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The Atlantic Avenue Tunnel 

The Atlantic Avenue Tunnel is officially the world's oldest subway tunnel, built in 1844 by the cut-and-cover method under a City of Brooklyn Street. It is a half-mile long and accommodated two standard gauge tracks. The tunnel was built in only seven months, using only hand tools and primitive (by today's standards) equipment. It was built to provide grade separation for early Long Island Rail Road trains that lacked brakes good enough to operate on city streets, and to eliminate vehicular and pedestrian traffic conflicts and delays. This route allowed through trains to travel quickly between Brooklyn and Boston (via ferry service to Connecticut).


Bob Diamond rediscovered the long forgotten Atlantic Avenue Tunnel in 1980. The Brooklyn Historic Railway Association (BHRA) was formed in 1982 to restore the historic tunnel. BHRA successfully filed and received designation for the tunnel on the National Register of Historic Places. BHRA continues to maintain and conduct tours and events within the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel.

 

The Atlantic Avenue Tunnel as it exists today.

An 1844 view of the tunnel.

An early LIRR engine from the period.

The volunteer crew that unearthed the tunnel in 1979.

An engineering diagram of the tunnel.

One of the BHRA's tours of the tunnel.


Brooklyn Eagle Article 5/31/1896 (3.3mb)
Opens as PDF file (zoom in for detail)
Opening Day of The atlantic Ave Tunnel
Brooklyn Eagle Article 12/5/1844 (3mb)

Opens as PDF file (zoom in for detail)
"Brooklyn has the Oldest Subway in the World"
Brooklyn Eagle Article 7/23/1911 (2.4mb)
Opens as PDF file (zoom in for detail)
"Old Tunnel Eludes Police Explorers"
New York Times 1936 (100k)
Opens as PDF file (zoom in for detail)

High Resolution Photos - Aug. 2007 Tunnel Tour (Photos By Justin N. Lane)

Atlantic Avenue Tunnel - Links to Other Websites

Atlantic Avenue Tunnel - A great page on the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel and what Walt Whitman wrote about it.

The Atlantic Avenue Tunnel - More Pictures and Info on the Atlantic Avenue tunnel can be found here.

The Lost tunnel of Brooklyn - Article on the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel from Mechanical Engineering Magazine

 Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Art Events Info   

Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Tours Info - Information on upcoming events Atlantic Avenue Tunnel tours and Trolley Events in Red Hook will be posted on the events page  


Photos from September 2007 Tunnel Tour (Photos by John Leita)


Additional historical information about the Tunnel (and the locomotives that ran through the tunnel)  is available on our about_aatunnel.html  webpage

BHRA Movies and Streaming Video showing the tunnel can be foung on this page in 
quicktime/.wmv formats.

Information on Upcoming Tunnel Tours can be found
on the bhra_events page

©2002-2007 Brooklyn Historic Railway Association, Brooklyn, NY. All rights reserved.
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