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).
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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.
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The Atlantic Avenue
Tunnel as it exists today.
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An 1844 view of the
tunnel.
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An early LIRR engine
from the period.
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The volunteer crew
that unearthed the tunnel in 1979.
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An engineering
diagram of the tunnel.
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One of the BHRA's
tours of the tunnel.
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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) |
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"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) |
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| High Resolution Photos - Aug.
2007 Tunnel Tour (Photos By Justin N. Lane) |
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| 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
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| Photos from
September 2007 Tunnel Tour (Photos by John Leita) |
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The
Atlantic Avenue Tunnel
