The New York Central Railroad
The Glenwood Power Plant was constructed in 1906 by the New York Central Railroad. This massive multi-leveled structure housed turbines which were powered by coal and steam and used to generate electricity. This electricity ran in thick cables along the tracks southward to Grand Central Station. The Glenwood Plant in Yonkers was created in order to electrify the railroad. Due to its electrification of the train tracks, the Glenwood Plant is responsible for reconstruction of Park Avenue, bringing its train tracks underground. The Power Plant is a forgotten part of New York history. The layout of Park Avenue, Grand Central Station, and the rest of NYC's trains are due in part to the Power Plant in Yonkers.
The four items (to the left) showcase not only the size of the Glenwood Plant but the remanants of the structure's function. Here, employees of the New York Central Railroad worked to maintain the plant and generate electricity. The structure was a source of income for many families, with many of them living in Yonkers. The workers would receive coal deliveries from the dock doors facing the Hudson River. This coal was burned to heat water into steam, which would turn the turbines and thus create electricty. The smoke stacks would billow the product of this burnt coal into the Yonkers air. Employees would walk the Plant floor to inspect the turbines.
Unfortunatley, the tiled floor markers (labeled IV and V) have had their meanings lost to time. The tiles, which are very similar to the designs of Grand Central, may have signified different turbines or cables. Despite not knowing their significance, the tiles are just another example of the Glenwood Plant's contribution to New York history and its part as a social memory to working class Yonkers residents.