New York Car Rentals and the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel

While you can't drive through the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel with your New York car rental, the tunnel is still available for you to see. The Atlantic Avenue Tunnel was built in 1844 over seven months by the Long Island Railroad. The purpose at the time it was built was to relieve some of the congestion that was plaguing downtown Brooklyn. It was part of the railroad system that took passengers all the way to Boston. There were political tensions soon after the tunnel was opened, and the tunnel was closed in 1859, and then sealed up in 1861.

Soon after the tunnel was sealed, urban legends started to circulate about what the tunnel and what it was being used for. Some of the rumors that were started by the tunnel include a 1916 plot that was thought to harbor Germans who were making bombs in the tunnel. Police broke through the tunnel and installed an electric light, but found no evidence of the bomb-making plot. In the 1920s it was thought that the tunnel was being used for mushroom growing and bootleg whiskey stills. Again in 1936 the New York Police Department broke into the tunnel to look for the body of a hoodlum who was supposedly dumped in there. It was resealed and opened in the 1940s to search for spies, which turned up nothing. The tunnel can still grab the public's attention with its mystery. It was featured on the popular reality television show, Treasure Hunters, when the teams had to enter the tunnel through a man hole. Arranging a tour of the tunnel when you are visiting the area with your New York car rental can be very interesting.

There were also many attempts by people to find where the tunnel actually was. In the early 1980s, a man named Bob Diamond was captivated by the idea of the tunnel and began his mission to find it. After several years of research and hard work, he entered the tunnel. He sometimes gives tours of the tunnel, which end at the Brooklyn Trolley Museum. There are also some tours given by the Transit Museum, which you can visit with your New York car rental.

Uncover the Mystery

Another way to explore the tunnel with your New York car rental is by visiting the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association. They take groups to the tunnel twice a year. This year, there was also an art exhibit that opened the tunnel an extra time. The turnout was one of the largest ever in the tunnel. Although the tours only run a few times a year, it is an opportunity to see the oldest subway in the world. It is called this because it runs underground through the city, although there are no underground stations. When Diamond first started looking for the tunnel, he heard some of the most bizarre stories, including tales of poisonous gases and alligators. But these stories were proven false and there is nothing to worry about when you leave your New York car rental to go into the abyss.

Stop by one of the museums that offer tours of the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel with your New York car rental to experience a one-of-a-kind tour of New York that is a rare experience.

Check out the Rego Park car rental All Car Rent a Car location at 138 City Island Avenue, Bronx, NY 10464