"Waste" pipe

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Thecentipede

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Hi friends,

I'm a guy who likes to figure things out and I'm finding myself a tad stumped.

I just moved into a new apartment in NYC and I'm doing my own renovations. One problem I have to solve is a clogged shower/bathtub drain and I have difficulty entering the space below me which would allow me to disassemble the drain to work on it.

I know there are other methods to remove the ~80 years' worth of hair and detritus clogging the drain, but I have noticed there is a pipe running vertically from the floor between my bathtub and adjacent sink that is marked 'waste.'

I've never seen this pipe in another apartment. It pulls out two feet before it stops itself and in thought it may be some sort of pump to remove said gunk. I haven't been able to work it up to this point, but I am posting a picture with the aim of attaining any insight as to the function of this pipe.

If it doesn't actually help me unclog the drain, that is fine. I will appreciate the edification.
 

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Terry

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I have never seen a tub like that before. It has no overflow.
Normally you can run a snake through the upper overflow. Do you have a picture of the "waste" pipe? That looks odd too.
 

Thecentipede

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I have never seen a tub like that before. It has no overflow.
Normally you can run a snake through the upper overflow. Do you have a picture of the "waste" pipe? That looks odd too.

Yeah, the lack of an overflow outlet is bothersome, but this waste pipe is just baffling.

Here are some more photos with the pipe pulled out all the way.
 

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hj

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That looks like an "indirect" overflow and drain stopper, although they went out of fashion in the 30s. If so, the trap is below it and that is where you insert the drain snake.
 
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Hey, wait a minute.

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