Subways: The Harlem Hell Cave

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…