Get to the Freedom Tunnel

Located in New York City, The Freedom Tunnel was once the home of anywhere between a few hundred or a few thousand homeless people living in makeshift houses. In the 90s, Amtrak forcibly removed them, and the Freedom Tunnel became a haven for graffiti artists.

A few miles of history and art, the freedom tunnel is a must see for any urban exploration enthusiast. It's very easy to access, and you shouldn't need any equipment.

Steps

  1. Take the 1 train to 125th street.
  2. Walk underneath the bridge until you come to an overpass. The tracks are now above you.
  3. Walk up the hill and slip through the gap between the fence and the overpass.
  4. Follow the tracks until you reach the tunnel.
  5. At the end of your journey, you'll exit the tunnel and find yourself fenced into a sort of pen. Simply hop this fence using one of the overpass pillars, and walk to Riverside Park.



Tips

  • There is an abandoned station about a fourth of the way through the tunnel. It's very interesting, but you'll need to be a skilled climber to see it, as there is a gate in the way.
  • Bring shoes you don't mind getting dirty.

Literature and Documentaries

  • Cinematographer Marc Singer made in the excellent movie 'Dark Days', anthropologist and journalist Teun Voeten wrote the very detailed 'Tunnel People', photographer Margaret Morton made the photo book 'The Tunnel'. All these productions focus on the Freedom Tunnel and the homeless people that where living there in the mid 90ies.

Warnings

  • The tracks are still in use, even if the tunnel isn't. Every hour or so a train will pass by. Face away from passing trains so as to not get dirt in your eyes.
  • This is considered trespassing - keep this in mind as it is actively patrolled by Amtrak Police.

Related Articles

You may like

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Get_to_the_Freedom_Tunnel&oldid=355813"