Mole Men and the Second Avenue Subway

East Siders have put up with the blasting and bulldozing, now add a 22 foot cutter that will bore the tunnel used to make the Second Avenue Subway line. Ben Heckscher at [The Launch Box] has all the details on the Main Gripper, a device that looks like something out of Attack of the Mole Men. The machine, which is reportedly being leased for $25 million, weighs 500 tons and can tunnel 50 to 60 feet per day. Read Ben"s full post [here](http://thelaunchbox.blogspot.com/2010/04/april-10-2010.html) and also see some pretty cool subway blasting footage.