Diamond, the re-discoverer of the old Long Island Rail Road tunnel beneath Atlantic Avenue, will host another tour on April 20.
Tunnel trailblazer Bob Diamond is descending beneath Atlantic Avenue once more-and he'd like you to join him.
Diamond, the re-discoverer of the old Long Island Rail Road tunnel beneath Atlantic Avenue, will host another tour on April 20.
His last subterranean sojourn attracted some 150 people, he said.
During the upcoming tour, Diamond plans to air an independent documentary about the tunnel.
Popcorn won't be served, yet.
“Maybe that's something we'll have in the future,” he said.
Diamond's exploits have lately attracted the attention of film crews.
He was recently featured on the History Channel program “Cities of the Underworld,” in an episode called “New York: Secret Societies.”
A teaser trailer for a planned documentary about him can be seen at whatsbehindthewall.com.
In 1980, Diamond, whose background is in engineering, rediscovered the tunnel, which he says is the world's oldest.
He claims the world's oldest locomotive lies somewhere in the tunnel, near Columbia Street. Finding it would be an archeological coup, he said.
Diamond, founder and president of the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association (BHRA), is also exploring ways to house trolleys inside the once-forgotten tunnel.
Diamond said he plans to lead the tours as long as people keep lining up.
“It's like going down the rabbit hole,” he said, referring to “Alice in Wonderland.”
“Once you're down there, there is no traffic noise…it's like being some place far away from Brooklyn.”
“It's like going back in time,” he added.
The tour is scheduled for Sunday, April 20 at 1 p.m. For reservations or more information, call 718 941 3160. For more information about the BHRA, go to www.brooklynrail.net.
-Gary Buiso
