Deep in the bowels of Pennsylvania station, somewhere near the baggage check area near Track 1, there stands one of the last relics of when Penn Station served as a monumental entrance to the city.
Each track, from 1-21, had a metal and brass track indicator that also relayed the time when the next train would leave. Of course, all were demolished when the station was dismantled above the track entrance area. These days, trains are indicated by LED displays wedged onto screens featuring giant ads.
Sharp-eyed commuters, though, can still glimpse some past glory: some of the brass bannisters on the staircases down to the tracks, installed in 1910, are still in place.
This piece, though, should really wind up at the Transit Museum.
Photo: Mike Epstein
11/5/13