How many RR lines under lakes?

[Sunnyland]

I've heard of Frisco tracks covered by water when a dam was built in southern MO, Don't remember just exactly where it is, but someone told me about it and had posted a pic on Facebook.  

[RAY HEROLD]

The old Hoosac Tunnel and Wilmington Railroad's north end terminus is now under Lake Whitingham in Vermont. It was flooded when the dam was built to create the lake. The railroad then cut back to a terminus in northern Massachusetts.

[HAROLD BERKEBILE]

 

How many RR lines under lakes

 “Central Pennsylvania under Foster Joseph Sayers Lake near Howard, PA

Go to ‘Bing Maps’ and you can see the old roadbed in the center of the lake southwest of Howard, PA near ‘Schenck Cemetery’ at the end of Lower Green Rd. I haven’t paid attention for several years but I think rails and ties were removed when the railroad was moved during construction of Foster Joseph Sayers Dam in the late 1960’s.“

[CRIP 4376]

A Wabash ROW is under Lake Red Rock in Marion County, Iowa.  The railroad even hauled in construction material for Red Rock Dam.  Howell Station campground is named for the former Howell station that was the Wabash depot for Pella at the bottom of Amsterdam Hill.  Wabash/N&W trains moved to the south side of the river on CB&Q tracks.

Ken Vandevoort

[BILL GRAVES]

In the early 70's they built Jordan Lake here in middle NC.  It flooded out parts of the OLD Norfolk & Southern Durham-Duncan branch.  The feds (I think) built a high line for them but shortly after it was finished, Southern bought the N&S and abandoned the line.  A short piece is used for excursions, the rest is the American Tobacco Rail Trail.

[Kevin C. Smith]

Victrola1

From where in Michigan to where in Wisconsin under Lake Michigan to bypass Chicago would you build one?

Since Lake Michigan is roughly uniform in width for most of its north-south length, I would say that as long as you are bypassing Chicago, a Muskegon-Milwaukee "chunnel" would get you to the most competitive acess on the Wisconsin side (really don't know what you could do about Michigan). But if a genie were to grant me one wish on the matter, I would love to have a Manistee, MI-Kewaunee, WI bore to put the Green Bay & Western in the line of more NW traffic.

[ACY Tom]

A couple more in Ohio:

PRR's Tuscarawas Secondary between Valley Junction and Dover was relocated around 1938 to allow construction of Dover Dam on the Tuscarawas River. Part of the old PRR line was submerged under the resulting impoundment. The W&LE mainline through Valley Junction was also relocated on higher ground in the same project, but its old line served as the route for a highway and wasn't covered by the water. 

Not far away, the W&LE Sherrodsville Branch south of Carrollton was relocated when Atwood Dam was built in 1936. I'm pretty sure part of the old line was covered. 

Farther west, just south of Beach City, a dam on Sugar Creek required relocation of about 9 miles of the W&LE, submerging part of the old line in 1938.

Tom 

[CShaveRR]

I didn't check...has anyone mentioned the SP's efforts early in the 20th Century to stay ahead of the Salton Sea as it was formed by an overflow from the Colorado River?  

[Expressman's Kid]

Two Ohio Relocations

When Dillon Dam was built in 1960 on the Licking River north of Zanesville, Ohio as part of the Muskingum Valley Flood Control Program it was necessary to relocate several hundred feet of the B&O right of way to higher ground as the dam occupied a portion of what was the former B&O mainline from Baltimore to Chicago before the line from Akron to Willard was built.   The line follows the west bank of the Licking River northwest and upriver from Zanesville to Newark.  Still in use today, the section is owned by CSX but is operated under lease by Genesee & Wyoming which acquired the operating rights from the former Ohio Central.

Approximately 100 miles due west of Zanesville is Springfield.  In 1966, construction was started on the C. J. Brown Reservoir and Dam on Buck Creek about two miles north of Springfield.  It was necessary to relocate to higher ground approximately one mile of the original Big Four line (CCC&StL, NYC, PC, CR) from Delaware to Springfield.  The present line from Springfield to Mechanicsburg is operated by the Indiana & Ohio Railway.  The section north to Delaware is out of service.

"Mom! 99 is blowing for 16th Street.  Dad will be home soon."

 

 

[CShaveRR]

Thanks, Mike!  With the river involved being the Delaware, I knew I was probably half right, anyway!

[MidlandMike]

CShaveRR

I think I remember hearing that the Pepacton Reservoir in New York flooded a railroad (Ulster & Delaware again?) when it filled up.

It also submerged the town of Shavertown, ancestral home of my family.

 

I am away from home so I can't check my reference, but IIRC the line under the Pepacton Res was the Delaware & Northern, which interchanged with the U&D at Arkville.

[tree68]

Paul_D_North_Jr

Here's some interesting information about the New York and Ottawa Railway - tree68 may be interested in this too, as I believe it connected with the line he's affiliated with:

Indeed - the NY&O connected to the Adirondack Division at Tupper Lake Junction.  

I'll have to go back and look at it all later.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

cx500: That NYC branch to Ottawa - Looks like that's the Ottawa in Ontario, Canada's capital.  That's quite an incursion - approx. 60 miles - by an American railroad into the (then) Dominion.  

Here's some interesting information about the New York and Ottawa Railway - tree68 may be interested in this too, as I believe it connected with the line he's affiliated with:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_and_Ottawa_Railway 

http://www.nyc-ottawadivision.com/ 

http://www.canada-rail.com/ontario/railways/NYO.html#.WLdAoDvyvcs 

Probably this sub-subject ought to have its own thread, but I'm too busy to do that right now.  

- PDN.  

[tree68]

cx500

As far as I can see from the Google imagery, it does not appear as though there was any railroad on the American side affected.  

AFAIK, all the US railroad contact with the River in that area came at (more or less) right angles, from inland.  Thus no mainlines were affected.  

[cx500]

Another one is the original Grand Trunk (later CNR) main line west of Cornwall, Ontario.  The Moses-Saunders power dam on the St Lawrence River, built in the late 1950s and perhaps part of the new Seaway, forced a relocation of the line between Cornwall and Cardinal.  You can still see its shadow underwater in a few places on the current Google Earth image, and it can easily be traced on the above water portions.

The NYC had a line that crossed the river from Massena NY to Cornwall on its branch to Ottawa.  That was below the dam so it was not flooded.  Instead, it was abandoned to avoid the need for a swing bridge over the new Seaway locks and canal.  I expect the NYC was more than happy to abandon it by that time, likely supported enthusiastically by the government because it would have been from their own budget.

As far as I can see from the Google imagery, it does not appear as though there was any railroad on the American side affected.

 

[ACY Tom]

Right after WWII, the PRR relocated its Conemaugh Division mainline west of Blairsville, PA to allow construction of the Conemaugh Dam. The previous right of way is now submerged. 

Tionesta Dam created a lake that covers the former sites of Nebraska, PA and Newtown Mills, PA on the old Sheffield & Tionesta. Bob Richardson told about it in his book, Chasing Trains. 

Tom

[NDG]

Some Quickies Here.

GNRy. Waldo. Steel lifted c. 1938 North from Rexford, MT. GN Ry. once had East/ West Route much to South, then moved North Thru Rexford until Flat Head Tunnel Bored.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.2084676,-115.2246895,520m/data=!3m1!1e3    


Just upstream. Wardner, B.C.

CP 1898-1971. Once Swing Bridge, here. Steamers ex Jennings, MT.  Canal @ Canal Flats into Columbia Lake/R.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.4067225,-115.4122935,1036m/data=!3m1!1e3


CP Labarthe. Line Relocated in Sixties for pond High Arrow Dam. Once Turntable to turn Pushers For Farron Hill, to West.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/f31c4572-c4b5-4f94-8d87-e697c098b487.jpg

https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC1AVTM_labarthe-tunnel?guid=5048f223-0676-46bb-99a9-62c023d5c40d

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.3362158,-117.8210171,259m/data=!3m1!1e3

Both Columbia and Kootenay Rs join at Castlegar to South.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.3113108,-117.6419447,4150m/data=!3m1!1e3


CP Swing Bridge ( Fixed ) @ Castlegar.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8503/8409183961_1015fbe3dd_b.jpg

Many Others, another time?

Thank You.

[samfp1943]

There are several resevoirs in Kansas that caused lines to be severed, and abandoned. see limked @    http://www.abandonedrails.com/Kansas

In the early part of the 20th Century Chanute,Kansas was a division point on the Santa Fe; lines radiated out in 5 directions. ( Their muli-story station still stands there).   Besides the original N-S line of the LL&G; later Santa Fe, there were connections towards Emporia and Topeka and SW towards Winfield.  The line to Emporia was severed and flooded in late 1950, early 1960s, when Toronto Lake was built.  

The Neosho Div was severed whe the Resevoir at Burlington was built on the Neosho River. This was orig built as UPRR Southern Div.in 1880 connected Council Grove, Chanute and Parsons.

The AT&SF was abandoned from Longton to Independence in 1963, when the Elk River resevoir was built west of Independence.  Part of this line is now incorporated into the SK&O line that goes from Winfield to Cherryvale { originally was the DM&G, orig a narrow gauge rte, but MoPac standard gauged it, and it is now part of SK&O.) 

[Note: the line East from Chanute,Ks. thru Erie,Ks.(Was the AT&SF Eastern Div.)to Frontenac,Ks.then via KCP&GRR, to connection at Joplin,Mo. AT&SF used their new (M100) McKeen Car, purchased  by the AT&SF in 1904, {IIRC?} from the manufacturer, which was the Union Pacific, Omaha,Me.. It operated from Joplin,Mo via Chanute to either Topeka, or alternately to Emporia. ]   

[Geared Steam]

Deggesty

 

 

CSSHEGEWISCH

I believe that the Flathead Tunnel on the former GN main was bored as part of a line relocation in the 1960's caused by dam construction.

 

 

 

 

Yes, it was bored because of the Flathead Dam.

 

 

Correction, the Flathead Tunnel was bored to relocate the then GN line up the Fisher river for the Libby Dam, a Flathead dam doesn't exist in those parts. Kerr Dam is on Flathead lake, 120 miles from Libby dam and Lake Koocanusa.

 

[DSchmitt]

challenger3980

 

 

DSchmitt

Western Pacific line change 

http://www.wplives.com/frc/oroville_line_change.html

Oroville Dam is the tallest dam in the United States.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oroville_Dam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That Title was in Question there for awhile

I am Glad that it ended well, so far.

Doug

 

The dam was in no danger of failing, however if the if the spillway had failed the lake level would have very shortly been about 30 feet lower and large area downstream flooded.    Both the main and auxillary spillways are on the hillside next to the dam, not on the dam.

[challenger3980]

DSchmitt

Western Pacific line change 

http://www.wplives.com/frc/oroville_line_change.html

Oroville Dam is the tallest dam in the United States.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oroville_Dam

 

 

 

 

That Title was in Question there for awhile

I am Glad that it ended well, so far.

Doug

[DSchmitt]

Western Pacific line change 

http://www.wplives.com/frc/oroville_line_change.html

Oroville Dam is the tallest dam in the United States.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oroville_Dam

 

 

[CShaveRR]

I think I remember hearing that the Pepacton Reservoir in New York flooded a railroad (Ulster & Delaware again?) when it filled up.

It also submerged the town of Shavertown, ancestral home of my family.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

Jeff - Thanks for adding those facts and details about that MILW bridge.   

And now for something different: Then there was the 'involuntary' relocation of the D&RGW (and the Utah Rwy.'s trackage rights over it) due to a quickly-formed 'natural' earth dam and lake at Thistle, Utah, caused by a large landslide in April 1983:  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thistle,_Utah#Railroads 

http://www.drgw.net/info/ThistleMudslide 

http://utahrails.net/drgw/thistle-vanished.php 

- Paul North. 

[MidlandMike]

daveklepper

The D&RGW line was relocated around 1961 from the bottom of the San Juan valley do to dam construction.  This was probabliy the very last three-foot-gauge track construction for a common-carrier railroad in the USA.  Still steam operated then, also  And then abandoned juist a few years later?  I think this was around Pagosa Springs Junction and/or Gato.

Rode the old line 1960 and 1961, the new line 1962.   Maurey Kleibolt trips.

 

Yes, it was the Navaho Resevoir, downstream from Gato, toward Arboles.

Some other Colorado narrow gauge grades under water: D&RGW under a couple of inpoundments between Gunnison and Cimarron; C&S under reservoirs along the South Platte River; both C&S and D&RGW under Lake Dillon.  

A standard gauge line that was also covered over by South Platte reservoirs was the Colorado Midland in the South Park area.

[tpatrick]

The Pennsylvania Railroad branch from Warren PA to Salamanca NY was flooded in 1965 when the Kinzua (pron. kin-ZOO) Dam was completed on the Allegheny River. The remainder of the railroad line, Salamanca to Bradford PA via Olean NY, was abandoned. The Allegheny Reservoir backs up almost to Salamanca and is one of the deepest lakes in Pennsylvania. Erie RR's Kinzua Viaduct was a nearby neighbor associated with neither dam nor river.

[erikem]

Yet another ROW flooded by a dam was the orginal AT&SF line to San Diego between Perris and Lake Elsinore (Railraod Canyon Reservoir).

The proposed San Diego, Cuyamaca and Eastern would have been routed through what is now the San Vincente reservoir. The line only made it to Fostoria, which is just downstream of the dam. Dam was built decades after the SDC&E.

[Deggesty]

Yes, no mountain curves; just curves along the French Broad. It was a beautiful ride either way. Going from Asheville to Knoxville, I stood in the vestibule of the sleeper with the upper door open.

[blue streak 1]

Second post 1st vanished

When the TVA built Fontana dam during WW-2 the work involved moving part of SOU RR's Murphy branch just west of Bryson City, NC.  As well a SOU branch to town of Fontana ( originally C&TS ) was along the river and used to bring in the building materials.  Work was rushed to provide electric power to Alcoa aluminum smelters.  Rumor is the lake filled quickly and SOU abandoned tracks closest to Fontana as they flooded as SOU was still bringing in various materials.   

The Abandoned C&TS may have been an attempt to reach Tennessee by way of conecting to a SOU  ( T&CS) line to Alcoa.  The 2 lines got to within 12 miles of each other but never connected.  T&CS abandoned some time and connecting the 2 would have made a very expensive proposition.  SOU instead used the French broad river from Asheville that was all down hill to Knoxville instead of a mountain grade and curve RR.