Back on Track, from Québec

Even while on vacation the Second Avenue subway project has a way of finding me.


8/30/13

I was in Québec, Canada for part of August and, completely by chance, I came across a tunnel form structure (shown above) that will be used for the Second Avenue subway project.



8/30/13

I first noticed this structure in Ayer's Cliff, Québec, when I was  visiting the Annual Exhibition of the Stanstead County Agricultural Society (also known as the Ayers' Cliff Fair). The village of Ayer's Cliff is located just 10 miles north of the Vermont border.



8/30/13

A few days after the fair closed, I drove back to Ayer's Cliff with my camera. Hoping to introduce myself, and take some pictures, I dropped in at the office of Everest Equipment Company.

To say that they were a little surprised to meet me might be an understatement.

The project manager told me that they had received so many questions about this particular tunnel form that they had decided to post a large sign on it that explained to passersby what it is.

The tunnel form shown here is for use inside the 86th Street station. This structure, which is technically known as a "station arch tunnel formwork," will allow the contractor to cast complete sections of the 86th Street station cavern ceiling arch using concrete.



8/30/13

The company began designing and fabricating the tunnel form in January of 2013. Assembly of the form structure began a few months later in the company's yard.

After the tunnel form has been inspected by the customer, who I assume is the MTA's contractor Skanska / Traylor JV, it will be disassembled and shipped to New York, and then reassembled inside the 86th Street station cavern.



8/30/13

This piece of the form is a section of ceiling arch turned on its side.



8/30/13

A view of workers moving around very heavy sections of the steel arch.



8/30/13

Another view of a section of the arch.



8/30/13

This is a view of the tunnel form, as seen from the grandstands on the Ayer's Cliff Fairgrounds. (The tunnel form is in the center of the image in the distance -- double click to enlarge the image.)

Here's a listing of fairly recent additions
to the right-hand column of The Launch Box:

Fourth Second Avenue Subway Report Card
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney
7/29/13

"SUV crashes into 2nd. Ave. subway construction site"
By Barry Paddock
New York Daily News
7/29/13

"Descending into the Second Avenue Subway Construction in NYC"
By Bhushan Mondkar
Untapped Cities.com
7/24/13

Video: "Second Avenue Subway: Phase 1 Halfway Done"
NBC 4 New York
7/11/13

Abandoned SAS segment party prompts NYPD inquiry
2nd Ave. Sagas
6/25/13

"New York's Double Standard on NIMBYism"
By Eric Jaffe
The Atlantic
6/25/13

"Build Second Avenue Subway Entrance Elsewhere, Yorkville Residents Tell MTA"
By Victoria Bekiempis
DNAinfo.com New York - 6/14/13

::

MTA Second Avenue Subway Newsletter
Volume XVI, August 2013

Lex Av/63rd St Station Area

72nd St Station Area

86th St Station Area

96th St Station Area

::

A Footnote

My apologies for a lack of fresh postings during the past three months. After blogging about this project more than six years I decided to take a break for the summer.

I'm back now and ready to renew the effort.

Ben

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

The MTA's staff photographer Patrick Cashin has been capturing the progression of the Second Avenue Subway project since 2009 through images that the MTA has been posting on Flickr.

He recently talked about his work in this short video that was produced by the folks at Flickr:


Digging NYC's Second Avenue Subway (2:48)
The Weekly Flickr

Flickr's writeup on Patrick's work can be found on this link:
NYC’s massive subway project
6/14/13

A few of Patrick's most recent images follow --


Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
5/18/13

The full length of the cavern that will soon become the new 72nd Street station under Second Avenue.



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
5/18/13

A concrete form used for lining the tunnels.  Clearly not something you would find at Home Depot.



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
5/18/13

Another view of the 72nd Street cavern.

Note the reflection of the ceiling in the standing water on the floor.



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
5/18/13



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
5/18/13

A view of one of the few remaining sections of raw tunnel waiting to be waterproofed and lined with concrete.

Additional images of the 72nd Street cavern can be found on these two links:
72nd Street Station Construction Update - May 2013

72nd Street Station Construction Update
By Rehema Trimiew / MTA Capital Construction
5/10/13

In other news, the MTA recently awarded the tenth and final contract for Phase I of the project.

The so-called 86th Street Station Finishes Contact (i.e. finishes, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, ancillary buildings and entrances) was awarded to 86th Street Constructors JV, a joint venture of Schiavone Construction Co. and John P. Picone, Inc.

Here are the bid results, from the MTA's web site, for those who are interested:

RFQ#: 44740
Bid Close Date: 4/10/2013
Description: C26012 86th Street Entrances, Ancillary Builbings, Finishes and MEP Equipment (Second Avenue Subway Project)

1. 86th Street Constructors JV - $208,376,000
2. Skanska-Railworks SAS Station JV - $258,780,000
3. E.E. Cruz & Tully Construction Co. - $259,561,000
4. CCA Civil-Plaza Construction JV - $265,000,000
5. Judlau Contracting Inc. - $268,000,000.00

Here's a listing of the recent additions
to the right-hand column of The Launch Box:

"Build Second Avenue Subway Entrance Elsewhere, Yorkville Residents Tell MTA"
By Victoria Bekiempis / DNAinfo.com
6/14/13

MTA Awards Final Contract to Build Phase 1 of the Second Avenue Subway
MTA Press Release
6/13/13

"MTA dismantling Second Avenue subway muck houses"
By Dan Rivoli / amNY
6/10/13

MTA: Second Avenue Subway Project Receives Award
MTA Press Release
6/3/13

"Second Avenue subway plagued with dangerous conditions and safety violations"
By Greg B. Smith / New York Daily News
6/2/13

SAS Quarterly Report - 1Q2013
MTA Capital Construction

January 2013 Public Workshop Follow-Up Report
MTA Capital Construction
Apr 2013

Video: "Digging the Second Avenue Subway" (6:29)
Sunday Morning / CBS News
4/14/13

::

MTA Second Avenue Subway Newsletter
Volume XIV, June 2013

Lex Av/63rd St Station Area

72nd St Station Area

86th St Station Area

96th St Station Area

Lots of Progress at 86th Street

Patrick Cashin, one of the MTA's staff photographers, captured a nice set of images of the 86th Street station cavern earlier this month. As the images below clearly show, there has been a lot of progress underground at this location.



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
4/6/13

I believe that this is a view of the south end of the cavern. The two tunnels, which were excavated by the tunnel boring machine in 2010 and 2011, are partially hidden from view in this image.



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
4/6/13

A closer view of the south end of the cavern, with the tunnels now clearly in view.



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
4/6/13

A view looking north of the three block cavern.



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
4/6/13

In this image the photographer is standing at (under) the northwest corner of 86th Street and Second Avenue.  This corner is the future location of Ancillary No. 2 for this station.



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
4/6/13

Another full-length view of the station cavern, looking south from a point near 84th Street



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
4/6/13

An artistic image, with very nice light.



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
4/6/13

The photographer is now standing at (under) the northwest corner of 83rd Street and Second Avenue. This street corner is the future location of Ancillary No. 1 for the this station.

The duct work on the roof is part is part of the air handling system.  I believe that one of the ducts is used to provide fresh air for the cavern and the other duct is connected to the air scrubber unit at this corner. (The scrubber unit, which is at street level, is used to remove dust and other particles from the air before it is exhausted into the open air.)



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin
4/6/13

Another view of the south end of the cavern - with a beam of morning sunlight.

The complete set of all 23 images can be found on this link:
86th Street Station Update - Second Avenue Subway
via Flickr

Blast at 86th St Station for 2nd Ave Subway (3:54)
12/21/12
By Bruce Martin
Via YouTube

An interesting video of blasting operations, from street level, near 86th Street. The video also shows how the rock is transported out of the cavern.

Here's a listing of the recent and not so recent additions
to the right-hand column of The Launch Box:

"A subway announcement: Finalists for voice of 2nd Ave line video"
By Jennifer Fermino
New York Post
1/30/13

MTA Crowns 'Second Avenue Idols'
MTA Press Release
2/21/13

Blasting for Second Avenue Subway 72nd St Station Completed
MTA Press Release
3/4/13

"Yorkville High-Rise Sues MTA Again Over Second Avenue Subway Entrances"
By Victoria Bekiempis
DNAinfo.com
3/25/13

Video: "Digging the Second Avenue Subway" (6:29)
CBS News - 4/14/13

MTACC Presentation to the CB8 SAS Task Force
MTA Capital Construction
12/18/12

::

September 2012 Public Workshop Follow-up Report
Second Avenue Subway
MTA Capital Construction
12/2012

Quarterly Report - 3Q2012
Second Avenue Subway
Phase 1
MTA Capital Construction

SAS Quarterly Report - 4Q2012
Second Avenue Subway
Phase 1
MTA Capital Construction


The MTA's latest Second Avenue Subway Newsletters
Issue XII - April 2013:

Lex Av/63rd St Station Area

72nd St Station Area

86th St Station Area

96th St Station Area

Of Topic
How It's Made- Train Rails

Here's a neat little video that shows how steel rail is made for train and subway lines - if you're interested.

How It's Made- Train Rails (2:51)
ScienceChannel
Via YouTube
1/5/11

Worker Rescued from Chest-high Mud

As reported by numerous media outlets, a construction worker on the Second Avenue Subway project was seriously hurt yesterday evening after he became trapped in chest-high mud between 95th and 96th streets deep under Second Avenue.

According to the news website DNA.info, 155 first-responders raced to the scene at about 8:30 p.m. on the evening on March 19th to begin a major operation to rescue the worker. Some four hours later, the half-submerged man was finally freed from the mud and transported to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center with hypothermia.

Based on an earlier conversation I had with a contractor, it seems the worker may have became stuck in a soil material composed of varved silt -- or as it is commonly called, "bull's liver", by some contractors in New York City. Varved silt was deposited in the New York City area by ancient glacial lakes that once existed in the region.


Earlier today, the MTA posted on their Flickr page a set of stark images that were taken after the incident. A few of these images are posted below.


Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin



Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin


Additional images from this set can be found on the MTA Flickr page via this link:
96th Street Cavern - Second Avenue Subway
3/20/13


Needless to say, this incident also prompted a significant response from the New York City press corps. A selection of news reports can be found below:

"Subway Worker Freed After Hours Stuck in Mud"
By Michael Schwirtz and Daniel E. Slotnik
The New York Times
3/19/13

Graphic: Site Where Man Was Pulled From the Mud
By Ford Fessenden and Graham Roberts
The New York Times
3/20/13
A nice graphic depicting the work site where the accident took place.

"After four-hour rescue attempt, SAS subway worker hauled out of muddy depths alive"
By Chelsia Rose Marcius and Shane Dixon Kavanaugh
New York Daily News
3/19/13

"To Save a Man’s Life, a Muddy Tug of War With the Earth Itself"
By Marc Santora and Matt Flegenheimer
The New York Times
3/20/13

MTA Announces New Safety Measures as Subway Worker Trapped in Mud Recovers
By Victoria Bekiempis and Stefanie DeAngelo
DNA.info
3/20/13