There has been a recent revival of articles about a long rumored 180 year old steam locomotive buried in an abandoned rail tunnel under a busy street in Brooklyn. A local historian (and yes, eccentric) named Bob Diamond has been butting heads with the authorities for years over his belief -- possibly now confirmed by evidence of something metalic of the right size in the tunnel -- that a steam locomotive was left behind when the tunnel was closed.
It may be that Diamond has not helped his cause by similarly speculating that the missing pages from the diary of assassin John Wilkes Booth are near the locomotive. But his credibility is enhanced by his long insistence that the tunnel existed, which was denied by the authorities until he proved them wrong. One thing is undeniable: Diamond is an intelligent and very interesting fellow.
That a local bureaucracy is proving to be unimaginative is hardly breaking news or unique to New York.
I saw this information on AOL news and then a Google News search showed a recent spate of print and TV news articles. This is just one example:
http://gothamist.com/2015/03/23/old_train_hidden_brooklyn.php
At least one TV news article brings up the so-called FDR limo baggage car in the subway story -- which was the subject of quite a bit of comment on these forums a few years ago -- for the proposition that interesting stuff is "down there." This is a different story and a different location.
Dave Nelson
Same story, different town: Cincinnati (Cincinnati/ Cincinnati & Western RR tunnel through Western Hills / Roll Hill - abandoned during construction 1854-56)
http://www.cincinnati-transit.net/rollhill.htm
OK. I have personally watched this episode. And always,s wonderd two things. Still do.
1. Are the ever gonna pull it out?
2. If they do.... Because it,s been down there protected. Could it be in really good shape? And be restored to run again. Or even restored?
Happy this is getting to people's attention again.
I suppose the better question would be what condition is the tunnel in?
A good tunnel would ussually indicate a good locomotive. It would probably be easier to see the condition of the tunnel than it would the locomotive itself, too. Analysing the tunnel could be as easy as using GPR (Ground-Penetrating-Radar).
Just knowing what conition the tunnel is in could show whether it might be worth the time and effort to dig the engine up.
Is the tunnel flooded? Unstable and collasped in places? Is the tunnel completely sealed off and airtight? These could all be indicators as to what condition the locomotive is in.
Does the article mention what type of locomotive is down there? (I can't access the link)
-S. Connor.
S. Connor Does the article mention what type of locomotive is down there? (I can't access the link) -S. Connor.
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