The Salem tunnel still exists having been extended in the 1960s to allow more of downtown Salem to cover it. The other tunnel I'm looking for is on the (now former) B&M in Vermont.
As far as I know, yes, the Salem tunnel has been daylighted and does not exist as a tunnel anymore. Other urban tunnels do exist, including either Brattleboro or Bellows Falls, forget which, West Point on the River Line directly under the Military Academy, and of course north of Central Station, Montreal. I am sure there are many more.
NP Eddie My first thought of the Rock Island tunnel was the photograph on the cover of "Rock Island Color Pictorial, Volume 1" (page 16). This shows a TA and train exiting the Pleasant Hill Tunnel west of Peru-LaSalle, IL. The caption states the tunnel was daylighted during WWII. Another picture (page 20) shows the Rocky Mountain Rocket exiting the same tunnel. Where was the Split Rock tunnel?
My first thought of the Rock Island tunnel was the photograph on the cover of "Rock Island Color Pictorial, Volume 1" (page 16). This shows a TA and train exiting the Pleasant Hill Tunnel west of Peru-LaSalle, IL. The caption states the tunnel was daylighted during WWII. Another picture (page 20) shows the Rocky Mountain Rocket exiting the same tunnel.
Where was the Split Rock tunnel?
The Split Rock Tunnel still exists right alongside the Illinois & Michigan Canal about mid-way between Utica and LaSalle and was never daylighted. The tracks through it have been abandoned but the Iowa Interstate uses the second track which the Rock built between the canal and the escarpment through which the tunnel ran.
There were a total of five tunnels on the Rock, the Split Rock, and four more in Missouri on the StL - KC line at Freeburg, Argyle, Eugene and Vale. I am inclined to think the caption on the photo which you mention is mislabeled. All of the literature agrees there were a total of eight tunnels in IL (all of which have been identified in this thread) and nowhere is there any mention of a Pleasant Hill Tunnel.
Mark
Correct my cell phone to 763-234-9306
Ed Burns
RCDYE and ALL:
I only rode the RI once and that was between Chicago and Des Moines.
673-234-9306
rcdrye I had found the NYC one but thought it might have a name. I assume the Split Rock tunnel was daylighted.
I had found the NYC one but thought it might have a name. I assume the Split Rock tunnel was daylighted.
The Split Rock tunnel was not daylighted. When this stretch of the RI was double tracked the new second track was built around the escarpment but the original track continued to run through the tunnel.
Salem MA is correct. The Hoosac, while certainly hard rock, is not by any stretch "urban". The one I'm looking for goes under part of a downtown district.
As I recall, there is a tunnel in Salem, Mass, which I went through when I made a roundtrip to Rockport in 1974. There is also the Hoosac Tunnel, which took a long time to bore because nothing better than black powder was available to blast the hard rock.
Johnny
The Boston and Maine one hard rock tunnel that was long and famous. The B&M also had two urban tunnels, one in Massachusetts (cut and cover) and one in Vermont (hard rock). Both are still in use. Name the City in Massachusetts and the town in Vermont.
Five days is long enough for any question to run so here are the remaining two tunnels that no one has yet identified. 1) The Split Rock tunnel on the Rock Island mainline between Utica and LaSalle and 2) An un-named tunnel on the Big Four's Egyptian line at the town of Tunnel Hill about 45 miles north of Cairo.
Since Rob correctly identified five of the eight tunnels he is our winner and gets to ask the next question.
CSSHEGEWISCH Another abandoned tunnel would be the Winston Tunnel on the former CGW.
Another abandoned tunnel would be the Winston Tunnel on the former CGW.
The Winston Tunnel was the other one in far western IL. It was just under 2500 ft. in length making it the longest tunnel in the state. Just two more to go.
The four tunnels on the ex-IC are the ones that are still in use today on active lines of the CN. Those on the Edgewood Cutoff are known simply as Tunnels 1, 2 and 3. I think the former GM&O line between E. StL. and Cairo is abandoned but the tunnel at Alto Pass had been daylighted while it was still in service.
Keep looking for the remaining three abandoned tunnels Rob. One is in far western IL, one in far southeastern IL and the third just under 100 miles from Chicago.
I can come up with IC's four, three on the Edgwood cutoff and the hard rock tunnel on the Iowa Division at East Dubuque. So far I only have the former GM&O tunnel on the line southeast of E. St. Louis for abandoned ones.
The four that are still in use are all located on one railroad. The others were on four different roads.
At one time or another there were eight tunnels on Class I railroads in the state of Illinois. What are the names or locations of the four that have been abandoned or daylighted and on what railroads were they located? What four remain in active use today?
Correct. Looking forward to your question.
rcdrye The railroad that owned the highest steel bridge in Iowa later bought the former interurban that owned the second highest steel bridge. Owning RRs and (optional) bridge name for the highest bridge.
The railroad that owned the highest steel bridge in Iowa later bought the former interurban that owned the second highest steel bridge. Owning RRs and (optional) bridge name for the highest bridge.
The C&NW's Kate Shelley Bridge. The Ft. Dodge Des Moines & Southern was the former interurban.
100% LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTION
daveklepper What interruban line in the USA was the first or one of the first to apply regnerative braking and magnetic track brakes, and had a large fleet of cars that had zero air equipment of any kind, relyiing on regnerative braking (switching to dynamic if the overhead could not receive the power), magnetic track brakes, and hand brakes? Name the company and terminal points served.
What interruban line in the USA was the first or one of the first to apply regnerative braking and magnetic track brakes, and had a large fleet of cars that had zero air equipment of any kind, relyiing on regnerative braking (switching to dynamic if the overhead could not receive the power), magnetic track brakes, and hand brakes? Name the company and terminal points served.
West Penn Railways had a fairly large fleet of airless cars as you describe, using them on the main portion of their system linking Pittsburgh (via P Rys in Trafford and McKeesport) with Connellsville, Uniontown, Latrobe and Brownsville. West Penn and its related systems also had a fair sized fleet of more conventional cars, including some Cincinnati curved-side lightweights.
The only West Penn equipment that operated into Pittsburgh in through service over Pittsburgh Railways were box motors and trailers, all of which were air equipped.
I rode the Pinsley Suncook Valley from Concord to Pittsfied four or five times in the sumer of 1945, Later, our camp group rode in owl-faced ex-PRR P-54's behind a 2-6-0 from Concord to Clairmont Junction (B&M) to connect with the Day White Mountains Ezpress through to GCT. In the spring of 1950, as an MIT Frreshman, rode the fan-trip Boston - Concord - Clairmont Jc. - White River Jc. - Boston, all open-platform wood cars, 4-6-2 power except C - CJc. , double-headed 2-6-0's.
Close enough. The Claremont and Concord was a Pinsly family purchase of B&M's Claremont and Concord line (the name goes back to the 1880s). After Pinsly bought the C&C, he bought the Claremont Ry. (Formerly Claremont Ry and Lighting) which operated switching service on various streets and roads in Claremont and West Claremont. By 1962 the line was cut back to run between Claremont and Newport, with both the main line and the former Claremont Ry lines using 44 tonners since 1956. In 1970 the main was cut back to East Claremont. The former C. Ry trackage was abandoned in 1986 (though some still remians visible) and the line east of downtown Claremont was abandoned in the early 1990s. The company still operates carrying lumber and road salt from Claremont Jct to Claremont. Around 2001 the company leased the former B&M Westboro yard across from White River Jct VT where it handles road salt and propane. Connecting trackage rights on G&W's New England Central.
Back to you, Dave.
Does Concord and Clairmont in New Hampshire still operate?
Since the thread has sat for five days how about this:
This short line castoff of a larger (then class I) regional system merged with a local freight-only trolley line, replaced steam with small diesels (and a silver gas-electric). Cut back in stages due to flood control work and declining traffic, it survived into the 1980s with diesel operation of the former electric lines and to this day on the remaining "steam" main line.
CSSHEGEWISCH We have a winner. You get the next question.
We have a winner. You get the next question.
You were inactive for quite a while and ask really good questions. Please ask another.
rcdrye It ran as the "World's Fair" during the 1964-1965 World's fair in New York.
It ran as the "World's Fair" during the 1964-1965 World's fair in New York.
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Get the Classic Trains twice-monthly newsletter