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Art Beyond Sight teamed up with Orpheo US and Metro North to produce a verbal
description tour of grand central terminal for people who are blind or
partially sighted.
The tour points out the architectural highlights of the landmark inside and
out as well as sharing secrets, anecdotes, archival material and the history of the
terminal.
You can rent the tour on an Orpheo player at a ticket window inside the
terminal, the cost is six dollars.
Here's a sample stop from the tour about the Information Booth in the Main Concourse.
[Train horn.The Information Booth, this stop The Informatioin Booth]
The information booth is in the middle of grand central's main concourse.
The booth is a round structure about fifteen feet in diameter.
The base is about four feet high with walls made of white marble.
Its upper section is made of clear glass windows that go all the way around
the structure.
At the point where the base meets the glass windows is a white marble shelf, it
runs all around the booth.
Go ahead and touch the shelf if you like.
The info booth is one of the most important spots in the terminal.
Want a train schedule? Pick one up right there on the white marble shelf.
Need to know what time your train leaves or maybe what track its on? The clerks
inside the booth can tell you, plus
they can tell you where the nearest restroom is, how to find the station
masters office,
or how to get to lost and found in case you left something on a train. Each clerk
handles a thousand questions in the course of the day. Here's what it sounds
like. Listen to a veteran clerk helping grand central customers in 1982.
You'll notice he gives people advice for both commuter trains and for
a long distance amtrak train. Amtrak used to run out grand central but not anymore.
Where do i get the train for Utica, which line is it?
That's the Amtrak, train departs at 12:15, track 24.
White Plains? 11:48, downstairs, track 108.
New Canaan? New Canaan is 12:05, track 29.
The 12:05 to Darien? Track 29.
Pleasantville? 11:48, downstairs, track 108.
Rye? 11:40, track 11.
Stanford? You got 11:40, track 11.
Where is that? Straight ahead and to you left
Sometimes people ask about a lot more than trains.
You'd be amazed how many times people want to know where can i rent a horse in
new york city? What's more amazing is that the clerks know the answer! Before
you move on i want to share a little secret with you. It's hidden inside the
central core of the booth. The core looks like a shiny golden brass tube. Press the
green but find out about it
[MUSIC PLAYS AND FADES OUT]