"The machines highlight how far tunneling technology has come since the early 20th century, when workers for the Pennsylvania Railroad dug a set of Hudson River tunnels by hand in pressurized chambers that sickened many with the bends."
"The machines, designed in Germany by the company Herrenknecht, cost $25 million a piece, and can't be reused. They will require a crew of about 30 people to operate, according to Gateway officials."
"Digging is expected to begin in the next couple of months, although the engineers weren't sure of the exact date. The tunnel boring will begin on the New Jersey side under the Palisades, about 80 feet beneath the surface."
Crews in New Jersey are assembling two custom-built tunnel boring machines for the Gateway Program, marking the first new Hudson River train tunnels in over a century. Each machine, costing $25 million, weighs 1,700 tons and is designed to dig through hard basalt rock. Digging will start soon, with the first phase occurring under the Palisades. The project aims to complete the tunnel by maintaining a depth of 290 feet to avoid disturbing local homes. A new set of machines will be needed for the riverbed section.
Read at Gothamist
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