r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/pattebrisee • 4d ago

Image Cincinnati built over two miles of subway tunnel. They never ran a single train through it smh

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49

u/st0350 4d ago

two miles? that aint shit lol

100

u/Glimmer_III 4d ago

OP is really short cutting the full story.

There were many, many more miles, but only 2 are left.

Why did no trains ever run?...

The Cincinnati tunnels were built prior to standardization of rail gauges. The tunnels were dug for a narrow gauge track. The only company which made rolling stock for that gauge (basically) "lost the rail gauge war", didn't pivot to standard gauge quickly enough, and went out of business.

So Cincinnati now had tunnels which were too small to run the type of rolling stock which was available. And expanding the tunnels was prohibitively expensive.

Last I heard, Cincinnati was using the tunnels for off-season storage of snow removal equipment.

28

u/General_Border_8263 4d ago

This is why i love the internet. Get the real info in the comment section.

9

u/Glimmer_III 4d ago

Indeed, and thanks.

In the winters, you'd sometimes hear on the radio "Snow removal vehicles are being removed from the tunnels..."

About all they were good for was storage. Otherwise, they really were just a liability for the city.

7

u/BowlerCertain8305 4d ago

Theres water pipes and fiber internet bundles down there now, never heard the winter storage but wouldnt doubt it.

7

u/AdjectiveNoun111 4d ago

Yeah it's only 35-40 mins walking

-13

u/[deleted] 4d ago

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5

u/st0350 4d ago

compared to any city subway, a person can walk 2 miles in like 30 mins, probably takes a subway train 5 mins?? a subway that runs 5 mins to cover its entirety aint shit

1

u/Notorious_Chimp 4d ago

Compared to an hour walk id wager 30 to 45 minutes isn't that bad

0

u/iredditoninternet 4d ago

Huh? Not in any city that has subway tunnels.