LEDs in NYC’s GCT

As we all get ready for the upcoming New Years Day festivities, we can expect to see more customized LED lighting around us. Those who are traveling are especially likely to be dazzled by the array of replacement LED lights in airports, train stations, and any other major hubs that have commercial lighting fixtures.

Visitors to Grand Central Terminal in New York City will be treated to the triumphant return of the astronomic installation. The light-up constellations have graced GCT’s cerulean and gold ceiling for over 98 years. Originally conceived by French artist Paul César Helleu with dozens of 10-Watt incandescent bulbs, the installation experienced long stretches of darkness due to burnt-out bulbs and the lack of resources to replace them. In 1997 Grand Central Terminal underwent major renovations, during which the incandescents were replaced with a fiber optic lighting system. But, according to the New York Times, the upgrade was short lived. “Some of [the lights] got brown and discolored, so they got dimmer and dimmer,” said Marjorie Anders, a spokeswoman for Metro-North Railroad, which operates the terminal. “They just sort of went out. They just don’t sparkle.”

Metro-North enlisted the help of New Jersey’s Design Plan team to recreate the old glory of the installation, this time with LED lights. The new-and-improved lighting installation was unveiled last week. In addition to significant energy savings for GCT management, the LED lights offer increased performance. Each individual fixture has its own glass diffuser that modulates intensity “to better capture the size and intensity of the actual star being depicted,” according to Metro-North.

Wherever your holiday travels take you, keep an eye out for the increase in uses for LED lights. However, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority encourages travelers to apply caution and safety. As chairman of the MTA Jay H Walder noted, “We hope people won’t run into one another as they crane their necks and peer skyward in admiration.”