. >> there was a private platform that was built underneath the waldorf-astoria hotel, which is one ofe nicest hotels in new york and is built directly above the train tracks. and the platform was used for presidents. franklin roosevelt himself, who was not able to walk, got off of his private train car in his wheelchair and go directly to a private elevator that would take him up and into his suite at the waldorf-astoria. >> roosevelt was president during world war ii. at the time, there was concern that grand central could be the target of sabotage. >> there's one area of the terminal which is very, very deep below the ground, where power was converted, electrical power was converted, for use by the trains, and it was such a sensitive area that it's very heavily protected. there was fear, at one point, that spies would be able to get in there, and one handful of sand thrown into any of that machinery would shut the entire railroad system down and cripple the city. so it was very, very carefully protected, and even to this day, the public is not allowed to go down there. >> don't worr

they're knocking down the waldorf astoria in 1929 and they're going to break ground for this right around the time that the stock market crashes. but they continue through. the dupont family and rascob and all the money interests that wanted this building, this huge building that goes up just as the depression happens, just as the rents are everybody's leaving, nobody wants to rent anything. it's cubed -- dubbed the empty state building. and smith -- >> a large amount? >> a large amount, but he's running deficits. he even goes to fdr and says, can you put manufacture your federal agencies in there? hat in hand. by the way, it's good to see you. could you guys rent some space in the empire state building? but smith, that's his job. and he holds that job until 1944 when he dies. in fact, the economy changes, and he does recover. but at first, it was a very difficult job to have, trying to rent space when nobody's buying office space in new york city. >> you kind of have to feel for al smith. i mean, we were going to talk about his failures. one of his greatest failures is really bad timing.

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