New York City’s hidden history stretches far beneath our feet — from speakeasies turned storage rooms to long-abandoned subway stations. However, one of the city’s most intriguing secrets lies beneath one of its most iconic hotels. Deep below the luxurious Waldorf Astoria, tucked away from public view, is a secret train platform that once played a mysterious role in presidential history — and where famous parties were held in the ’60s, and celebrities slipped into the hotel unseen. If you’ve ever strolled past the Waldorf Astoria on Park Avenue, chances are you had no idea that an abandoned train platform lies just beneath your feet.
Known as Track 61, this little-known relic is part of Grand Central Terminal’s vast underground network — and it has long been the subject of urban legends and spy movie fantasies. Originally built as a siding for a power station, the track was later adapted to connect directly to the basement of the Waldorf Astoria, transforming the hotel into a discreet gateway for elite guests arriving by private rail. In an effort to conceal his polio from the public, President Franklin D. Roosevelt is said to have used the platform to enter the Waldorf via a specially designed elevator capable of transporting him and his armored car directly from the train to the hotel.
Track 61 was never officially abandoned. It was originally built to serve as a powerhouse and storage area for unused New York Central Railroad cars rather than as a passenger station. While there isn’t much to see — just years of grime and dust — the station once housed an antique train car permanently parked in the powerhouse. Over the years, everyone from military generals to celebrities is said to have used Track 61 for various purposes. An unmarked brass door at street level in the Waldorf Astoria leads directly to the station. As of May 2025, the train car has been relocated to the Danbury Railway Museum in Connecticut…