New York Underground • Hacker News Board

Re: New York Underground

#31

Post by msutherl » Fri, Aug 10, 2012, 3:41 PM UTC

So, there are two of those deep underground water tunnels, one which runs down from the Bronx through Manhattan and another that runs from the Bronx through Queens and Brooklyn. These tunnels were completed in 1917 and 1935 respectively. How they managed to do this then is beyond me.

Currently a third tunnel is being built and apparently it's "the largest construction project in New York history". The project was begun in 1970 and won't finish until 2020. It cost 6 billion. When the third tunnel comes online, it will allow for the other two tunnels to be shut down for repairs for the first time in their history. Scenes from Die Hard were filmed in Tunnel 3.

This is big, long-term stuff folks. Makes me feel kind of proud of civilization.

Re: New York Underground

#32

Post by DanBC » Fri, Aug 10, 2012, 3:47 PM UTC

thematt wrote: post #14

potatolicious wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Woah. The water mains are 800 feet down? How does that work? How did they even get there?

I'm guessing they probably got there before everything on top was built, but how do they get down there now for repairs and such?

The water has to get in somewhere, and come out somewhere, so you go to those places and put a robot vehicle in.

Re: New York Underground

#33

Post by DanBC » Fri, Aug 10, 2012, 3:58 PM UTC

msutherl wrote: post #31

So, there are two of those deep underground water tunnels, one which runs down from the Bronx through Manhattan and another that runs from the Bronx through Queens and Brooklyn. These tunnels were completed in 1917 and 1935 respectively. How they managed to do this then is beyond me. Currently a third tunnel is being built and apparently it's "the largest construction project in New York history". The project was beg…

It is an amazing achievement.

3 men per mile died digging tunnel number 1 - 25% of the workers.

(http://www.flypmedia.com/content/life-underground)

>Generations of sandhogs have accepted anonymity and danger as part of the job: 25 percent of those working on a tunnel in 1890 lost their lives; during a three-year stretch excavating Tunnel No. 2, 60 died. That’s three men for every mile of tunnel. Although the introduction in 1970 of a 13,200-volt pneumatic drill that sinks 10-foot holes into the rock has reduced the dangers facing the sandhogs, excavation of the first 25 miles of City Water Tunnel No. 3 cost the lives of 23 workers.

Re: New York Underground

#34

Post by fratis » Fri, Aug 10, 2012, 4:00 PM UTC

gee_totes wrote: post #16

I'm no civil engineer, but why are the sewage tunnels above the clean water tunnels? If there were a leak, wouldn't the sewage seep into the clean water? Or is the clay thick enough to provide a good barrier?

Like my mom always says, "Keep your poop close."

Re: New York Underground

#35

Post by devb » Fri, Aug 10, 2012, 4:00 PM UTC

gee_totes wrote: post #16

I'm no civil engineer, but why are the sewage tunnels above the clean water tunnels? If there were a leak, wouldn't the sewage seep into the clean water? Or is the clay thick enough to provide a good barrier?

The water tunnels operate at great pressure. Intrusion is extremely unlikely.

Re: New York Underground

#36

Post by maxerickson » Fri, Aug 10, 2012, 4:01 PM UTC

maratd wrote: post #29

cs702 wrote: post #20

The greatest depth shown in that graphic is 800 feet. At 10-12 feet per floor, that's equal to the height of a 67-80 story skyscraper. This means Manhattan has a 'mirror-image' city under the ground -- its 'citizens' are electric power, water, gas, and trash. I can't help but be in awe.

What is even more amazing is that this mimics nature. Most trees have a root structure that is a rough mirror image of what's above ground!

The roots are generally much closer to the surface than the canopy is to the ground.

Like within a meter versus dozens of meters.

Re: New York Underground

#37

Post by hkmurakami » Fri, Aug 10, 2012, 4:01 PM UTC

msutherl wrote: post #31

So, there are two of those deep underground water tunnels, one which runs down from the Bronx through Manhattan and another that runs from the Bronx through Queens and Brooklyn. These tunnels were completed in 1917 and 1935 respectively. How they managed to do this then is beyond me. Currently a third tunnel is being built and apparently it's "the largest construction project in New York history". The project was beg…

To me, $6 billion seems really cheap for a project that seems pretty vital to the city's long term health, safety and security.

Compare this to the ~$10 billion for the California High Speed Rail project, which doesn't seem nearly as important as this NYC project.

Re: New York Underground

#38

Post by grassclip » Fri, Aug 10, 2012, 4:02 PM UTC

maratd wrote: post #29

cs702 wrote: post #20

The greatest depth shown in that graphic is 800 feet. At 10-12 feet per floor, that's equal to the height of a 67-80 story skyscraper. This means Manhattan has a 'mirror-image' city under the ground -- its 'citizens' are electric power, water, gas, and trash. I can't help but be in awe.

What is even more amazing is that this mimics nature. Most trees have a root structure that is a rough mirror image of what's above ground!

Link about architecture here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root#Root_architecture

Most interesting thing in my opinion is how roots serve the part of the tree that they're on. If left roots die, left side of tree may die too.

Re: New York Underground

#39

Post by tsunamifury » Fri, Aug 10, 2012, 4:21 PM UTC

hkmurakami wrote: post #37

msutherl wrote: post #31

So, there are two of those deep underground water tunnels, one which runs down from the Bronx through Manhattan and another that runs from the Bronx through Queens and Brooklyn. These tunnels were completed in 1917 and 1935 respectively. How they managed to do this then is beyond me. Currently a third tunnel is being built and apparently it's "the largest construction project in New York history". The project was beg…

To me, $6 billion seems really cheap for a project that seems pretty vital to the city's long term health, safety and security. Compare this to the ~$10 billion for the California High Speed Rail project, which doesn't seem nearly as important as this NYC project.

The importance of a project has little correlation with how expensive it is to execute.

Re: New York Underground

#40

Post by Alex3917 » Fri, Aug 10, 2012, 4:27 PM UTC

For those interested in this sort of stuff, there is a documentary called Dark Days that's all about the homeless people who live in the NYC subway system. It was available on iTunes the last time I checked.