Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Urban exploration in St. Louis, Missouri
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redox
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Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by redox »

May extend to 21st street. Does anyone know anything about this?
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RE: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by JustLooking »

Is this the railroad tunnel built for the newspaper buildings along Tucker just north of Washington? The tunnel is the reason that Tucker is esentially falling apart around this area and lanes are always blocked off.
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Re: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by bic »

there was a subway station in affton but it has long since been filled in to keep "hobos and gangbangers" out of it. Im shure there is still a way into the tunnels in some places.
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Re: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by Fiend »

bic wrote: been filled in to keep "hobos and gangbangers" out of it.


They're always thinkin about themselves, selfish bastards! Just one more reason why they are useless.

Check for odd manhole covers (some of them might have "transit" or something similar on them) in the the area. Subways always have maintenance access points.
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Re: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by redox »

bic wrote:there was a subway station in affton but it has long since been filled in to keep "hobos and gangbangers" out of it. Im shure there is still a way into the tunnels in some places.
bic you serious? where was it?
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Re: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by bic »

its on top of the u turn overpass on gravois rd inbetween tesson ferry and mackenzie rd. im going tonight to see if i can find a way in via fiends sugestion of manhole covers in the area. ps. if anyone wants to take a look at this place BE CARFUL there is a cop station within view of it!
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Re: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by bic »

to some one who didnt know better it would just look like a pile of rocks
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RE: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by the_p0ssum »

OK, I know the area, but what do you mean by a "u turn overpass?"
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Re: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by lzrturbo91 »

not the mole tunnel is it ? if so good luck lol bring pitt bulls and handguns lol good times....
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RE: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by JustLooking »

If you're referring to the railroad viaduct, the only "underground" portion is probably what used to be the pedestrian access to bypass the tracks...but I'm pretty sure this viaduct doesn't have one.

Now, the viaduct on Gravois between Meramec and Taft in the City did have a pedestrian walkway, with steps and a "tunnel" next to the roadway that has been closed for some time.
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Re: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by redox »

I guess bic means in this area. Seems that there may have been one on each side of Gravois, very interesting. Must be from when there was a streetcar line along Gravois.

here?
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Re: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

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the subway closed down sometime in the late 70s early 80s. It was not unlike nyc subway system but it failed because of the high crime rate and lack of funding there is some microfilm info in the librarys about it but they are problematic to say the very least. there was a station in affton but like i said it has long since been filled with rock to keep people from getting into the tunnels alot of the stationa now have bildings on top of them with NO way of getting into them now. and yes that is the place i am talking about ridox
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RE: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by Batman »

The descriptions kinda remind me of the one from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles....LOL!
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Re: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by ohten »

lzrturbo91 wrote:not the mole tunnel is it ? if so good luck lol bring pitt bulls and handguns lol good times....
That it is. The tucker tunnel aka Mole Tunnel aka Illinois Terminal Railroad Tunnel was built by the ITC as an electrified interurban rail tunnel to bring passengers into their station downtown. The trains came over the McKinley bridge (in the middle, cars were only allowed on the outside sections) and over an elevated viaduct which in the process f being converted into the iron horse trestle bike trail. After crossing cass the trains entered the tunnel. The tunnel ends by the former station at the Globe-Democrat building. The building access has been sealed, so it just ends in a pile of gravel.

After the ITC ceased passenger operation it was used to bring newsprint to the Post-Dispatch.

Today there are a number of inhabitants. I've had a few experiences down there, some good some slightly sketchy, so be warned.

As for that Affton thing... It looks identical to the similar structures along the St. Louis, Oak Hill & Carondelet right of way at Gravois and at Chippewa. These structures with drop-offs and stairways down to galleries along the road allowed people to safely board the streetcar at a railroad overpass. Another example of this infrastructure is the stairs to the Kingshighway viaduct south of Dagget. I've been unable to figure out if the rr tracks had passenger platforms at any of these locations originally although a Cippewa Station is called out at Gravois and Meramec on the 1903 map.
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Re: Abandoned Subway Tunnel Project Under Washington Ave.

Post by redox »

wuts that map of illinois about ohten? I cn't make out anything.
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