B. Goldentyer, 81, engineer on city rail tunnel

Bernard Goldentyer, 81, of Philadelphia, project manager of the Center City Commuter Tunnel for the city Department of Public Property, died Tuesday, Jan. 3, at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital of complications from heart failure.

The 1.7-mile-long commuter tunnel was completed in the spring of 1984 at a cost of more than $300 million - more than $653 million in 2011 dollars - linking SEPTA lines that had ended at the Reading Terminal and at Suburban Station.

In a 1977 interview before construction began, Inquirer reporter Richard Ben Cramer described Mr. Goldentyer as "a short, thick energetic man with sand-and-gravel hair and stubby fingers that he licks to make better speed through books of plans."

"His speech hits jackhammer rhythm as he tries to describe all the activities that will be taking place simultaneously underground."

In May 1984, two to three weeks before limited train service was to begin, the tunnel suffered a scare, but only minor damage, during an aboveground fire.

The fire, in the ruins of a building at 10th and Filbert Streets, spread to 17 other buildings.

"From what I saw," Mr. Goldentyer told reporters, "we came through it very well."

Born in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood, Mr. Goldentyer graduated from Central High School and earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 1955 from what is now Drexel University.

While working, he earned two master's degrees, in civil engineering from Drexel in 1969 and in government administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1971.

Mr. Goldentyer's career as a civil engineer began with the U.S. Department of the Interior and continued with the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. In 1962, the city named him materials-testing engineer for the Streets Department highway division.

In 1970, he was named Philadelphia's deputy chief airport engineer, before he began the work that defined his career - the tunnel.

In retirement, Mr. Goldentyer was a member of Temple University's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and played clarinet in an ensemble at the Cheltenham Township Adult School.

He also served as a community representative for the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Mr. Goldentyer is survived by his wife of 57 years, Nancy; sons Joel and Mark; a daughter, Debra; and four grandchildren.

The funeral will be at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 6, at Goldsteins' Rosenberg's Raphael-Sacks, 310 Second Street Pike, Southampton.