Though the story does not go into deeper detail if you go a few levels deeper than the pneumatic tube is, you will find a 19th Century luxury station beneath Upper Manhattan. This station and the trains that were driven through it were built by the Highest of High Society Members.. The Vanderbilts, the Astors, the Rockerfellers, and so on.. It was their own private train and station for their trips to Central Park and the exclusive shopping and banking centers. It was decommissioned only a few short months later as the coal burning engines of the day caused too much pollution underground for the blue bloods breathing.

very interesting - thank you!