Stunning photos show the subterranean explosions,..of New York City's new subway tunnel construction

UK Daily Mail ^ | January 17, 2014 | Staff

[C19fan]

New York City is slowly making progress on its multi-billion new subway and expanded commuter rail and captivating pictures show just how much work has gone on, and how much remains to be done, in the dim, wet caverns snaking their way 160 feet below Second Avenue. There are actually two simultaneous subterranean happening on Manhattan's East Side: the Second Avenue Subway line and the East Side Access project, both of which will dramatically improve accessibility for the millions of New Yorkers and tri-state commuters each day. The Second Avenue line--which when completed will be dubbed the T train--is often referred to as 'The Line That Time Forgot' because it has been an on-again off-again city project since 1929.

[C19fan]

They are finally building another subway line for the East Side of Manhattan. Currently there is only one line, 4,5,6, so its overloaded most of the time. There used to be elevated lines down the avenues but they were torn down in the 40s.

[JerseyHighlander]

IT’s amazing this project is moving on schedule.

even more amazing is that for the first time in 40 YEARS, upon completion of this expansion (T line), the Sand Hogs are looking at a period of time without steady work.

[Fair Paul]

Very cool pictures. Every time I walk in Manhattan I wonder how much stuff ( subway tunnels, electrical lines, sewer, water lines, etc.) must be underground.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

I wish I had grown up when American cities were as vibrant as those of today’s Far East. All I’ve seen in my lifetime is stagnation or slow, steady decay.

[C19fan]

There is a hidden world that enables cities like NYC to function. There is a TV series on Sci channel called “Strip The City” that shows this hidden infrastructure.

[j.argese]

Remarkably, these elites have no problem with explosions to get them from sale to sale but really have a problem with fracking to help the nation.

[thackney]

When crews prepared to drill the giant new cavity under Second Avenue, they first had to freeze the ground to about minus 20 degrees so as not to destabilize the buildings above as the boring machine cut through. For that, aluminum tubes were inserted from the street and a special chemical solution was poured into the ground and cooled by a refrigeration plant.

Interesting...

[Slump Tester]

"...they first had to freeze the ground to about minus 20 degrees so as not to destabilize the buildings above as the boring machine cut through. "

It must have been comforting for the building owners to know that this was all planned by government paid engineers and the work was being done by the lowest bidder.

[Blood of Tyrants]

So when is it scheduled to be complete?

[miele man]

bump for later marveling...

[ken5050]

What do they do with all the material that is excavated?

[Resolute Conservative]

You mean NYC did some fracking?

[thackney]

That material is take to:

https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.749087,-73.935014&spn=0.002175,0.003098&t=k&z=19

I'm not sure yet where they haul it from there.

[Victor]

"...What do they do with all the material that is excavated?...."

Most of it is rock and a lot of it is bought up by asphalt & paving companies.

[thackney]

1.5 million cubic yards of material to be removed.

http://web.mta.info/capconstr/esas/documents/esa_data_card.pdf

[ken5050]

Thanks..Somewhat surprising they didn't try something on a larger scale.. Battery Park City was built on land reclaimed from the Hudson River using all the material excavated from building the World Trade Center..I always felt that was an amazing solution.

[C19fan]

First stage with the line running from 96th to 63rd streets, where one can transfer to the F line and Broadway line, is scheduled to be open Dec 2016 the rest who knows.

[Victor]

I understand that most of the jetties along the Jersey shore originally came from rock that was excavated from Manhattan building projects, particularly the Lincoln Tunnel....

[ken5050]

Thanks..fascinating factoid. I learn something new here most every day..