BROOKLYN TROLLEY

by Kevin Walsh

Bob Diamond, who explored and later instituted tours in the long-defunct Atlantic Avenue Tunnel, attempted to reinstitute a trolley line from Red Hook to downtown Brooklyn along Columbia Street in the late 1990s. He acquired several trolley cars from around the country and laid a square block of track along Conover and Reed Streets, long before Red Hook’s late-2000s renaissance. The city pulled its funding and Diamond’s trolley dream foundered. Since then, the trolley cars have sat and rusted behind a warehouse that became a Fairway supermarket in 2006.

6 comments

Vlad September 9, 2011 - 8:51 am

In 2009, Bob Diamond took us on a tour in the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel. It was a strange feeling descending down a hole into a cave-like atmosphere to find a long tunnel with inscriptions of a date from the early 1900’s. He had us walk the entire length of the tunnel till we hit a barrier on the opposite end. It was a treat to be down there and a shame that they pulled the plug on his project. Not only was it an experience, but it was also educational.

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KevinJWalsh September 9, 2011 - 9:58 am

Actually Diamond sued the city and they have once again allowed him to do tours in the Atlantic tunnel. His trolley idea, though, is still moribund.

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Tony Gould September 10, 2011 - 7:59 am

Bob Diamond is a crook. The money he collects for his tour seemingly go into his pocket these days.

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Tony Gould September 10, 2011 - 8:00 am

Now if he takes the collected money and restores something with it…..that would be great

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Donovan February 7, 2012 - 12:27 pm

Are the old trolleys behind the Fairway in Red Hook or somewhere else?

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Chris Lynch March 15, 2012 - 2:23 pm

I love the shuttered windows on the building in the back. What building is that?

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