Monday, September 26, 2005

Cincinnati subway?

Given my interest in trains/transit, stories such of these interest me. (See link to nycsubway.org in the links at left, one of the most comprehensive transit sites out there) I came across this site today, oddly enough, from a link on politcal blog. (NRO's The Corner).
user posted image
QUOTE(Introduction from pages devoted to Cincinnati's abandoned subway)
Abandoned tunnels are often the object of urban legend, but Cincinnati is in fact the site of the country's largest abandoned subway tunnel. But "abandoned" is not quite the word, as construction slowed to a stop in 1925 before even half of the 16 mile line was completed. Seven miles between Cincinnati's central business district and the industrial suburb of Norwood were tunneled, bridged, or graded, but no track was laid and no subway cars were ordered. No passengers ever rode between the six stations that were built.

The incomplete Cincinnati line sat fallow through the Great Depression and WWII. Bridges, stations, and retaining walls along the surface stretches deteriorated to such an extent that a few items actually collapsed. Nearly everything above ground was bulldozed to make way for portions of I-75 and the Norwood Lateral in the 1950's and 1970's, respectively. The mute two mile tunnel that remains under Central Parkway is unknown to many Cincinnati natives, and what most who do know of it know consists largely of hearsay and speculation.

This page is the most comprehensive and most accurate source of information regarding the subway either on the web or in print. It is by far the most popular subject on www.cincinnati-transit.net, and tens of thousands have visited it since its appearance in 1999.
http://www.cincinnati-transit.net/subway.html

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