Sure, it was only a work train, but it still was the first train to ever operate under Second Avenue, according to the MTA's Flickr posting.
The train passed through the north side of the existing Lexington Avenue/63rd St station and proceeded over newly laid tracks north under Second Avenue. The train was there to deliver new sections of rail for Phase I of the project.
A selection of images from this special journey under Second Avenue can be found below.
Rehema Trimiew / MTA Capital Construction
5/27/15
A train under Second Avenue.
The R156 locomotive shown here is MTA work train engine OL919.
Rehema Trimiew / MTA Capital Construction
5/27/15
Looking east, from the lower level of the north side of the Lexington Av/63 St station. This is the so-called G4 track, as is noted on the wall on the left in this image.
G3/G4 Tunnels and 72nd Street Station
Second Avenue Subway
A diagram of the tunnels in this area of the project.
Rehema Trimiew / MTA Capital Construction
5/27/15
This interesting image shows the connection between the old and new rail just east of the Lexington Av/63rd St station. My assumption is that the larger (heavier) rail on the right is the new rail that leads to Second Avenue.
These rails have been connected together using a special piece of steel known as a Compromise Joint Bar. These joint bars are designed to connect different sections of rail in such a way that the gage (inner) side of the rail, and the top of the head and running surfaces are held in line.
Rehema Trimiew / MTA Capital Construction
5/27/15
Looking east, into the G4 tunnel, just to the east of the Lexington Av/63rd St station. This tunnel with mined back in 2010/11 using a Tunnel Boring Machine.
Rehema Trimiew / MTA Capital Construction
5/27/15
Looking north from inside G4/S2 Cavern I, which is just to the south of the new 72nd Street station.
Rehema Trimiew / MTA Capital Construction
5/27/15
Looking south, from G4/S2 Cavern I. New pieces of running rail being delivered to the work site.
Additional images can be found on this link:
Second Avenue Subway: First Work Train Ride
MTAPhotos on Flickr
12 images
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Update 6/10/15
An astute reader pointed out to me the other day that this actually was not the first train to travel under Second Avenue.
S3 Tunnel Constructors, an earlier contractor on the project, setup a temporary narrow-gauge railway inside each tunnel as they were being mined back in 2010 and 2011. The train was used to haul muck from the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) back to the TBM launch box and for transporting workers..
1/18/11
Muck train inside the west TBM tunnel under Second Avenue
Additional images from inside the west TBM tunnel can be found on this link:
A View Down Below, Part 1
The Launch Box - 1/23/2011
Here's a listing of the recent additions
to the right-hand column of The Launch Box:
"Second Avenue subway may divert Q trains out of Astoria, leaving some Queens residents worried about losing service"
By Dan Rivoli and Chris Sommerfeldt
New York Daily News - 6/4/15
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MTA Second Avenue Subway Newsletters
Volume XXXVIII - June 2015
Lexington Av/63rd St Station Area
72nd St Station Area
86th St Station Area
96th St Station Area
