METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

MTA to close Sandy damaged tunnels for repairs

Temporary fixes brought those tunnels back into service, but the damage has led to increased failures of components, a growing number of delayed trains and a pressing need to make permanent repairs.

June 5, 2013
MTA to close Sandy damaged tunnels for repairs

Montague Tube image courtesy MTA New York City Transit / Marc A. Hermann

2 min to read


Two New York subway tunnels heavily damaged by Hurricane Sandy will be closed for long-term repairs this summer, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced.

The Greenpoint Tube, which carries the G train under Newtown Creek between Brooklyn and Queens, will be closed for 12 weekends this summer and fall starting July 6. The Montague Tube, an almost mile-long pair of tunnels that carries the R train under the East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan, will be closed for up to 14 months starting the first week in August.

Sandy inundated the tubes with millions of gallons of seawater, which corroded, degraded, or ruined almost everything from tracks and switches, to signals and controls, to power and communications cables. Temporary fixes brought those tunnels back into service, but the damage has led to increased failures of components, a growing number of delayed trains and a pressing need to make permanent repairs.

In the Greenpoint Tube, power cables that were immersed in salt water are corroding from the inside, while corrosion on the outside of rails and fasteners raises the potential for short circuits. The controls for ventilation, lighting and communication systems were destroyed and have not been restored to their pre-Sandy condition.

Ad Loading...

The Montague Tube is in far worse condition and will require much more extensive repairs. It was flooded for a length of 4,025 feet to a depth of 20 feet with corrosive salt water sitting stagnant in the tube for 10 days. More than 27 million gallons of water were eventually pumped from the tube before work began to make it useable again for train service. While the work was enough to restore R service between Brooklyn Heights and Lower Manhattan, it was never intended to be a permanent repair.

VIDEO: Check out video of MTA officials inspecting the Montague Tube.

More Rail

A New York MTA subway car with an open gangway
Railby Staff and News ReportsSeptember 16, 2026

New York MTA Advances Final Contract for Second Avenue Subway Expansion

Contract Four is the largest in the Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 project and includes construction of station infrastructure, tracks, and signals for the subway expansion, MTA officials said. Work on Contract Four will begin in 2027.

Read More →
A San Diego MTS Copper Line vehicle
Railby Staff and News ReportsSeptember 15, 2026

San Diego MTS Breaks Monthly Trolley Ridership Record

Agency officials said July’s ridership indicates MTS’s continued recovery from the pandemic.

Read More →
NJ TRANSIT's new Multilevel III commuter railcar manufactured by Alstom
Railby Alex RomanSeptember 14, 2026

Report Examines NJ TRANSIT Reliability, Funding Challenges

The Garden State Initiative analysis examines the roles of Amtrak infrastructure, fleet management, and agency operations while recommending a more performance-based approach to improving reliability.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A CapMetro commuter rail train provided by Stadler
Railby Staff and News ReportsSeptember 11, 2026

Stadler, CapMetro Sign Long-Term Rail Fleet Support Agreement

Beginning in 2027, Stadler will provide on-site technical expertise, spare parts support, training, and obsolescence management to help extend the reliability and longevity of CapMetro’s GTW fleet.

Read More →
Rendering of an Alstom train in a VIA Rail Station
Technologyby Alex RomanSeptember 10, 2026

Biz Briefs: Alstom Lands Canadian Contract, LYT to Supply California TSP, and More

In METRO's latest installment, we take a look at recent news from Complete Coach Works, Beep, FlixBus, and more partnerships making headlines across the transportation sector.

Read More →
The CATS Gold Line in service with the city skyline in the background.
Railby Staff and News ReportsSeptember 3, 2026

CATS Gold Line Marks 5 Years of Service, 2.8M Passenger Trips

With a six-mile expansion planned, the Charlotte streetcar is positioned to connect more neighborhoods and major transit hubs across the region.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Designing Stations Around the Passenger
RailSeptember 2, 2026

Why Simulating Pedestrian Movement Has Become Essential for Modern Rail Stations

Pedestrian microsimulation is helping rail planners identify bottlenecks, test station designs, and prepare complex transit hubs for growing passenger volumes.

Read More →
Amtrak Sunnyside Groundbreaking
Railby Staff and News ReportsSeptember 2, 2026

Amtrak Begins Major Construction at New York’s Sunnyside Yard

The new maintenance facility will support Amtrak’s Airo trainsets while improving maintenance efficiency and turnaround times in New York.

Read More →
O'Hare Flyer Rendering
Railby Staff and News ReportsAugust 27, 2026

Chicago Leaders Unveil Plans for O’Hare Airport Express Train

The privately developed project would offer a 15-minute trip between downtown and O’Hare’s Terminal 2, with trains operating every 15 minutes on a dedicated track. The service would use battery-electric trains and three existing freight rail rights-of-way.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
An OCTA coastal rail line train.
Railby Staff and News ReportsAugust 27, 2026

OCTA Maps Out 30-Year Strategy to Protect Coastal Rail Corridor

The draft feasibility report identifies strategies to protect the coastal rail line for decades as the agency continues near-term stabilization and sand placement efforts.

Read More →