Subways: The Harlem Hell Cave

Published on: August 13th, 2006 | Last updated: November 10, 2015 | Written by: Bad Guy Joe

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This is the story of a subway spot even less suitable for human life than most.

It is located within a tunnel that is 2 tracks and no bullshit. There’s no clearance (space for anyone or anything to stand) next to the tracks. Between the tracks there are 2 third rails and subway cars leaning in around a sharp curve. At rush hours this tunnel probably sees a train every 4-5 minutes, and considering its length and zero safety provisions (nitches to duck into to avoid being hit), you’ve got one sick sick sick little tunnel here. Factor in the age of it (one of few in the system to have a brick arched ceiling) and depth (10 landings below street level), and you’ve got one unique space…

The emergency exit here is small too. you can barely fit a 2 man crew on one landing. The lower portion is chiseled out of the city bedrock very much like a cave, and ends abruptly several feet above track level. This is probably one of the only emergency exits I’ve seen where you need to climb a ladder straight up from the trackbed into a small slot in the wall and up several flights to the surface.

This was definitely an interesting spot to visit… zero doubts about that. Thanks to nycx for nudging me to go and ntwrkguy, of course, for partaking in some more inspection work…

Comments

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6 responses to “Subways: The Harlem Hell Cave”

1. Union Tpke says:

   November 2, 2017 at 5:49 PM

   IRT Uptown

2. Isaac Alvarez says:

   November 13, 2020 at 7:03 PM

   Is that emergency exit the one that leads to a shed on 104/CPW? I believe there are a total of four emergency exits between 96 and 110

3. Isaac Alvarez says:

   November 23, 2020 at 12:06 AM

   I know where this is, and since there are multiple emergency exits on this stretch, was wondering if the one you showed leads to a small hut on the surface? It sure is intimidating with that tiny staircase

4. John joe says:

   May 28, 2021 at 2:29 PM

   Ive always wondered, would there be clearance in those deeper ditches you can see in the middle of the tracks in that first photo? Not planning on testing this out.

5. Bad Guy Joe says:

   May 29, 2021 at 9:38 PM

   There is. Aside from the occasional news stories about someone falling on the tracks and ducking in (and living), I’ve also seen video from a very, very dumb person who did this deep in a tunnel. He was unscathed, though honestly anyone doing that sort of thing is not right in the head on any level.

6. Fnordia says:

   June 17, 2021 at 9:40 PM

   Let’s see … fairly long curve, two tracks, deep under the surface. Central park?

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