Yes. This historical platform is called Track 61 and is located at the Waldorf Astoria hotel. There are still many unsolved mysteries about this platform, but historians have pieced together some basic truths by pulling out the cocoon. In 1930, when the Waldorf Astoria Hotel was built, this platform was built as an accessory to park the rich. This platform was not a secret at the time. In 1929, the New York Times published a construction plan ( http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB061EFF3E54127A93CAA91782D85F4D8285F9 ). However, the site has also been used for confidential purposes until now.
The most famous example of the use of platform 61 for confidential purposes occurred during President Franklin Roosevelt's trip to New York in October 1944. At the time he was building momentum for his fourth term as president. He wanted to hide the fact that he had inconvenience on his legs and could only move in a wheelchair. On October 21, 1944, Roosevelt ended his speech at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel to the Foreign Policy Association. According to the work log of the Intelligence Bureau ( http://books.google.com/books?id=DgYvB8G9higC&pg=PT209#v=onepage&q&f=false ), Roosevelt took the elevator to reach the secret platform thick, where he directly transferred to his Private train to Hyde Park. In this way, he can hide his physical condition.
FDR is not the first powerful person to use the "presidential track." Gen. Pershing (the highest-ranked man in American history) and Douglas MacArthur also used this platform. This platform was used more for commercial purposes: when Filene held a fashion show at Central Station after the war, the media and others were invited to dine on the Presidential Rail under the Waldorf Hotel ( http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/) abandoned/gct61.html ). In 1965, Andy Warhol even organized an underground party here ( http://books.google.com/books?id=DgYvB8G9higC&pg=PT209#v=onepage&q&f=false ). In 1980, Time reported that this place had been illegally occupied.
When the President visited, this platform was still used as an escape route. The New York Times reporter Sam Roberts once recorded the story of Kalikow, the chairman of the New York Metropolitan Subway Operations Department, who tried to explore the platform in 2003. At that time, Kalikow was politely stopped by several well-dressed men with guns in suits and leather shoes who emerged from the ground.
"This is his exclusive track" an assistant motioned to Kalikow. "Not today," said an agent. Kalikow later learned that George W Bush was working on an agenda item of the United Nations General Assembly at the Waldorf Hotel. Agents sealed off here in case the President needs the platform as an escape route.
According to Roberts' book published in 2013, this is the standard procedure for presidential visits. In addition, a diesel train is also on standby to allow the president to escape Manhattan.
This sounds like a plot in a comic book. How is the plot of Spider-Man different from the actual situation? The movie differs from reality in details. Roosevelt used this platform, but it was never part of the D line, and the D line has never passed the Waldorf Hotel. Track 61 was never part of the New York subway system. So to get on this train, a thousand old subway tokens are not enough. If you want to know what this platform looks like now? You can see the photo on Gothamist: http://gothamist.com/2011/11/07/photos.php#photo-1 or the video of Today Show: http://www.today.com/video/today/24514783 ( Some of this video is rumors and has not been verified.)
Although this platform is still used as a presidential escape, it is far less luxurious than in the Roosevelt era.
Original: http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/05/01/fdr_secret_subway_in_the_amazing_spider_man_2_the_hidden_train_station_used.html
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