Operations FAQ
Common inquiries regarding subterranean infrastructure.
What was the very first underground transport network?
The Metropolitan Railway in London, inaugurated in 1863, holds the title of the world's first underground passenger railway, initially utilizing steam locomotives in cut-and-cover tunnels.
How do tunnels avoid flooding beneath rivers?
Modern sub-river tunnels utilize specialized concrete segments joined by highly engineered waterproof gaskets. Older systems relied on pressurized air during construction to hold water back, followed by thick layers of cast iron and hydraulic cement.
Why are some subway stations abandoned?
Typically, stations are abandoned due to changing demographics, line rerouting, financial constraints, or infrastructure becoming physically incompatible with newer, longer train cars (such as the sharp curve of New York's City Hall station).
What is the deepest subway station globally?
Arsenalna station on the Kyiv Metro in Ukraine is the deepest, sitting roughly 105.5 meters (346 feet) below ground level.