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Manhattan Carves a New Subway, Part 2: The "Moving Factory" Beneath NYC's Streets

By Rain Noe - March 8, 2012

in Cars

In the last entry, you saw those cool, circular tunnels that will house Manhattan's new 7 Train extension, lined with pre-fab concrete sections. Above is a photo of a similar tunnel in Delhi. Question is, how did they dig and line these things?

They use what are called TBMs, or Tunnel Boring Machines. These massive machines are essentially moving factories that cut through the rock, excavate the waste out of the back, and install the concrete shielding, all while pushing itself along like an inchworm. You'll understand the process better after viewing the video at the bottom of this entry, but first, here's some examples of what TBMs look like from the front:

Size matters.

Size matters.

Lubrication matters.

Lubrication matters.

I think this one has no motor and is powered by the really strong guys in the red and
orange shirts. (The guys in green and yellow shirts are there to yell encouragement.)

Japan has a bad-ass triple tunnel boring machine.
In a manner of speaking, it's three times as boring.

The 7 Train job is being undertaken by an international conglomerate called S3 Tunnel Constructors, and the TBMs they're using lack the cool paint jobs of the models above:

S3 is also doing NYC's ongoing 2nd Avenue subway line. But unlike the 7 Train crew, the 2nd Avenue guys have machines with fun, yellow paint jobs.

The back ends of the machine are not so pretty.

The S3 tunneling crews have been working beneath Manhattan 24 hours a day, 5 days a week to bore the tunnels. As you can imagine it is dull and tedious work. The most exciting part is the "breakthrough" moment, when at long last they crack through that final wall and into the open space at the other end. As per tradition, elated construction workers jump up and down, clap their hands and pass out exotic, fruity cakes.

Orange Vest: "You guys are jerks. I told you a million times I'm allergic to lingonberries."

Orange Vest: "You guys are jerks. I told you a million times I'm allergic to lingonberries."

There are a bunch of YouTube videos showing TBMs in action, but sadly, the one that does the best job also has the lowest resolution and crappiest sound. Still, it will help you see why these things are essentially "moving factories:"

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Groundmonkey

12 years ago

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Pojo, your comment raises so many questions.
Why would they incinerate a nest of an entirely new species? Biologists study new species, not kill them, regardless of whether they are cockroaches or not.
Also, what were these cockroaches feeding on down there, in solid rock? I think you shouldn't listen to this engineer friend of yours, she sounds a little lie-y.
I'm happy to be proven wrong though as I love the thought of giant cockroaches beneath nyc.

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pojo

12 years ago

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i know an engineer who works for the metropolitan transit authority in nyc around these things, she said they were grinding the tunnel one day with one of these when they hit this nest of cockroaches... one foot long cockroaches. they had to clear the tunnel immediately, they brought in a crew of scientists and biologists to investigate. apparently, they 'uncovered' some freaky new species down there. they incinerated they entire nest and continued to dig. what lies beneath...
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Groundmonkey

12 years ago

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Three times as boring!!
Hahahaha good one hipstomp!
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`Scottish guy

12 years ago

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The commentary cracked me up!! Awesome machines!
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gabriel romeu

12 years ago

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cool machine, pretty interesting...

but the Hipstomp commentary, fantastic! Nice job!
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Marissa

12 years ago

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Non-mechanical types will understand the way they work equally well by thinking of The Cleaners from Labyrinth. ;)
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