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The Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York has a secret underground passageway, used by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to keep his paralysis out of public view. The private railcar and access route, called Platform 61, remain mostly silent today and are said to have been manned by Secret Service agents as recently as 2003. Roosevelt won all four of his presidential elections by significant margins, was the first US president to fly in an airplane during his term, and his long presidency led to the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution.
New York’s Waldorf Astoria hotel is known for its grandeur and opulence, but deep beneath the majestic landmark is a secret that has been hidden for decades. What you’ll see today is just an old, unused railroad track, but in the mid-20th century, this Grand Central Station underground passageway served as a private conveyor for US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The president and his staff were determined to keep Roosevelt’s paralysis out of public view, so when he visited New York City, he needed serious secrecy. With the help of the private railcar—which featured thick steel walls and bulletproof glass—Roosevelt could get to the Waldorf without being seen. He could then get a ride up to an elevator that dropped him inside the presidential suite. Today, Platform 61 – the official name of the access route – remains mostly silent, but reports suggest it is still a viable escape route should one need to, and is said to have been manned by Secret Service agents as recently as the Bush administration in 2003.
FDR Facts:
Roosevelt won all four of his presidential elections by significant margins, never garnering less than 53.4 percent of the popular vote.
Roosevelt was the first US president to fly in an airplane during his term, crossing the Atlantic Ocean in 1943.
Roosevelt’s long presidency (about 12 years) led to the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which set a presidential limit of two terms in 1951.
