Underground Bases & Tunnels by Richard Sauder Ph.D

Author:Richard Sauder Ph.D.
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781939149268
Publisher: Adventures Unlimited Press

In any event, the evidence I have presented above is the closest I can come to documenting an actual, covert, underground tunnel system in the western states. This system may or may not exist.

The Department of Transportation Tunnel Plans

I have found less documentation for the Department of Transportation’s planned tunnel system in the Northeast. I was able to find a few documents, however, including one lengthy report that spoke forthrightly about constructing what it referred to as a “High Speed Ground Transportation (HSGT) system in the Northeast Corridor.” Presumably the system would be for the use of commuters, although just who would use the tunnels was left somewhat ambiguous. Vague reference to “vehicles” that would use the system also left some doubt as to the mode of transportation that was to have been employed. In the following chapter on unconventional tunneling technologies I present documentation on a flame-jet tunneling system intended for constructing a deeply buried, high speed rail tunnel system in the Northeast. These two sets of documents would appear to be describing plans for one and the same system, the more so since they were both published in the same year (1968).

As set forth in the document, the tunnel system could have ranged as deeply as 3,500 ft. underground. It was to have been at least 500 ft. underground when cutting beneath major rivers, with the exception of the Hudson, under which it was to cross at a depth of not less than 750 ft. Diameters for tunnels in the system were not specified, though a range of excavated diameters (not to be confused with finished diameters, which would be somewhat less due to the tunnel lining and support) all the way from 8 ft. to 40 ft. was discussed. Specifically, diameters of 8 ft., 20 ft., 30 ft. and 40 ft. were mentioned.

An obvious question is: why would the DOT bother to construct an inter-city tunnel system that would be less than 8 ft. in diameter? It hardly makes sense, except as an auxiliary or utility tunnel for a larger diameter companion tunnel. The larger diameters, of course, could conceivably accomodate some sort of rapid rail, or magnetic levitation train.16

Terminals were to range in size between 10,000 and 1,000,000 sq ft. in area, and to have multiple levels. They were slated to be located at least 300 ft., and in some cases, 500 ft. or more underground. They were to have been as much as 2,000 ft. long.

The terminals were to have been situated under or near: Washington, DC; Baltimore, Maryland; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; New York, New York; New Haven, Connecticut; Hartford, Connecticut; and Boston, Massachusetts. The plans also called for at least one deep shaft between each city to connect with the system. The shafts were to be vertical, and quite large and deep – extending as far down as 3,500 ft., if necessary, and having a cross-section of between 50 and 500 sq. ft.17

Plans vs. Real Tunnels

Once again, the question arises: has this system been built? The planning study is certainly very interesting.

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