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This map isn't necessarily brand new, but it is a nice look at the MTA's big East Side Access project, which will connect the LIRR to Grand Central Terminal. amNew York (which has a gallery) and the NY Times visited the tunnel near 63rd Street and 2nd Avenue, where parts for the tunnel boring machine are being delivered. The TBM will then drill through rock to extend an existing tunnel to Grand Central. Fun fact via AMNY: After the TBM eats through stone, the pieces "about the size of 'buffalo chips,' according to one contractor on the site, are pulled out by conveyor belt."
As for the existing tunnel under East 63rd Street, the Times had this look at its past:
For years, the 63rd Street double-decker tunnel started in 1969 has been mocked as the “tunnel to nowhere.” The tunnel’s top level was built for subway trains, but no trains ran there until 1989. But even then service ended after just one stop into Queens, and it was not until 2001 that a connector was built linking the tunnel to the subway lines that run along Queens Boulevard.Of course, now the project is up and running, thanks to a chunk of federal money. And the LIRR concourse at Grand Central would be built under the Metro-North one - it'll be pretty modern-looking.Even today, the tunnel’s lower deck still leads nowhere. Built to carry Long Island Rail Road trains to the East Side of Manhattan, the tunnel’s lower portion was never connected to anything, and it has remained a dead-end anomaly, a testament to high aspirations and low finances.
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The new LIRR platforms at GCT will be five stories underground. Apparently, when this project was designed many years ago, they were not willing to give LIRR any tracks/platforms in the existing terminal. I bet this adds billions to the cost of the project and makes it much more difficult for LIRR passengers to get out to the street.
I seem to recall a year or two ago reading an article about NIMBYs blocking ventilation shafts in Manhattan that are necessary to make this project work. I guess this has been worked out, probably at massive extra cost.
Commuter: I remember reading that they will actually be just as far underground as the new platforms at Penn Station built for the Trans-Hudson Express tunnel. NJT and the LIRR are mum on any future link-up between the two, but it should be theoretically possible.
The deep underground tunnels are a shame, but it seems like it's either that or nothing.
so the B&T crowd can go between LI&NJ and bypass Manhattan alltogether!
sweeet!
The deep underground tunnels are a shame, but it seems like it's either that or nothing.
Shame? Do I hear a lawsuit on behalf of C.H.U.D.s?
WHY deep undeground tunnels are a shame?
At least they will be ventilated (think 63 Street/Lexington Ave F train)!!!
The deep underground tunnels are a shame, but it seems like it's either that or nothing.
the reason why the NYC subway is not deeper underground is that the designers thought that a deep subway would scare away the riders and the system would fail.
As experience in most other countries proves a deep subway is actually better because it provides less claustrophobic feel and can be more spacious as low ceilings are not needed.
So, big ups for MTA for finally realizing that deeper is better.
the reason why the NYC subway is not deeper underground is that the designers thought that a deep subway would scare away the riders and the system would fail.
I always assumed most NYC subway lines were so close to the surface because the cut and cover method was easy and fast, especially 100 years ago.
London is deep AND claustrophobic but doesn't have support columns every 10 feet.
People will goto Penn when they realize Penn+subway is faster than GCT+15 minute escalator ride. 63rd St Lex is like 10 stories underground, nobody wants to use it, Elevators take 4 mins to come.
Man, this thing reeks of pork.
Just look at the routing of those tracks! There's no way that's even remotely efficent.
Also, why not design a station that asthetically matches the interior of GCT? The LIRR seems to have a liking for terrible architecture, as can be seen by their concourse at NYP -- even the NJTransit guys took a hint, and didn't incorporate many modern elements into their portion of the station.