Episode 10 Moynihan Train Hall Part 1

Altered Mobillity

In episodes 10 and 11, we dive into the history of Moynihan Train Hall or, as it’s actually known, Moynihan Station. We cover:

1. A very brief history of the original Penn or Pennsylvania Station in NYC and its destruction.
2. History of the building in which Moynihan Train Hall is situated and its original purpose.
3. Who was Daniel Patrick Moynihan that we have a train station named after him?
4. How Moynihan Train Hall came to be built.
5. A tragedy intimately connected to the realization of the long-delayed dream of this train station.
6. Short epilogue - plans for refurbishing Penn Station, natural light and all.

Episode 10 takes us partway through the planning - and search for sufficient funding - to build the train hall in the chosen location.

In episodes 10 and 11, instead of a moment in equity, there are several moments scattered throughout the two episodes, mostly quotes from Daniel Patrick Moynihan, for whom Moynihan Train Hall is named.

Sources

Killer’s Kiss (Movie scenes filmed on location at the original Penn Station in New York City) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN6bl9IqwAQ [Relevant scenes are the opening scene and the final scene. The final scene shows more of the station and it begins at 1 hour, 4 minutes into the film.)

Miracle on 34th Street (Movie scene filmed on location at the sorting room of the General Post Office, then Farley Post Office, that was transformed into Moynihan Train Hall. The scene features veteran actor Jack Albertson) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeqOkYDqNw8

Robert Khederian, The birth, life, death of old Penn Station, Curbed New York (Nov. 7, 2017) (Shows many photographs of the old Penn Station) – https://ny.curbed.com/2017/11/7/16616314/old-penn-station-history-photos-mckim

Ian Volner, The Moynihan Train Hall’s Glorious Arrival, New Yorker (Jan. 13, 2021) – https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-moynihan-train-halls-glorious-arrival

James A. Farley Building, Wikipedia (Updated July 26, 2022) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_A._Farley_Building

Kelly Winters, Daniel Patrick Moynihan Biography, Encyclopedia of World Biography (Undated) – https://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2004-Ko-Pr/Moynihan-Daniel-Patrick.html

Michael Kimmelman, A Grand Step Toward a Better City, NY Times (Jan. 14, 2021) – available via Gale OneFile with a library card.

MIL-OSI USA: Moynihan Train Hall Grand Opening, ForeignAffairs.co.nz (Dec. 31, 2020, (p. NA. Gale OneFile: News, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A647061556/STND?u=rock21695&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=16213c15)

Marilyn Jordan Taylor, Wikipedia (Updated Feb. 22, 2022) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marilyn_Jordan_Taylor#Gallery

Jared Brey, Marilyn Jordan Taylor on Moynihan Train Hall, Weitzman News (Apr. 8, 2021)

Moynihan Train Hall, Wikipedia (Updated Aug. 17, 2022) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moynihan_Train_Hall

Joseph J.Fins, When Pat and Bob nearly saved health care reform: A lesson in Senatorial bedside manner, The Conversation (July 26, 2017) – https://theconversation.com/when-pat-and-bob-nearly-saved-health-care-reform-a-lesson-in-senatorial-bedside-manner-81649

Robin Toner, The Health Care Debate: News Analysis; The Moynihan Puzzle, NY Times (June 29, 1994)

David Dunlap, Amtrak Unveils Its Design To Transform Post Office, NY Times (May 2, 1993) via ProQuest (available through library card access).

Clinton for New Station, NY Times (Oct. 28, 1993) via Gale General OneFile (available through library card access).

Michelle Krebs, What's the Fairest Roadster of Them All?, NY Times (Aug. 31, 1997) via US Newstream on ProQuest (available through library card access).

David Dunlap, Plan Gains for Post Office to Be New Penn Station, NY Times (Feb 9, 1998)

Richard Perez-Pena, Proposed L.I.R.R. Link To Grand Central Gains, NY Times (Feb 16, 1997) via US Newstream on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Thomas J Lueck, Senate Vote Furthers Plan To Overhaul Penn Station, NY Times (Aug. 11, 1995) via US Newstream on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Martha Moore, Next door in store for Penn Station?, USA Today (Jan. 21, 1998) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Thomas J. Lueck, Deal Will Give A Grand Space To Penn Station: Converting Post Office, With Eye on the Past Deal Will Give Pennsylvania Station a New Home, NY Times (Mar. 5, 1998) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Blaine Harden, In N.Y., Recreating A Penn Station Past: Moynihan Engineers a Rail Reincarnation For Adjacent Post Office of Similar Design, Washington Post (Apr. 25, 1998) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Editorial: Half a Station Won’t Do, NY Daily News (Mar. 6, 1998) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

David Dunlap, Clearing the Tracks for Penn Station III, NY Times (Jan. 3, 1999) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Charles Bagli, State's Project for a Grand New Penn Station Is Moving Again, NY Times (Oct. 28, 2004) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Charles Bagli, Station Plan Is Called Dead, But It May Just Be Napping, NY Times (Oct. 19, 2006) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Jesse McKinley and Luis Ferré-Sadurní, Sheldon Silver, 77, New York Power Broker Convicted of Corruption, Dies, NY Times (Jan. 24, 2022) – https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/24/nyregion/sheldon-silver-dead.html

Charles Bagli, Cuomo's Vision for Revamped Penn Station: New Home for Amtrak and L.I.R.R., NY Times (Sept. 27, 2016) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Lore Croghan, Amtrak Sez All Aboard on Station, NY Daily News (Sept. 14, 2009) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Michael N. Grynbaum, The Joys and Woes of Penn Station at 100, NY Times (Oct. 18, 2010) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Charles Bagli, Cuomo Considers Reset for Long-Delayed Penn Station Expansion, NY Times (Dec. 14, 2015) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Alfonso A. Castillo, Cuomo asks Trump for Penn Station 'emergency' funding: Governor calls for Port Authority takeover of aging hub LIRR commuters subjected to 'deplorable' conditions, Newsday (May 22, 2017) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Governor Cuomo and Senator Schumer Mark the Opening of Expanded West End Concourse in Penn Station, Targeted News Service (June 19, 2017) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Alfonso A. Castillo, MTA vows to withhold Penn rent to Amtrak, AM New York (June 20, 2017) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Marc J. Dunkelman, This Is Why Your Holiday Travel Is Awful, Politico (Nov. 29, 2019) on ProQuest (available through library card access).

Ralph R. Ortega, Editor’s note: Moving MSG could be a winner for New York City, City & State New York (Sept. 27, 2022) – https://www.cityandstateny.com/opinion/2022/09/editors-note-moving-msg-could-be-winner-new-york-city/377669/

Isable Vincent, Moynihan Train Hall czar killed himself as pressure mounted for Cuomo’s jewel project, New York Post (Jan. 9, 2021) – https://nypost.com/2021/01/09/moynihan-train-hall-czar-killed-himself-as-pressure-mounted/

Matthew Haag, Facebook Bets Big on Future of N.Y.C., and Offices, With New Lease, NY Times (Aug. 3, 2020) – https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/03/nyregion/facebook-nyc-office-farley-building.html

Brian Falconer and Ick Kim, Moynihan Train Hall: A New Era for James A. Farley Building, Structure Magazine (Aug. 2022) – https://www.structuremag.org/?p=21065

Stephen Nessen, Lawmakers call for more seating in the $1.6 billion Moynihan Train Hall, Gothamist (Feb. 4, 2022) – https://gothamist.com/news/lawmakers-call-more-seating-16-billion-moynihan-train-hall

Equity Quotes

Jonathan Yardley, Daniel Patrick Moynihan: Family Matters, Washington Post (Feb. 2, 1986) (book review of Family and Nation by Daniel Patrick Moynihan)

– https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/entertainment/books/1986/02/02/daniel-patrick-moynihan-family-matters/5fc012c6-f04a-4b6f-8729-4be80fdc4a04/

Daniel P. Moynihan, More Than Social Security Was at Stake, Washington Post (op-ed) (Jan. 18, 1983) – Pro Quest search (An exploration of history similar quotes dating back to Bernard Baruch can be found at People Are Entitled To Their Own Opinions But Not To Their Own Facts, Quote Investigator (Mar. 17, 2020) – https://quoteinvestigator.com/2020/03/17/own-facts/#f+437589+1+9)

The Moynihan Report: The Negro Family, The Case for National Action (posted on blackpast.org) (March 1965) – https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/moynihan-report-1965/

Courtland Milloy, Black people live longest in places where they can prosper, Washington Post (Op-ed Oct. 4, 2022) – https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/10/04/black-progress-index-blacks-live-longest-prosper/