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The Rise and Fall of Penn Station
Season 26 Episode 5 | 51m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
The monumental building that was supposed to last forever was destroyed after 53 years.
Just 53 years after the station’s opening, the monumental building that was supposed to last forever, to herald and represent the American Empire, was slated to be destroyed.
For Season 26 of American Experience, exclusive corporate funding is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance, major funding by The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS stations.
![American Experience](https://image.pbs.org/contentchannels/zoZJOtC-white-logo-41-2rEQNrf.png?format=webp&resize=200x)
The Rise and Fall of Penn Station
Season 26 Episode 5 | 51m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
Just 53 years after the station’s opening, the monumental building that was supposed to last forever, to herald and represent the American Empire, was slated to be destroyed.
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![When is a photo an act of resistance?](https://image.pbs.org/curate/portrait_thumbnail_a-2-qk5s8o.jpg?format=webp&resize=860x)
When is a photo an act of resistance?
For families that just decades earlier were torn apart by chattel slavery, being photographed together was proof of their resilience.Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipCompressed air was used to keep the water out of the Pennsylvania RR's Manhattan tunnels. (2m 42s)
Excavation workers, called “sandhogs,” faced many dangers working in a confined space. (1m 24s)
Constructing Pennsylvania Station
Two city blocks, or 28 acres, were initially cleared for Penn Station’s construction. (1m 35s)
The Destruction of Penn Station
In 1961 the Pennsylvania Railroad announced it had sold the air rights above Penn Station. (2m 59s)
Measurements showed that the Pennsylvania RR Hudson River tunnels were shifting. (2m 3s)
Inside the MTA's East Side Access Project
An exclusive look at New York MTA's subterranean East Side Access project. (8m 9s)
Mapping Engineering in America
Map history with us! See how engineering has changed America with our new map! (2m 15s)
Behind the scenes at the country's busiest transportation hub - NYC's Penn Station. (3m)
Preliminary Worries with the Pennsylvania Railroad Tunnels
The Pennsylvania Railroad announced they would be tunneling into Manhattan. (2m 6s)
The Rise and Fall of Penn Station, Chapter 1
The engineering feat and architectural achievement that was torn down after just 53 years. (8m 42s)
The Rise and Fall of Penn Station Preview
The engineering feat would last, the architectural masterpiece did not. Premiering Feb 18. (30s)
Tunneling under the Hudson river proved easy, but the East River was becoming a nightmare. (2m 17s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipFor Season 26 of American Experience, exclusive corporate funding is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance, major funding by The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS stations.