Old Man Winter isn’t about to faze tunnel trailblazer Bob Diamond.
Diamond is planning another descent 30 feet below Atlantic Avenue–and he’d like you to join him.
Diamond, the re-discoverer of the old Long Island Railroad tunnel beneath Atlantic Avenue, will host his next tour on December 7.
His last tour attracted roughly 100 people, he said.
Despite cooler temperatures, the tunnel remains a steady 65 degrees.
“I’m thrilled to see that even though the weather isn’t as good as it has been was, the tunnel is still drawing the same number of people,” Diamond said.
Diamond’s exploits have gained him considerable notoriety this year, including the attention of a film crew intent on producing a feature length documentary about the tunnel–and its most passionate supporter.
A teaser trailer for the documentary can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7h4ugetCcw.
Diamond was also recently featured on the History Channel program “Cities of the Underworld,” in an episode called “New York: Secret Societies.”
In 1980, Diamond, whose background is in engineering, rediscovered the tunnel, which he says is the world’s oldest. He also claims the world’s oldest locomotive is buried somewhere in the tunnel, perhaps near Columbia Street.
Diamond, founder and president of the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association (BHRA), is also exploring ways to store trolleys inside the once-forgotten tunnel.
The next public tour of the tunnel will be on Sunday, December 7 at 1:15 p.m. Call (718) 941-3160 for reservations and information. Flashlights and comfortable shoes are recommended. For more information about the BHRA, go to www.brooklynrail.net.
