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Grand Central Station

Technically, the name of this magnificent structure is the Grand Central Terminal, but most people know it as Grand Central Station. The original building was constructed in 1871 by Cornelius Vanderbilt and was called the Grand Central Depot. It was built to service steam locomotives. Unfortunately, due to the number of accidents caused by the limited visibility from the clouds of steam and smoke created by these locomotives, the original depot was torn down in stages. Between 1899 and 1900, extensive demolition and remodeling took place to ease congestion and meet new regulations. The new incarnation was then named Grand Central Station.

Construction began on a new terminal in 1903 and took ten years. It was designed to service the newer electric trains that were being brought into use. It was at that point that the structure was named Grand Central Terminal. The area around the terminal was being developed and improved at the same time. The Chrysler Building was constructed near it and the various other office buildings, the Commodore Hotel and the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel took the place of the industrial buildings that had once stood on the site. There were several services and attractions added to the terminal. It housed offices and a few studios for CBS until about 1964 and many shops, a movie theatre and even a post office opened in the terminal building. Traffic was good and the electric trains ran well underground.

After the end of World War II, business began to decline. More and more people were moving to the suburbs and buying cars. The terminal fell further and further into disrepair until plans began to be formed to tear it down and build something different on the site. Finally, in 1978, the Supreme Court upheld New York's previously made decision to label it an historical landmark and plans to demolish the building were abandoned. In 1983 Metro-North purchased the building and began a long series of improvements and renovations to the building. The work, which was finally completed in 1998, returned the terminal to its former grandeur. It now houses numerous shops and restaurants and plays host to gala events year around. It's estimated that over 400,000 commuters a day pass through this wonderful and historic landmark.

Its history is marred a bit by the use of a certain mineral that is known to present serious health risks to those who are exposed to it. Asbestos was used extensively in and around Grand Central Station. Steam engines carried the dust form the mineral into the original terminal. The dust that falls from asbestos laden materials is the main cause of the problem. This dust contains millions of microscopic asbestos fibers that anybody in the area will inhale and swallow. Asbestos was used as an insulator for the pipes and boilers in steam engines and would often be shaken free during the train's operation. The air was continuously whipped up with the passing of the locomotives and the dust was further disturbed by people working in the area.

When asbestos fibers enter the lungs of an individual, they tend to sit there and cause irreparable harm. It may take as long as twenty to fifty years for the symptoms from asbestos exposure to show themselves, but, when they do, they are often deadly to the victim. The two primary asbestos related diseases are asbestosis and mesothelioma. Asbestosis is the medical condition that results when the scar tissue in the lungs, which has happened as the asbestos fibers scratch up the delicate tissues in the lungs, reaches a high enough level that it begins to affect the victims breathing. This is the most common result of asbestos exposure and can be fatal. The deadliest result is a cancer called mesothelioma. The fibers are carcinogens that cause tumors to form in the lining that covers and protects most of the vital organs in the body, called the mesothelium. The average lifespan of someone diagnosed with mesothelioma is anywhere from six to eighteen months. There are treatment options for both diseases that have various success rates, but they are most effective when the disease is caught early. There is no cure for either one.

As Grand Central Station progressed through its various incarnations, many, many workers were exposed to asbestos dust. Underground pipes under and near the terminal were coated with asbestos insulation. The dust was so heavy that a nickname for the pipefitters who worked under Grand Central came into use. They were often called "Grand Central Snowmen." They would leave their worksites so coated with the dust that they appeared to be covered by a white ‘snow'. In an effort to relieve the poor ventilation and the heat found in the tunnels, ducts and fans were installed. These spread the dust even further.

Asbestos is still an issue in the tunnels under Grand Central Terminal. In July of 2007, a steam pipe near the station exploded and asbestos was found in the dirt and debris that had erupted from the street. Asbestos use was banned, at least for the most part, by the mid 1980s, but the previously installed insulation is still there, as demonstrated by the above mentioned explosion. There are many rules and regulations that have been put in place by the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as other agencies, to help protect workers and the public. However, it will take quite a few years before the asbestos will be completely gone, if it ever will.

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