That's an old baggage car (metro North X498) now used for storage (formerly maintenance of way) that was parked next to Track 61, the old Waldorf Astoria siding and platform in 1985.
I am no claim as a train expert. However I can Google FDR Railroad car and see all the pictures attributed to being FDR's railroad car including hundreds showing him standing on thee observation platform and this railroad car simply isn't the same care. I hope your special tour was free.
You are 100% correct! The Ferdinand Magellan was Roosevelt's (also used by Truman and Ike) actual car. The upgraded and armored Pullman car is currently available on display at the Gold coast railway museum in Miami. This car if in fact it was used by the US Government would have carried baggage and possibly the Presidential vehicle, but most likely was never owned and operated exclusively for the use of the President. It's just your run of the mill baggage car.
Fascinating video. Years ago I saw the History Channel story on this topic, and researched it further. While the mystery rail car of the Waldorf Astoria is most certainly of historical significance, without a specific car provenance from the manufacturer and the actual current owner of the car, there is no way to prove or disprove what original purpose it served. In reviewing the available facts, there are several points of interest. First it is unlikely FDR needed an armored and specially suspended rail car to support his two small leg braces, or a wheelchair, or that he needed such a spartan rail car to transport him during wartime. There were other more appropriate methods. Second, your video shows, and you saw first hand, that the inside of the car is not designed for passengers. It is clearly a freight car. Third, FDR's 1932 Packard Phaeton Limousine was 18 ft long and could not be driven into or out of that rail car's side door. It's just not geometrically possible. So what is the most likely use of that subterranean Waldorf mystery car? Your video helps answer that question. More than likely, despite urban legends, and statements by MTA, this rail car was indeed of historical significance, but not for the reasons stated. In fact, it is probably the only one of its kind remaining, and it is indeed connected to FDR. It is a true treasure of American history, and should be restored and displayed. So what is it? More than likely, it was used by the US treasury to secretly ship gold bricks from smelters around the country to the US treasury / Federal Reserve storage facility in New York City following FDR's prohibition of private ownership of gold by Americans. Gold coins and raw gold were turned in for $35 per ounce, then shipped to smelters for reduction into bricks, then stacks of gold bricks, braced against shifting by the mysterious wooden blocks you clearly documented, were shipped to Ft Knox, New York City, and other places. This accounts for the secrecy and armor, and special suspension, the lack of passenger accommodation or a toilet, and the presence of wooden bracing blocks. When the transport process was complete, all the other cars were scrapped. Fortunately this one was forgotten and escaped, and is a true time capsule. I hope your video helps build an movement to restore it and have it placed in a museum, perhaps at the Federal Reserve in Washington or another appropriate place.
That car is not armored Charles. And if it had been, those puny trucks would never have held up the car. Even regular passenger car trucks could not hold up the Ferdinand Magellan after conversion. The trucks that the FM rides on are actually of a design used under a locomotive tender. With even heavier duty than normal bearings installed. To get that baggage car up to a usable load capacity with armor plating and the loads of Gold would have taken 6 wheel trucks.
This is not FDR's car. This is just a heavyweight baggage car. FDR's car, The Ferdinand Magellan, is in a RR museum in Florida. His automobile was not loaded on that car. This car is just a storage car for MTA. rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4533792
For all those that say this was not FDR's car, it is the car he used to bring his vehicle into. I have been in the freight elevator they are talking about. And this car and the elevator were specially made to fit his car. If you want to see more th-cam.com/video/bOt0KkMv9tg/w-d-xo.html
May have been attached to Roosevelts train, yet not the car he rode in for the trip. His RR car would have had some plushness too it as well as the after deck with a gated platform for speeches. What you have is the car that carried his Pierce Arrow car, [ if that] and other things he would need. The wheel trucks have only two axles whereas a plush car would have six axles [3 per truck] and have a smoother ride. Better yet see the RR Car Ferdinand Magelland that took him around with it's 3 axle trucks. You were very misled, and are also very misleading, with this.
corinth1121 Air travel is efficiently more faster. Ground travel via Presidential motorcade can wiz through without any traffic. There's also no President today who needs to conceal his disability from the general public like FDR.
i suppose for his legacy he did not want to be remembered as a cripple. he had his act together! i visited his home in warm springs, georgia, 1970, and i felt like i was walking into a time capsule. the dishes were still in cabinet. nice dishes and plenty of them. everybody loved FDR. his marriage was for convenience. he had no reason to be talking to that woman. she was scarey. he died in loving peace in warm springs. it was a very romantic setting. God bless FDR. ( his car was at the home in warm springs )
I would like to know if a Pierce Arrow had 4 wheel steering because it would need it to get in and out through those Baggage car sliding doors. I mean a Presidents car would be pretty big not like a little runabout.
I think I remember seeing a documentary about this exact same train car and from what I remember this one was actually used for transporting Roosevelt's car not the president himself
i think that car was meant to be used only in that particular location. because it was for a specific purpose, when he was no longer president, it was no longer needed. new york city has destroyed many historically important items in the name of progress, so you bringing attention to this is very important.
Thanks for sharing that!! It looks a little creepy down there! It must be something else to see such a old train, just sitting there for so many years! Spooky, I think!
Whole story behind that car as told is fake. The real armor plated car, Ferdinand Magellan, is at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum. Two other cars were at one time there that were gov't owned and were part of the Presidential Train set. The three cars ran together from 1951 till about 1954 when another Army car replaced USA 87426. The crew car ( 87426 ) for the General Albert J. Myer, known as "Morn". The Myer carried the name markings and SC-1 and USA 87325 ( a modified Hospital Car with comm equipment in it ). 89501 was the replacement crew car's number and was one built as a Hospital Car built in 1952. The Magellan went out of gov't service in the late 50s but the Comm Car continued to serve until 1972. Prior to the Myer and Morn being used, B&O 1401 was used for communications. Last car to be part of the set is Car 32. It was used for the press. Even in the picture of the Myer and 1401 in the same train, there is no baggage car in the string that looked like this. Why? Because the auto for the President would be in a train running in front of the POTUS train. Or in the train following the POTUS train. To load a car inside, the car would have needed double doors. The NYC car does not have them. It is a car that served to hold supplies for a wreck train.
gravelydon How come you haven't uploaded an interesting video or blog about all this knowledge you have? You could illustrate it and it could be used for tourists.
For one, even though I am a life member at that museum, as long as certain people are there I will not go back. Due to the stupidity of those same persons, the Myer and the Morn have been damaged beyond any hope of repair and may have already been scrapped. I have not seen the cars in about 2 years and have not looked for them. You get a bitter taste in your mouth when you work on something for 5 years and then have people who know nothing of history, say a car is not historic. While that same car is shown in the string with the Magellan on the Myer's first outing in a picture hanging in the Magellan. And yes, I have let people know about the cars in the past. Even attended several meeting of the people who operated those cars when they were members of the White House Army Communications Agency. And provide an Army video to some showing them in the car. Much of what I know about those cars, unfortunately, has to remain out of the public eye. One of the people involved in the cars destruction is now a thrice convicted felon. If you want to see the charges, go to www.browardclerk.org/Web2/CaseSearch/Details/?caseid=Mjk2NDA1MQ%3d%3d-SYV9ZNHI0Mk%3d&caseNum=09019973CF10A&category=CR Another car I was involved with is on display at GCRM and is in the more or less original configuration of the Hospital Cars. www.flickr.com/photos/mpfrenger/8189544466 Morn would have looked like it from the outside except for the paint job and the wire radio antenna on the roof. Plus the electrical connections that only the Myer, Magellan, 89501 and the Morn had on a permanent basis. That is another way of telling the NYC was not part of the string. 1401 was leased by the Army and had its connection removed upon removal from gov't service. The cables for all of these cars were destroyed by gov't orders in 1972 and to have replaced them, well a $800 gov't spec toilet would have been cheaper.
"Two other cars were at one time there that were gov't owned and were part of the Presidential Train set." I wish Revell came out with a Presidential Train set. :-)
At one time you could buy models of 2 of the three already painted and detailed interiors. The third, Morn could have easily been built from the basic Hospital Unit Car 89436. Two different versions of the Magellan were available. All were in brass. Also at one time there were unpainted versions of the 89300 series in both unpainted Japanese brass and tin sides on wood from Walthers. Overland Models did the Magellan (2 ), Myer, and 89436 versions.
gravelydon I don’t even think the track that’s trains on is electrified, it’s a leftover from when those tracks were on the surface before they were buried.
The Ferdinand Magellan, is located in Miami. The RR museum in Miami outbid the Smithsonian in the 50's when the Govt. sold off the car. Miami even has the small wheelchair that FDR used in the Ferdinand Magellan, as well as all the furniture and beds. The communication car that traveled with the FM in WWII was destroyed in Hurricane Andrew. The picture of Truman holding up the newspaper "Dewey Wins" was taken while Truman was on the Ferdinand Magellan, and the car was also used by Ronald Regan on his re-election campaign.
Joe Hackney, No the Gold Coast Railroad Museum did not outbid the Smithsonian. There was and is no bidding process for excess government property that comes by the way the museum got the car. Bidding on government surplus property only happens after 1. ) all federal gov't agencies turn it down, 2.) after all state agencies turn it down, 3.) and after all not for profits turn it down. But they do have to ask for it and know when it is up for grabs. Then the item can be auctioned or sold thru the DRMO. Gold Coast got it by way of #2, from the Florida Division of Surplus Property which is a state agency setup to get items from the Federal gov't into the hands of state agencies, county agencies, municipal agencies, and Florida not for profit organizations. At the time, the GCRM was a part of the University of Miami. As for the Communications Car, it was not destroyed by Hurricane Andrew. In fact the car that traveled with the FM in WW II never was at the GCRM. The Communications Car, Presidential ( General Albert J. Myer ) did not exist as such when FDR was alive and B&O 1401 never has been on GCRM property. The Myer and Crew Car "Morn" were converted in 1951 from 1945 Hospital Unit Cars under Truman and it was they, that were damaged by Andrew. Even at that they could have been restored. Even as late as 2015 both of those cars still existed. But due to the greed of some at the museum, they likely are now gone forever. It was claimed by some there that they were not historic and instead took the restoration money and spent it on other items. But yet if you look in the FM at the pictures, there is the Myer on its test run in the train with the FM. In fact, the Myer served more Presidents in gov't service than the FM. Its last upgrade was done under Johnson in 1969 by Collins Radio. And it did not leave White House service until 1972 when it was declared excess and transferred to NASA at the Kennedy Space Center. Even after GCRM let the cars go, the State of Florida was willing to fund their restoration. But the person who was involved in that is now a convicted felon for the theft of those monies. His conviction occurred in 2009 in Broward County after almost 4 years of time since his arrest on those charges. In fact, there were 5 state charges brought against him with Scheme to Defraud only being the first one.
Was the interior of the railroad car altered in any way over the years? Did you not include some information about it? I first imagined the railroad car interior featuring a regal decor in a dusty, worn condition, that would feature common luxuries such as beds and seating with dark mahogany wood color accents, and maroon colored furniture fabric and carpeting.
Llama, Suggest you learn a little instead of falling for the BS that is being spread by this video and those in NYC. FDR's ( well it was not really, it belonged to the gov't ) is here in Florida, And features much of what Shadow Blade expects.
This is NOT a private rail car, this is a simple heavyweight baggage car. Private rail cars had open air platforms on the back, they had windows and even kitchens. This is not his private rail car.
I'd be willing to agree that this particular car may have been the car that carried FDR's limousine, and was attached to his train, but the railcar certainly isn't a Pullman-style "private car", no where near luxurious enough for The President of The United States. Roosevelt's car was purportedly designated U.S.#1.
This is just a plain-jane Heavyweight baggage car. Did the tour "guide" tell you that the last letter of the reporting mark (X) is for government stuff too? Yeah that is a lie as well. Stupid that the MTA Pulls peoples chains with the claim of that being FDRs personal car.
Secret “FDR Train Car” No Longer Beneath Grand Central (And Was Never His!) Secret “FDR Train Car” No Longer Beneath Grand Central (And Was Never His!)
It didn't tell me any more, then what I already knew. Would of been nice to see more the railroad car, that's what this video was suppose to be all about. A whole lot of nothing.
Bob R. Yes via underground road tunnels or freight elevators. It's not that hard to imagine since any large building today would have its own basement car park and utilities underground.
In the 1960s when I was a teen, a friend of mine and I rode every single mile of existing subway and elevated (3rd Ave in the Bronx was still there to Gun Hill Rd) ..even paid the extra fare to Far Rockaway ...And spent the time getting off at various stations to check things out...so yeah, I can imagine! Thanks for answering.
FDRS Railcar is in Miami at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum. That may be a rail car that carried his car or other Presidential accessories just like the transport planes that fly ahead of POTUS today..
Wow this is awesome I'm just now getting into the hobby of locomotives thank you so much for this video it's really awesome I would have never known about it it would be extremely awesome if they bring it up to the top and restored it and maybe put it in a Presidential Library or something like that👍👍
Thanks so much for sharing this! I was very pleasantly surprised to discover a new video from you on SUNDAY, anyway, THEN was shocked and excited when I learned what it was about. I'm glad you got to have this adventure. Thanks again for giving US the opportunity to vicariously enjoy the experience, too. :)
Sorry, as interesting as this story is, this is not FDR's rail car. Any railroad expert can tell this cannot possibly be be FDR's secret private rail car. FDR probably never came within miles of it. It is geometrically impossible to side - load and fit an 18 ft long Limousine in this baggage car without disassembling the vehicle. Auto transport rail cars, such as those used by Amtrak Auto train, or car manufacturers are loaded on special ramps from the end, NOT the side. A riding mower would be the only 4 wheel vehicle that that could be driven into this rail car Also, under no circumstances would the Secret Service have allowed a physically compromised President to be transported inside a windowless, unventilated baggage car. Furthermore, FDR's wheelchair and leg braces were not of sufficient weight to require a specially designed, armored windowless railcar, nor did he care if people saw him in leg braces. His son frequently assisted him in public appearances while FDR was wearing braces. He campaigned wearing them. His famous Pearl Harbor speech was delivered from the well of the house where he was standing, wearing his braces. This particular railcar could possibly have been used to transport confiscated gold bricks being shipped to the New York Federal Reserve nearby. The wood blocks could have prevented the gold bricks from shifting. Harry Truman campaigned in 1948 using the same Presidential railcar previously used by FDR. This video is nothing more than a delightful retelling of an old urban legend. Fun and fascinating, but untrue. I traced the car's serial number and it is not registered to the Federal government. The X designation on the side of the car means it is a freight interchange car, not a passenger authorized transport. Also, the only armored Limousine FDR ever used was in Washington DC, and it had been confiscated by the government from mobster Al Capone. It was a Cadillac, not a Pierce Arrow, or even a Packard. Great story telling, lots of fun. A marvelous urban legend yarn. This rail car is just a lowly baggage transport car for hotel guests.
The guy who was the narrator of this should have been talking with a Chinese German Spanish and French accent.....it would have made for better content.Was that FDRs wood collection inside.Looked like the inside of a garbage dumpster to me....!!
I'm English learner I'm study English and I have a small presentation in my English class I chose this topic about grand central and this (video tour ) help me so much thank you for share it ! and obviously I'm envy you that you were lucky to be there (excuse my grammar mistakes)
Where did you get your information? This video is completely FALSE. FDR used 2 Presidential cars, The Roald Amundsen and the Ferdinand Magellan. The Roald Amundsen is registered as a National Historic Site and on display at the Scottsdale Railroad museum in Scottsdale, AZ. The Ferdinand Magellan is a registered National Historic Landmark and on display at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami, FL. The car in this video is just a plain old baggage car, not even a Pullman. Galling that you would put such misleading information out there. Ahh, but is the internet I guess.
Quick question, I know you like what ou are doing and I and happy for you that you got to see the car, but why did you tell people how to get down to it? Now vandals and idiots are going to vandalize it and put graffiti all over it, I could be wrong, but this is the case most of the time
You must have missed where he talks about you will get arrested as it is patrolled and monitored. It is through a clearly double locked door in the station off 48th. He did not show any hidden route or subversive way to enter as to not get caught.
The baggage car has no history as told by the docent. As for the Ferdinand Magellan, they had their chance in the late 50s but didn't do the paperwork needed.
I am extremely disappointed. How come you didn't show detailed pictures inside the subway car. How come you didn't show detailed video of everything inside of the his subway car? You spent........, more like wasted my time showing a stinking yellow staircase. You wasted time showing me walking down an abandon rail with some woman who couldn't put her lousy cell phone down for a millionth of a second. FFS! Tell you what. The only thing you accomplished was that you made it abundantly clear how illegal it is to be down there. Ok. Great. that's just great.
It's not a "subway" car, it's a railroad car that happens to be confined to underground storage that can serve railroad cars on certain levels and subway cars on other levels. Otherwise, I agree somewhat with you.
Jonty, There is a difference in a baggage car and a passenger coach. A railroad car describes all types of cars used on a railroad, as in box cars, gondolas, hoppers, flat cars, coaches, dining cars, sleepers, business cars, etc...... As for who came up with a railroad or railway first, that is up for debate even though it is not the US.
That's an old baggage car (metro North X498) now used for storage (formerly maintenance of way) that was parked next to Track 61, the old Waldorf Astoria siding and platform in 1985.
That needs to be restored and preserved!
I am no claim as a train expert. However I can Google FDR Railroad car and see all the pictures attributed to being FDR's railroad car including hundreds showing him standing on thee observation platform and this railroad car simply isn't the same care. I hope your special tour was free.
You are 100% correct! The Ferdinand Magellan was Roosevelt's (also used by Truman and Ike) actual car. The upgraded and armored Pullman car is currently available on display at the Gold coast railway museum in Miami. This car if in fact it was used by the US Government would have carried baggage and possibly the Presidential vehicle, but most likely was never owned and operated exclusively for the use of the President. It's just your run of the mill baggage car.
Fascinating video. Years ago I saw the History Channel story on this topic, and researched it further. While the mystery rail car of the Waldorf Astoria is most certainly of historical significance, without a specific car provenance from the manufacturer and the actual current owner of the car, there is no way to prove or disprove what original purpose it served. In reviewing the available facts, there are several points of interest. First it is unlikely FDR needed an armored and specially suspended rail car to support his two small leg braces, or a wheelchair, or that he needed such a spartan rail car to transport him during wartime. There were other more appropriate methods. Second, your video shows, and you saw first hand, that the inside of the car is not designed for passengers. It is clearly a freight car. Third, FDR's 1932 Packard Phaeton Limousine was 18 ft long and could not be driven into or out of that rail car's side door. It's just not geometrically possible. So what is the most likely use of that subterranean Waldorf mystery car? Your video helps answer that question. More than likely, despite urban legends, and statements by MTA, this rail car was indeed of historical significance, but not for the reasons stated. In fact, it is probably the only one of its kind remaining, and it is indeed connected to FDR. It is a true treasure of American history, and should be restored and displayed. So what is it? More than likely, it was used by the US treasury to secretly ship gold bricks from smelters around the country to the US treasury / Federal Reserve storage facility in New York City following FDR's prohibition of private ownership of gold by Americans. Gold coins and raw gold were turned in for $35 per ounce, then shipped to smelters for reduction into bricks, then stacks of gold bricks, braced against shifting by the mysterious wooden blocks you clearly documented, were shipped to Ft Knox, New York City, and other places. This accounts for the secrecy and armor, and special suspension, the lack of passenger accommodation or a toilet, and the presence of wooden bracing blocks. When the transport process was complete, all the other cars were scrapped. Fortunately this one was forgotten and escaped, and is a true time capsule. I hope your video helps build an movement to restore it and have it placed in a museum, perhaps at the Federal Reserve in Washington or another appropriate place.
That car is not armored Charles. And if it had been, those puny trucks would never have held up the car. Even regular passenger car trucks could not hold up the Ferdinand Magellan after conversion. The trucks that the FM rides on are actually of a design used under a locomotive tender. With even heavier duty than normal bearings installed. To get that baggage car up to a usable load capacity with armor plating and the loads of Gold would have taken 6 wheel trucks.
This is not FDR's car. This is just a heavyweight baggage car. FDR's car, The Ferdinand Magellan, is in a RR museum in Florida. His automobile was not loaded on that car. This car is just a storage car for MTA.
rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4533792
And please note, that the white sign on the side of the Magellan was never on it while it was in service. It is a recent addition.
Metro Hobbies
NOT his private car
I thought Pres . Roosevelt used the Ferdinand Magellan?
Yes he did this is just a plain old baggage car with a BS story
Ham549 Stop spraying bullshit on all the comments
yes he did lol
it is the car he used to bring his vehicle into
No, it's not.
: *polar express first car*
For all those that say this was not FDR's car, it is the car he used to bring his vehicle into. I have been in the freight elevator they are talking about. And this car and the elevator were specially made to fit his car. If you want to see more th-cam.com/video/bOt0KkMv9tg/w-d-xo.html
Thats not possible thats too small
Interesting video. Supposedly, there is an abandoned train under Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. Has yet to be found but one guy is still looking.
Does anyone think of Teen age mutant ninja turtles when they see this.
Too bad you didn't have a video camera with you to show FDR's rail car. All I saw were a bunch of blurry photos of some old trains.
It's a _BAGGAGE CAR_ used to transport his automobile (his "private" car).
All good, but unless I missed it where does the video talk about IF the tracks were connected to a main RR line?
Where does the track join the rest of the system, and is it still connected?
Good question
This was your "Geraldo" moment.
Ha oh yea I remember that, just watched the final hill st blues episode where they spoofed it.
May have been attached to Roosevelts train, yet not the car he rode in for the trip. His RR car would have had some plushness too it as well as the after deck with a gated platform for speeches. What you have is the car that carried his Pierce Arrow car, [ if that] and other things he would need. The wheel trucks have only two axles whereas a plush car would have six axles [3 per truck] and have a smoother ride. Better yet see the RR Car Ferdinand Magelland that took him around with it's 3 axle trucks. You were very misled, and are also very misleading, with this.
I wonder why they stopped using this line? seems more secure than other transport methods to the hotel...
corinth1121 Air travel is efficiently more faster. Ground travel via Presidential motorcade can wiz through without any traffic. There's also no President today who needs to conceal his disability from the general public like FDR.
I need some of those 60 year light bulbs.
The actual FDR private RR car is in the Gold Coast Rail museum in Florida Rail road museum located in Miami, Dade county
are those tracks used
i suppose for his legacy he did not want to be remembered as a cripple. he had his act together! i visited his home in warm springs, georgia, 1970, and i felt like i was walking into a time capsule. the dishes were still in cabinet. nice dishes and plenty of them. everybody loved FDR. his marriage was for convenience. he had no reason to be talking to that woman. she was scarey. he died in loving peace in warm springs. it was a very romantic setting. God bless FDR. ( his car was at the home in warm springs )
Joe, who owns this car? Can it be moved for transit?
I would like to know if a Pierce Arrow had 4 wheel steering because it would need it to get in and out through those Baggage car sliding doors. I mean a Presidents car would be pretty big not like a little runabout.
That is not FDR's private car. His RR car, named FERDINAND MAGELLAN, is on display in Florida.
WHY is this car not being restored?
I think I remember seeing a documentary about this exact same train car and from what I remember this one was actually used for transporting Roosevelt's car not the president himself
The documentary is bullshit it's just an average baggage car.
How do I get on such a guided tour?
who was the one you followed with the Ph.D in texting? Cool experience! thanks for sharing
+Ghetto Wagon That was one of the SAG ppl [screen actors guild]
crazeenydriver
they seemed very interested in this one time opportunity lol.
i think that car was meant to be used only in that particular location. because it was for a specific purpose, when he was no longer president, it was no longer needed. new york city has destroyed many historically important items in the name of progress, so you bringing attention to this is very important.
Thanks for sharing that!! It looks a little creepy down there! It must be something else to see such a old train, just sitting there for so many years! Spooky, I think!
Whole story behind that car as told is fake. The real armor plated car, Ferdinand Magellan, is at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum. Two other cars were at one time there that were gov't owned and were part of the Presidential Train set. The three cars ran together from 1951 till about 1954 when another Army car replaced USA 87426. The crew car ( 87426 ) for the General Albert J. Myer, known as "Morn". The Myer carried the name markings and SC-1 and USA 87325 ( a modified Hospital Car with comm equipment in it ). 89501 was the replacement crew car's number and was one built as a Hospital Car built in 1952. The Magellan went out of gov't service in the late 50s but the Comm Car continued to serve until 1972. Prior to the Myer and Morn being used, B&O 1401 was used for communications. Last car to be part of the set is Car 32. It was used for the press. Even in the picture of the Myer and 1401 in the same train, there is no baggage car in the string that looked like this. Why? Because the auto for the President would be in a train running in front of the POTUS train. Or in the train following the POTUS train. To load a car inside, the car would have needed double doors. The NYC car does not have them. It is a car that served to hold supplies for a wreck train.
gravelydon How come you haven't uploaded an interesting video or blog about all this knowledge you have? You could illustrate it and it could be used for tourists.
For one, even though I am a life member at that museum, as long as certain people are there I will not go back. Due to the stupidity of those same persons, the Myer and the Morn have been damaged beyond any hope of repair and may have already been scrapped. I have not seen the cars in about 2 years and have not looked for them. You get a bitter taste in your mouth when you work on something for 5 years and then have people who know nothing of history, say a car is not historic. While that same car is shown in the string with the Magellan on the Myer's first outing in a picture hanging in the Magellan.
And yes, I have let people know about the cars in the past. Even attended several meeting of the people who operated those cars when they were members of the White House Army Communications Agency. And provide an Army video to some showing them in the car. Much of what I know about those cars, unfortunately, has to remain out of the public eye.
One of the people involved in the cars destruction is now a thrice convicted felon. If you want to see the charges, go to www.browardclerk.org/Web2/CaseSearch/Details/?caseid=Mjk2NDA1MQ%3d%3d-SYV9ZNHI0Mk%3d&caseNum=09019973CF10A&category=CR
Another car I was involved with is on display at GCRM and is in the more or less original configuration of the Hospital Cars. www.flickr.com/photos/mpfrenger/8189544466 Morn would have looked like it from the outside except for the paint job and the wire radio antenna on the roof. Plus the electrical connections that only the Myer, Magellan, 89501 and the Morn had on a permanent basis. That is another way of telling the NYC was not part of the string. 1401 was leased by the Army and had its connection removed upon removal from gov't service. The cables for all of these cars were destroyed by gov't orders in 1972 and to have replaced them, well a $800 gov't spec toilet would have been cheaper.
"Two other cars were at one time there that were gov't owned and were part of the Presidential Train set."
I wish Revell came out with a Presidential Train set. :-)
At one time you could buy models of 2 of the three already painted and detailed interiors. The third, Morn could have easily been built from the basic Hospital Unit Car 89436. Two different versions of the Magellan were available. All were in brass. Also at one time there were unpainted versions of the 89300 series in both unpainted Japanese brass and tin sides on wood from Walthers. Overland Models did the Magellan (2 ), Myer, and 89436 versions.
gravelydon I don’t even think the track that’s trains on is electrified, it’s a leftover from when those tracks were on the surface before they were buried.
You get a chance to see the find of a lifetime and you take a flip phone camera, a 1970's Kodak inst-max camera and drank 4 pots of coffee.
It's a bullshit story that is just an average baggage car.
How do trains move on that track if there is no third rail?
They must store coaches or work diesels in there
What is FDR ?
The Ferdinand Magellan, is located in Miami. The RR museum in Miami outbid the Smithsonian in the 50's when the Govt. sold off the car. Miami even has the small wheelchair that FDR used in the Ferdinand Magellan, as well as all the furniture and beds. The communication car that traveled with the FM in WWII was destroyed in Hurricane Andrew. The picture of Truman holding up the newspaper "Dewey Wins" was taken while Truman was on the Ferdinand Magellan, and the car was also used by Ronald Regan on his re-election campaign.
Joe Hackney, No the Gold Coast Railroad Museum did not outbid the Smithsonian. There was and is no bidding process for excess government property that comes by the way the museum got the car. Bidding on government surplus property only happens after 1. ) all federal gov't agencies turn it down, 2.) after all state agencies turn it down, 3.) and after all not for profits turn it down. But they do have to ask for it and know when it is up for grabs. Then the item can be auctioned or sold thru the DRMO. Gold Coast got it by way of #2, from the Florida Division of Surplus Property which is a state agency setup to get items from the Federal gov't into the hands of state agencies, county agencies, municipal agencies, and Florida not for profit organizations. At the time, the GCRM was a part of the University of Miami.
As for the Communications Car, it was not destroyed by Hurricane Andrew. In fact the car that traveled with the FM in WW II never was at the GCRM. The Communications Car, Presidential ( General Albert J. Myer ) did not exist as such when FDR was alive and B&O 1401 never has been on GCRM property. The Myer and Crew Car "Morn" were converted in 1951 from 1945 Hospital Unit Cars under Truman and it was they, that were damaged by Andrew. Even at that they could have been restored. Even as late as 2015 both of those cars still existed. But due to the greed of some at the museum, they likely are now gone forever. It was claimed by some there that they were not historic and instead took the restoration money and spent it on other items. But yet if you look in the FM at the pictures, there is the Myer on its test run in the train with the FM. In fact, the Myer served more Presidents in gov't service than the FM. Its last upgrade was done under Johnson in 1969 by Collins Radio. And it did not leave White House service until 1972 when it was declared excess and transferred to NASA at the Kennedy Space Center. Even after GCRM let the cars go, the State of Florida was willing to fund their restoration. But the person who was involved in that is now a convicted felon for the theft of those monies. His conviction occurred in 2009 in Broward County after almost 4 years of time since his arrest on those charges. In fact, there were 5 state charges brought against him with Scheme to Defraud only being the first one.
Was the interior of the railroad car altered in any way over the years? Did you not include some information about it?
I first imagined the railroad car interior featuring a regal decor in a dusty, worn condition, that would feature common luxuries such as beds and seating with dark mahogany wood color accents, and maroon colored furniture fabric and carpeting.
Shadow Blade if it was nothing it was just a plane baggage car. who asked it with you it was for a maintenance train and it carried tools.
Ham549 You're full of bullshit
Llama, Suggest you learn a little instead of falling for the BS that is being spread by this video and those in NYC.
FDR's ( well it was not really, it belonged to the gov't ) is here in Florida, And features much of what Shadow Blade expects.
It was confirmed in 2019 that it was just indeed a New York Central Baggage car
Interesting piece of History! Thank you very much for sharing Joe.
lol I love when people say long forgotten then u see fresh grafitty all over the place
GhostLaughingMan long forgotten to the PUBLIC, those are just vandalouse teens sneaking through tunnels
yea, like osama bin laden. the FBI can't find his dumbass but the the media has a hundred interviews with him.
Nooooo. This is not FDRs car. I was there. Makes for a good story lol.
Why was that girl even down there? All she was doing was playing with her phone.
+BurtBartlow She was a SAG member.
This is NOT a private rail car, this is a simple heavyweight baggage car. Private rail cars had open air platforms on the back, they had windows and even kitchens. This is not his private rail car.
It needs to be restored for history
Why? It's just the passenger version of a damn _boxcar!_
Its just a baggage car my friend. No windows and one large door.????
For the limo he had
I'd be willing to agree that this particular car may have been the car that carried FDR's limousine, and was attached to his train, but the railcar certainly isn't a Pullman-style "private car", no where near luxurious enough for The President of The United States.
Roosevelt's car was purportedly designated U.S.#1.
This is just a plain-jane Heavyweight baggage car. Did the tour "guide" tell you that the last letter of the reporting mark (X) is for government stuff too? Yeah that is a lie as well.
Stupid that the MTA Pulls peoples chains with the claim of that being FDRs personal car.
it is the car he used to bring his vehicle into
dbkoob nyc
It's too narrow. Only specialized autorack cars can handle things like private cars; baggage cars simply don't have the space.
No, it's not.
Secret “FDR Train Car” No Longer Beneath Grand Central (And Was Never His!)
Secret “FDR Train Car” No Longer Beneath Grand Central (And Was Never His!)
Heavy weight baggage car ... No windows, no bullet proof glass , no way to get a limo in or out.
It didn't tell me any more, then what I already knew. Would of been nice to see more the railroad car, that's what this video was suppose to be all about. A whole lot of nothing.
Is it possible for the car to be brought back above ground? Or, are the train routes no longer there...?
Bob R. Yes via underground road tunnels or freight elevators. It's not that hard to imagine since any large building today would have its own basement car park and utilities underground.
In the 1960s when I was a teen, a friend of mine and I rode every single mile of existing subway and elevated (3rd Ave in the Bronx was still there to Gun Hill Rd) ..even paid the extra fare to Far Rockaway ...And spent the time getting off at various stations to check things out...so yeah, I can imagine! Thanks for answering.
Where is the train
So much hidden treasures in NYC most of us don't even know about. Thank you for putting this together and sharing it with us. You rock!
farnk It's just a baggage car.
This is not his private railcar, it is the train car that would carry his limousine.
Thanks for the historical tour
Its good history locations are preserved for future generations
amazing. thanks for sharing, joe.
Yes, you would think that if it was really FDR's private car, some museum or another or another, would want it. Apparently they don't, though.
Yes because railroad museums are smart enough to see through this bullshit you know that the car is just an average baggage car.
FDRS Railcar is in Miami at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum. That may be a rail car that carried his car or other Presidential accessories just like the transport planes that fly ahead of POTUS today..
Hi. Is there anything done to preserve the car?
Arvidsson och Partner No and there's nothing special about it.
Recently it went to the Danbury railroad museum
I would hope that someone spearheaded a plan to restore it???
A piece of US History
Wow this is awesome I'm just now getting into the hobby of locomotives thank you so much for this video it's really awesome I would have never known about it it would be extremely awesome if they bring it up to the top and restored it and maybe put it in a Presidential Library or something like that👍👍
Thats a fucking baggage car. Not FDRs.
that is a baggage car
Thanks so much for sharing this! I was very pleasantly surprised to discover a new video from you on SUNDAY, anyway, THEN was shocked and excited when I learned what it was about. I'm glad you got to have this adventure. Thanks again for giving US the opportunity to vicariously enjoy the experience, too. :)
Lexi Groban It's just a baggage car.
it is the car he used to bring his vehicle into
No, it's not.
this is old news
Sorry, as interesting as this story is, this is not FDR's rail car. Any railroad expert can tell this cannot possibly be be FDR's secret private rail car. FDR probably never came within miles of it. It is geometrically impossible to side - load and fit an 18 ft long Limousine in this baggage car without disassembling the vehicle. Auto transport rail cars, such as those used by Amtrak Auto train, or car manufacturers are loaded on special ramps from the end, NOT the side. A riding mower would be the only 4 wheel vehicle that that could be driven into this rail car Also, under no circumstances would the Secret Service have allowed a physically compromised President to be transported inside a windowless, unventilated baggage car. Furthermore, FDR's wheelchair and leg braces were not of sufficient weight to require a specially designed, armored windowless railcar, nor did he care if people saw him in leg braces. His son frequently assisted him in public appearances while FDR was wearing braces. He campaigned wearing them. His famous Pearl Harbor speech was delivered from the well of the house where he was standing, wearing his braces. This particular railcar could possibly have been used to transport confiscated gold bricks being shipped to the New York Federal Reserve nearby. The wood blocks could have prevented the gold bricks from shifting. Harry Truman campaigned in 1948 using the same Presidential railcar previously used by FDR. This video is nothing more than a delightful retelling of an old urban legend. Fun and fascinating, but untrue. I traced the car's serial number and it is not registered to the Federal government. The X designation on the side of the car means it is a freight interchange car, not a passenger authorized transport. Also, the only armored Limousine FDR ever used was in Washington DC, and it had been confiscated by the government from mobster Al Capone. It was a Cadillac, not a Pierce Arrow, or even a Packard. Great story telling, lots of fun. A marvelous urban legend yarn. This rail car is just a lowly baggage transport car for hotel guests.
That's literally just a baggage car.
That's not his car. Hope the tour was free
I wouldn’t say “Finest President”. He prolonged the depression and basically backed us into WW 2
@Anton1460 I’m superior to you. That’s all you need to know
@Anton1460 oh are you still crying over the election 😥
The guy who was the narrator of this should have been talking with a Chinese German Spanish and French accent.....it would have made for better content.Was that FDRs wood collection inside.Looked like the inside of a garbage dumpster to me....!!
This is cool
F FDR.
I'm English learner I'm study English and I have a small presentation in my English class I chose this topic about grand central and this (video tour ) help me so much thank you for share it ! and obviously I'm envy you that you were lucky to be there (excuse my grammar mistakes)
Where did you get your information? This video is completely FALSE. FDR used 2 Presidential cars, The Roald Amundsen and the Ferdinand Magellan. The Roald Amundsen is registered as a National Historic Site and on display at the Scottsdale Railroad museum in Scottsdale, AZ. The Ferdinand Magellan is a registered National Historic Landmark and on display at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami, FL. The car in this video is just a plain old baggage car, not even a Pullman. Galling that you would put such misleading information out there. Ahh, but is the internet I guess.
click bait
Quick question, I know you like what ou are doing and I and happy for you that you got to see the car, but why did you tell people how to get down to it? Now vandals and idiots are going to vandalize it and put graffiti all over it, I could be wrong, but this is the case most of the time
You must have missed where he talks about you will get arrested as it is patrolled and monitored. It is through a clearly double locked door in the station off 48th. He did not show any hidden route or subversive way to enter as to not get caught.
Would love to see this car at the Smithsonian it belongs there
The baggage car has no history as told by the docent. As for the Ferdinand Magellan, they had their chance in the late 50s but didn't do the paperwork needed.
Great video. Wish I had been on the tour.
??????????
This is bull shit, it is not FDRs rail car.
Ham549 shut the fuck up
Llama_ _Overlord, it is just a baggage car
Llama_ _Overlord don't you think it's just a little weird that there are no windows?
Baggage doesn't need to see out.
You are incorrect MTA sources say this is FDR's car that he used to bring his vehicle in
I am extremely disappointed. How come you didn't show detailed pictures inside the subway car. How come you didn't show detailed video of everything inside of the his subway car? You spent........, more like wasted my time showing a stinking yellow staircase. You wasted time showing me walking down an abandon rail with some woman who couldn't put her lousy cell phone down for a millionth of a second. FFS! Tell you what. The only thing you accomplished was that you made it abundantly clear how illegal it is to be down there. Ok. Great. that's just great.
It's not a "subway" car, it's a railroad car that happens to be confined to underground storage that can serve railroad cars on certain levels and subway cars on other levels. Otherwise, I agree somewhat with you.
It's not even his car, it's just a baggage car.
lol.
you mean railway coach NOT railroad car
No, he means railroad car.
all right then which country came up with the railway?
A) USA B)UK
Jonty, There is a difference in a baggage car and a passenger coach. A railroad car describes all types of cars used on a railroad, as in box cars, gondolas, hoppers, flat cars, coaches, dining cars, sleepers, business cars, etc...... As for who came up with a railroad or railway first, that is up for debate even though it is not the US.
That is so cool, it good to know about american history. I just love it.
It's fake history as that was never FDRs car
Ham549 S T O P S P R E A D I N G B U L L S H I T
It's an old heavyweight baggage car. This guy's story is very embellished. Nice hoax
wow! what an interesting video! thanks.
Rule 101 of Urban exploration... Dont go public with directions.
It's a real shit hole I can see that. :D