Inside the abandoned tunnels beneath Boston Far below the busy streets of Boston an abandoned tunnel reveals a forgotten world. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WEBVTT ESTAPHAN. >> IT WAS A BIG DEAL. IT WAS TWO NEW. >> BOSTON, AT THE FOREFRONT OF AN ENGINEERING BREAKTHROUGH. THE FIRST TIME TRANSPORTATION WOULD GO UNDERGROUND IN THE UNITED STATES. >> PEOPLE WERE AFRAID. THEY ASSOCIATED IT WITH DISEASE BECAUSE IT WAS UNDERGROUND. THE CLERGY WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE FACT THE DEAD WERE BURIED UNDERGROUND. AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, THERE WAS A LOT OF FEAR. >> BRADLEY CLARK SAYS THAT FEAR WAS SHORT-LIVED. FOX AFTER THE FIRST DAY, IT WAS AN INSTANT HIT. >> DAILY RIDERSHIP ROSE TO 250 THOUSAND PEOPLE. LIKE EVERYTHING NEW, IT EVENTUALLY BECAME OLD. IN 1962, MANY OF THE ORIGINAL TUNNELS WERE ABANDONED. TO MAKE WAY FOR WHAT WE NOW KNOW AS THE MBTA. LINE FAR BELOW THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF CITY LIFE, THE TUNNELS SIT IDLY IN THE DARK. WE WERE GIVEN AN EXCEPTION. MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF HISTORY, RIGHT UNDERNEATH OUR FEET. WE ARE ABOUT TO GET AN INSIDE LOOK AT WHAT IT IS LIKE. >> THIS IS THE NORTH BROWN TUBE OF THE FIRST SUBWAY IN AMERICA. >> WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE IT HAS BEEN ABANDONED? >> ALMOST NOTHING. IT HAS JUST SAT HERE. >> WHEN YOU FIRST STEP INSIDE, EVIDENCE LIFE STILL EXISTS HERE. FROM THOSE THINGS THAT THRIVE IN DARK, DAMP SPACES TO THOSE IN SEARCH OF SHELTER. >> THEY HAVE -- THERE HAVE BEEN HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT HAVE CAMPED OUT. WE HAVE OUR HANDS FULL BEAUTIFUL OUT, FRANKLY. -- HANDS FULL KEEPING PEOPLE OUT. >> THERE IS A LOT OF DEBRIS. IF YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOWN HERE, IT IS NOT A SAFE LACE. >> LOTS OF PLACES TO TRIP. CORDS AND WIRES TO FALL OVER. YOU COULD EVEN GET ELECTROCUTED. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE THE MISTAKE COMING DOWN HERE OVER THE YEARS. AT BEST, THEY GET ARRESTE AT WORST, THEY GET INJURED. >> A TANGLED UNIVERSE OF WIRES AND AWARE -- WEAR. >> 100 YEARS OF DUST. >> ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE FOR THE TIME. >> THIS WAS A SAFETY NICHE FOR EMPLOYEES TO GET OUT OF THE WAY SO THEY WOULD NOT GET HIT OR BREAST. >> HOW FAST WERE THE CARS GOING? TYPICALLY 30 MILES PER HOUR. MAYBE 40. YOU WOULD GET STRUCK BY THE CAR. IT WOULD GO OUT AS FAR AS THE EDGE. >> VERY CLOSE QUARTERS. >> THE ENTIRE TUNNEL, A QUARTER-MILE LONG. DIRECTLY IN THE CENTER, A TWISTED MOUNTAIN OF METAL. >> IT GOES BACK SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF CANS. >> CREATED WITH THE AIM OF SAVING LIVES. >> THEY DECIDED TO DO WHAT WITH THIS PORTION? >> FILLET WITH CIVIL DEFENSE SUPPLIES. >> THESE CONTAINERS, WHAT WAS INSIDE? >> POWDERED MILK. SOME MEDICINE. ENOUGH TO SURVIVE IN A MINIMAL BASIS FOR A FEW DAYS. >> FROM DECAYING BABY CARRIAGES TO WORN-OUT SOLES, IT MAKES YOU WONDER HOW MANY STORIES ARE BURIED HERE. ALTHOUGH IDEAS OF WHAT THE FUTURE MIGHT HOLD FOR THE SPACE ARE PLENTIFUL, FOR NOW, IT REMAINS LARGELY UNEXPLORED. >> WE HAD SOME AMATEUR ARTISTS WHO HAPPENED TO BE WHAT THEY CALL SPELUNKERS. >> SIMILAR ARTWORK HAS POPPED UP AROUND THE WORLD. A CREATIVE EXPRESSION, ALBEIT BREAKING THE LAW. A HIDDEN REMINDER OF WHAT MAY HAVE COME BEFORE YOU OR IN THIS CASE, WOULD EXIST UNDER YOUR FEET. >> WE HAVE NO IDEA UNDERNEATH THERE IS THIS OTHER WORLD. >> THAT IS RIGHT. WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT IT UNLESS WE KNOW ABOUT IT. >> IT IS INCREDIBLE. THERE ARE ABOUT 10 SECTIONS OF ABANDONED SUBWAY TUNNELS. >> THEY DID HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME PEOPLE, THE THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT FUTURE TOURS. >> AND ENT

SIGN UP FOR BREAKING NEWS Get local stories sent straight to your inbox as news breaks. Submit Privacy Notice