31 Mar 2023
It was a brisk February morning when myself and my friend met Martin promptly at the planned time. He came with notes and illustrations to assist us in envisioning the historical figures he described and established a comprehensive foundation for Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, the Vanderbilt family, and the history of the company that later developed the different iterations of Grand Central. He also described the evolution of Manhattan that created the environment necessitating the terminal. He subsequently led us through the expected areas both inside and outside the terminal building. He gave us solid history, plenty of exterior architectural and structural details, and some trivia throughout his tour.
The aesthetic details were of particular interest to my friend, Martin shared what he knew and acknowledged some things he didn’t know. Our party gleaned some of those details, specifically on decorative features, when we overheard another tour….
Martin was thoughtful, courteous, forthcoming, and knowledgeable. Neither of us was unsatisfied by the experience or with Martin, but we would have liked more information on the aesthetics of the elegant interior and more time for photos. Even so we consider this tour a great value!