hear ya but only way this will happen is if the greedy politicians can fill there pockets with money I’m sure they will figure a way . and then the fact that that aint the most best hood around there is lots of crime in that area i think it woukd fail like what happenend in getty square with the water front idea they had there them greedy sons of bitches ruined yonkers . yonkers was nice at one time

Well it seems that the Yonkers folks voted for it unanimously… I think it is up to the state now to determine if they can take over the park lands and build on it, which most residents don’t seem to keen on. I imagine that if that falls through, the project will get nowhere, as there’s no purpose to build this entire thing and have no parking there whatsoever.

Oh, okay, so you must be talking about M42, which is technically a part of Grand Central. I’ve been down there once… people do still work there, and the old machinery is all still there, but it isn’t actually used. While its location is supposed to be “super secret,” there is an old freight elevator across from the police station on the lower level of GCT that goes there.

And yes, I think you’re right about the cleanup issues… the plan for restoration did mention some type of pollution on the site, but it didn’t go into detail.

I believe the facility deep underneath Grand Central was actually a substation to convert AC into DC to power the trains, and it is no longer in use. AC/DC substations once required large mechanical rotary converters while today solid-state units are used.

On the Long Island Rail Road, there are some old substation buildings still standing, in the style that the Pennsylvania Railroad used for its original electrification. One is at Mineola. Another can be seen on the right side on a NJT train as it approaches the Hudson River tunnels near Secaucus.

Many old power stations and substations were built to be attractive dignified structures. There is a virtually abandoned Philadelphia Electric Co. power station in the Port Richmond section of the city that’s awaiting restoration (it’s visible from the Atlantic City train.)
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/philadelphia_casino_license/20131027_Wynn_hopes_to_use_casino_license_as_boost_for_Fishtown.html

One challenge in restoring old power station buildings is that they may contain considerable amounts of PCBs and asbestos, and cleanup is expensive.

Never heard of an ‘explosion’, other than the required blasting for construction. Dat Manhattan Schist and Fordham Gneiss is tough stuff! That I do know! We sent our excavated material and construction debris up to Morrisania yard. Wither it went, I don’t know. Perhaps it is rip-rap along the Hudson.

According to the Preservation League of NY State, it was demolished “in the mid-20th century.” I haven’t been able to find an exact date on it. As for the branch, it is abandoned as far as I know, though there may be some tracks still in place in some spots.