Hey everyone, I was wondering if anyone on these boards had been to any of the previous veterans memorial bridge subway tours put on by the county engineers office in the past: http://www.cuyctyengineers.org/subway_tour.htm

 

They're holding a tour this saturday and I'm very interested in going, just not sure if it's worth the 4 - 5 hour drive from Cincinnati. Can anyone on here offer advice. Unfortunately most of the people I've asked to go have other obligations, so I was wondering if it was worth the drive to check it out alone.

 

Anyone have any input?

Any excuse to get to Cleveland is worth it!

Cleveland also has an abandoned subway?

It's really a cool tour, but I don't think I'd do the drive both ways just for that.  Stop by the Westside Market for a while, wander Ohio City or Downtown around the bridge.  Check out our art museum.  Go to Little Italy.  Make a day of it!  That would be worth it.

It's really a cool tour, but I don't think I'd do the drive both ways just for that. Stop by the Westside Market for a while, wander Ohio City or Downtown around the bridge. Check out our art museum. Go to Little Italy. Make a day of it! That would be worth it.

 

Ditto. i wouldn't make the drive just for the tour. There are some other cool things to do that would make it an overall fun day.

Cleveland also has an abandoned subway?

 

The old streetcars descended below street level so that they could cross into downtown over the Cuyahoga on the lower level of the Detroit-Superior bridge. The "subway" is not very long, but there is one old subway station.

Thanks for the input fellas.

 

Think it matters if the weather is crappy? I figure with it being undergroundish it can't be too bad.

Undergroundish but open on the sides (and quite a bit beneath you!), so you could definitely still get some wetness. That being said, it probably wouldn't be unbearable, and even if it pours, you're just a couple of blocks from Terminal Tower or W.25th / West Side Market, so you can always regroup quickly with an indoor activity. I wouldn't let weather stop you.

 

That being said, I agree with everyone else. It's really interesting and has some beautiful views, but even taking your time, I would say you'd be easily done in 60-90 minutes (maybe 30), so I would plan a full day's itinerary opposite it.

 

There's a ton to do, and depending on your interests, I'm sure forumers would be happy to point you toward some other activities. Alternately, I'm not positive whether they've started their summer hours, but if so, you can also stop by the Visitors' Center from 10-3 for additional info, brochures, etc. It's located on the southwest quadrant of Public Square, attached to the Terminal Tower complex.

 

Hope you enjoy your visit and let us know if we can provide any other suggestions!

The weather is going to be brilliantly beautiful this weekend, with only a slight chance of passing storms.  That said, I have been on the tour while it was raining, and I actually found it to be a better experience.  Being under the bridge while a fine mist is coming in sideways is actually quite thrilling.

 

There is some other splendid stuff going on this weekend, which is being discussed yonder: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,19208.0.html

And if you're really in an overall touring mood, check these available tous of other things...I'd recommend the Lakeview cemetery one.:

http://www.lollytrolley.com/specialty.htm

 

 

And then general city tours:

http://www.lollytrolley.com/city.htm

Thanks for the quick and helpful responses everyone. Can't wait to get up there tomorrow. I figure we're gonna just go up and wing it. Check out the subway tour then just explore...we'll find something to enjoy. I want to take a small trip on the RTA loop, just to experience it and there are a few abandoned buildings we may explore among other things. Pics will be posted when I get back (and get a day off work :/ ). Thanks again for the help, looking forward to being back in Cleveland for the first time since 2005!

 

Edit: Do any of the skyscrapers in Cleveland have observation decks?

Hope no one minds, but I did the subway tour and took a bunch of pics .. I really wish they would transform this space into something more permanent because the view is really quite spectacular.

Dont forget to ride the train to shaker square.  then take the bus to university circle/little italy and wrap things up by taking the HL back downtown.

Interesting. Are there currently any viable plans to use this for transit, or is it one of those "woulda, coulda, shoulda" pieces of infrastructure? Reminds me of the Henry Avenue Bridge in Philadelphia, which was designed to carry a never-built subway to the Roxborough neighborhood.

Interesting. Are there currently any viable plans to use this for transit, or is it one of those "woulda, coulda, shoulda" pieces of infrastructure? Reminds me of the Henry Avenue Bridge in Philadelphia, which was designed to carry a never-built subway to the Roxborough neighborhood.

 

Gin i'm not sure you want to know.  You really don't want to get us Cleveland folks started down that road.  :wink:  Trust me, you don't want to get clvlndr started.  lol

Heh... You'll have to forgive me for not keeping up with what's happening in Cleveland. Between the NYC subway and the Cincinnati streetcar, I've already got my hands full. :)

Thanks again for everyone's help!

 

I drove up today, tour was excellent. Rode the RTA red line just to check it out, then shot some photos of the skyline from various areas and checked out the west market. Had to go back to cincy quickly, but can't wait to go back to Cleveland this summer. Your football team sucks more than Cincinnati's, but everyone I met was friendly and the city was beautiful! :p

 

Pictures in a few days.

 

Edit: Nice photos, jpop!

Thanks again for everyone's help!

 

I drove up today, tour was excellent. Rode the RTA red line just to check it out, then shot some photos of the skyline from various areas and checked out the west market. Had to go back to cincy quickly, but can't wait to go back to Cleveland this summer. Your football team sucks more than Cincinnati's, but everyone I met was friendly and the city was beautiful! :p

 

Pictures in a few days.

Well damn, that was a quick trip!!

Interesting. Are there currently any viable plans to use this for transit, or is it one of those "woulda, coulda, shoulda" pieces of infrastructure? Reminds me of the Henry Avenue Bridge in Philadelphia, which was designed to carry a never-built subway to the Roxborough neighborhood.

 

It used to be used for transit.  There are no current plans to do so again.

Interesting. Are there currently any viable plans to use this for transit, or is it one of those "woulda, coulda, shoulda" pieces of infrastructure? Reminds me of the Henry Avenue Bridge in Philadelphia, which was designed to carry a never-built subway to the Roxborough neighborhood.

 

It used to be used for transit. There are no current plans to do so again.

 

No current plans, but speculation never dies. Given the changes in enviromental and transit awareness, I think something will take root in the next 10-20 years.

 

I just wish they'd get rid of that awful jumper-prevention railing on the upper deck of the bridge and open up the spectacular city views that I remember from the seventies.

^They've replaced some of the panels of railing with a more camera-friendly "grid" fence. Not perfect but much easier to snap some decent photos.

If you'd like to see some pictures of the how the subway deck used to look, see:

 

http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/urbanohio&CISOPTR=321&CISOBOX=1&REC=6

 

http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/urbanohio&CISOPTR=306&CISOBOX=1&REC=20

 

And here is Porter's Revenge, one of many dreams realized by highway-maniac and then-Cuyahoga County Engineer Albert Porter:

 

http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/urbanohio&CISOPTR=288&CISOBOX=1&REC=19

If you'd like to see some pictures of the how the subway deck used to look, see:

 

http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/urbanohio&CISOPTR=321&CISOBOX=1&REC=6

 

http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/urbanohio&CISOPTR=306&CISOBOX=1&REC=20

 

And here is Porter's Revenge, one of many dreams realized by highway-maniac and then-Cuyahoga County Engineer Albert Porter:

 

http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/urbanohio&CISOPTR=288&CISOBOX=1&REC=19

For even more pictures of how it used to look, (for the true nerds) check out these.

 

I've wanted to check out the tour for a few years, but everytime they have it, I've already got other plans. Thanks for the photos of it.

Boo. You used better search terms than I.... Boo.

Hey everyone, the photos I took and review of my trip to the abandoned subway and active RTA lines can now be seen on www.queencitydisco.com

 

Thanks again for all the help and advice!

Nice pictures Gordon. I took my kids to it on memorial day, so unfortunately I really did not get a chance to take pictures

Hey everyone, the photos I took and review of my trip to the abandoned subway and active RTA lines can now be seen on www.queencitydisco.com

 

Thanks again for all the help and advice!

 

Gordon, stop back up and see us sometime. Glad you enjoyed the rail system! Next time, considering riding the Blue or Green lines into Shaker Heights, past great architecture, shops, large apartment buildings and mansions. The experience will be helpful to defend any allegations that rail transit lowers property values when the opposite is generally true. If you haven't already, see my Cleveland rail tour from last year:

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,16259.0.html Red Line

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,16260.0.html Blue & Green (Shaker) lines

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,16261.0.html Waterfront Line Downtown

 

One correction: The Red Line never operated through the subway deck of the Detroit-Superior bridge. The heavy-rail Red Line was built and opened in 1955 -- the light-rail streetcar services that used the subway deck were discontinued in 1954. The two systems did not share any routes or rights of way.