Watch Sandhogs

2008
1 Season
6.0 (16)

Sandhogs is a documentary TV show from History channel, which premiered on August 5, 2008. The show provides an in-depth look at the dangerous and challenging task undertaken by workers who build tunnels under the streets, rivers, and mountains to connect different cities, states or even countries.

The term Sandhog, which originated in 1872, refers to the individuals who worked on the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. It is used to describe the tough and fearless workers who worked in the underground drilling tunnels as miners, tunnel diggers, and construction workers. The Sandhogs are responsible for digging tunnels, erecting s, and installing ventilation systems, necessary for the successful completion of the projects.

The show features the life and work of sandhogs, focusing on the individuals working on various tunnel projects across America. The audience sees firsthand the harsh conditions the workers face and the dangers involved in tunnel construction. Despite the advances in technology, tunnel construction remains an unpredictable and risky endeavor that requires skill, experience, and bravery.

The show's host, Hunter Ellis, is a former Navy pilot who explores the lives of the sandhogs and the technical difficulties of tunnel construction. He provides commentary on the different projects that sandhogs have worked on in the past and their significance in facilitating transportation and communication. Hunter also interviews sandhogs during their breaks, providing insight into their stories and experiences.

The show presents the construction of the Big Dig in Boston, the New York's Water Tunnel No. 3, the Bay Area Rapid Transit system (BART) and the Eurotunnel. These are some of the most significant tunnel-building projects of modern times. The programs show how sandhogs work in extreme conditions with a dedicated and disciplined approach to ensure the timely and successful completion of the project.

Sandhog makes use of advanced video technology, including 3-D animation, to provide the audience with a better understanding of the construction process. The audience sees how the sandhogs work under the earth's surface, drilling and blasting through rock and soil. The video animations demonstrate how the tunnels are engineered to withstand the immense pressure of the earth above them. Sandhog allows the viewer to see how sandhogs install concrete and steel lining, ventilation ducts and electrical wiring deep underground.

The show also explores the human side of the sandhog workers. Hunter Ellis brings the audience into the sandhogs' living quarters to show how they live and work underground. The program explores the sense of community that exists between the sandhogs and the emotional toll the work takes on the individuals and their families. The show features interviews with their loved ones, who also suffer the consequences of the difficult and grueling work.

The audience also gains an appreciation of the historical significance of the tunnels. From New York's Water Tunnel No.3, which provides water to over 8 million people daily, to the Eurotunnel Travel System, which connects England and . The program showcases how tunnel construction and the work of the sandhogs have been instrumental in shaping the infrastructure of America and the world.

Sandhog provides an informative and captivating look into the lives and work of the individuals on the front line of tunnel construction. Through interviews with sandhogs, and stunning visuals and animations, the show offers unique insight into the complexities and dangers involved in building tunnels.

In conclusion, Sandhogs was a TV show that provided a unique perspective on the lives and work of sandhogs. The show delved into the challenges and dangers of tunnel construction, while also exploring the human aspects of the workers' lives. The program was both informative and entertaining, and it offered viewers an appreciation for the historical significance of tunnel construction. Sandhog was a must-watch show for anyone interested in construction or engineering.

Sandhogs is a series that ran for 1 seasons (11 episodes) between September 7, 2008 and on History

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Seasons

11. Looking Forward

December 12, 2008

At the Croton Filtration Plant, Walking Boss Morgan Curran and his gang finish prepping the mole for it's third and final tunnel. With work picking up again Morgan rehires Elom, Mikey Bones and Romo, returning his old gang to full strength. Thinking forward to the next job, he needs his gang to begin this final segment without incident, to ensure their future prospects. Over at the East Side Access site in Queens, foreman Tom Kelly oversees a series of precise blasts. But a nagging shoulder injury sends him to the doctor where he is told to stay off of ladders and away from heavy equipment. Ignoring the doctor's advice, Tommy returns to the job the next day to build a protective bulkhead, helping to secure to tunnel against the blast. Back at Croton, the mole gang encounters a string of bad luck, and mining production falls below average. Morgan, concerned that this will tarnish the reputation of his gang, pushes his crew to step in up--or else.

10. A Band of Brothers

December 14, 2008

On the #7 Subway line extension project, Walking Boss Martin Hostetter and Foreman Ryan McGinty ready their gang for an important two weeks.

9. The Roadheader

December 13, 2008

The moment of truth has arrived for the Sandhogs using the Roadheader at East Side Access. But before it can do battle against Manhattan's diamond-hard subterranean rock, near-disaster strikes. As Little Al's crew tries to maneuver the giant machine into place, it pierces a water line. Meanwhile, on the West Mole dayshift, a member of the gang has gone AWOL, forcing foreman Gregg Ryan and Wes Telesford to break in a "shaper"--a young, inexperienced Sandhog. The hazing is relentless, as are the mining problems that continue to plague the gang. Over on the #7 subway site, tension builds between Jared and his father, walking boss Martin Hostetter. Back at East Side Access, the Roadheader finally smashes into the rock: will it be a $4 million bust, or is it the future of mining for the Sandhogs?

8. The Meltdown

December 14, 2008

At East Side Access, a rock face loaded with dynamite is primed for a blast that will clear a crossover tunnel space for the Roadheader. At the last second, a meltdown at Grand Central Terminal causes the blast to be delayed, leaving undetonated powder in the tunnel wall. All work at East Side Access grinds to a halt while the sandhogs wait for permission to shoot. Meanwhile, frustration builds on Martin and Ryan’s 7-line subway line gang. Already plagued by technical difficulties, they find undetonated dynamite from a previous blast lodged in the rock face. These “bootlegs” are one of the biggest threats any Sandhog crew can face, and prevents them from drilling and blasting.

7. Job Security

November 1, 2008

At the Croton Filtration Plant in Bronx, NY, Walking Boss Morgan Curran and his gang work to complete the new tunnel's connection to the 118-year old New Croton Aqueduct. As the concrete pour begins, signaling the winding down of this job, Morgan begins his search for the next big drill and blast job. Morgan is reminded of why he hates concrete so much when clogs in the lines slow progress and injuries strike the crew. On the east side of town, the sandhogs are working on the first major the LIRR in over a century. And new tunneling technology is moving in that could make drill and blasting obsolete - signaling the end of an era for NY's hard rock miners. Back at Croton, the completion of the lower tunnel forces Morgan to face the worst part of being a boss laying off some of his gang.

6. 3745 Feet

November 1, 2008

Morgan and the gang in the Croton Filtration site's upper tunnel begin a critical turn with the mole. As they steadily close in on their goal of mining 3745 feet, the gang has little margin for error. But mid-way into the turn the mole's navigation system goes down, making it so they may have to go forth 'blind'. While on Manhattan's west side, young sandhog Jason Durkin commits the rookie tunnelworker's gaffe known as hanging a steel and his fellow hogs don't let him off the hook easily. Back at Croton, the mole mines the final stretch of rock in the upper tunnel as Morgan plans an important explosion which will allow the sandhogs to back the mole out of the tunnel. As Morgan and his gang wrestle the jackleg drill, the sandhogs at the #7 subway line site get a reminder of how dangerous the jackleg really is when Jason is injured by the mammoth machine. Finally, Morgan and gang attempt a tricky double explosion, out in front of the mole.

5. The End of an Era

November 1, 2008

On Manhattan's west side, a tunnel said to be the largest public works construction project in the history of the western hemisphere nears completion: New York City's Water Tunnel #3. After 38 years, the sandhogs prepare for the final blasts in this tunnel. With vital tunnel infrastructure dangerously close to the blast site, Master Blaster Eddie Greenan is brought in to supervise. But unexpected collateral damage from the first blast creates problems. Meanwhile, a few blocks away at the #7 Subway expansion site, Martin and Ryan reach a milestone as they finish the shaft and begin mining forward. But there's problems with the blasting plan, and the gang reaches out for help. Back at water tunnel #3, Eddie and the hogs wrestle to complete the final blast, which would conclude the Sandhogs biggest project ever.

4. It Is What It Is

September 28, 2008

As the tunnel-boring machine cuts through Croton's upper tunnel, morale is at an all time low. Temporary Foreman Anthony Aviles' aggressive leadership style has forced Walking Boss Morgan Curran to monitor the situation closely and he's beginning to fear for the worst. Meanwhile at the #7 Subway line extension in Manhattan, Walking Boss Martin Hostetter and Foreman Ryan McGinty work to perfect their blasts as they move deeper and deeper beneath the city streets. Back at Croton, Morgan moves to the lower tunnel where he and Forman Repete Moore prepare to blast out a section of "tights" -- outcroppings of rock that must be eliminated for work to continue. Just as Morgan is about to set off the blast, the situation with Anthony in the upper tunnel worsens. Distracted from the task at hand, Morgan takes decisive action to keep the Sandhogs on track.

3. Leaders Among Hogs

September 21, 2008

Discover a world under New York City where injury and death on the job are common occurrences. Watch as these workers toil underneath the streets of New York City just as they have for the past 150 years--they are an instrumental part of the development of the city. Their union, their identity and their culture have been forged in iron and steel, and it is a bond that is truly shared as a brotherhood.

2. Punching Though

September 14, 2008

The Sandhogs begin construction on the first new subway tunnel expansion in over 20 years. Working in the heart of downtown Manhattan, Walking Boss Martin Hostetter and Foreman Ryan McGinty lead a gang of Sandhogs through a series of test blasts to determine the effect the explosions will have on the city above. At the Croton Filtration site in the Bronx, one of Walking Boss Morgan Curran's foremen loses his fingers in an on-the-job accident, and Morgan promotes his young Sandhog protégé Anthony Aviles to fill the position and lead the gang on the mole. In Croton's lower tunnel, the gang detonates an historic blast that successfully unites their new tunnel with the century-old New Croton Aqueduct tunnel, built by fellow Sandhogs over a hundred years ago.

1. What Lies Beneath

September 7, 2008

Hundreds of feet below one of the world's most famous cities, a different breed of men dig and blast their way through solid rock. These urban miners create the tunnels that ensure the survival of the city above. Meet Walking Boss Morgan Curran and the Sandhogs of Local 147. Under great pressure, these men work to complete the Croton Filtration Plant, a facility that will help ensure the safety of the city's water supply. In one tunnel they use the "Mole", an enormous tunnel-boring machine that relentlessly eats away at the rock. In the other tunnel, they're using large quantities of dynamite to blast their way through the earth. When a void develops along one of the tunnel walls, the hogs race to put up ring steel to prevent a cave in. And while the Brooklyn Bridge celebrates its 125th anniversary, the Sandhogs continue to toil below, preparing and detonating their next blast.

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Where to Watch Sandhogs

Sandhogs is available for streaming on the History website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Sandhogs on demand at Apple TV.