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 Posted - December 14 2021 : 08:48:17 AM
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I spent the day in Harpers Ferry, WV. It is a quaint little town with a lot of history, especially during the Civil War era. There are, and have been, rail lines through the town.
Here are the tracks heading for the tunnel.
Here is a close-up of the tunnel entrance.
I was too far away to get any photos, but a freight train pulled by two Chessie System diesels, approximately 100+ hoppers and tankers, and two more diesels in the middle, came through. Lots of clackety clacking.
Here is the Appalachian trail sign. I didn't realize until today that Harper's Ferry is almost the center of the 2,190 mile trail. The actual midpoint is about 75 miles north of Harpers Ferry, outside Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Pennsylvania.
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 Posted - December 14 2021 : 6:04:33 PM
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Nice photos Brian. I remember Amtrak and MARC commuter trains stop there. Plenty of hiking trails in that area.
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Posted - December 14 2021 : 6:19:05 PM
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Some internet videos of the hikes in the area.
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Posted - December 14 2021 : 6:23:39 PM
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Trains seen near the end of this internet video.
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Posted - December 14 2021 : 8:22:54 PM
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| Thanks, wks. I've got to hand it to you. You've logged a lot of miles on various trains in the North East corridor and shared your experiences with the forum. Additionally, you've provided so many videos of trains from all over the world, both modeling layouts and real-life trains. If there were a prize for the most traveled person, both live and virtual, I think you would win!
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Posted - December 14 2021 : 9:36:47 PM
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Great photos! A day well spent.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Posted - December 14 2021 : 10:13:56 PM
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Remarkable how that tunnel just blasts right through
that escarpment.
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Posted - December 14 2021 : 10:26:59 PM
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| I forgot to mention the convergence of three states. The tunnel just ahead is on the Maryland side of the river. Behind me is Harpers Ferry. You can't see it from my photo, but the Virginia shoreline is off to the right.
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Posted - December 15 2021 : 10:29:10 AM
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quote:Remarkable how that tunnel just blasts right through
that escarpment.
Originally posted by Chops124Â -Â December 14 2021Â :Â 10:13:56 PM
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It is spectacular. And it foreshadows several other tunnel locations farther west. The B&O sure had the Pennsy and most other railroads beat for scenery.
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Posted - December 15 2021 : 1:07:25 PM
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| I think that tunnel once had a highway go thru it with the tracks
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Posted - December 15 2021 : 3:29:00 PM
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That tunnel has a couple of things that "real railroads don't do."
First of all it's a three track tunnel portal. It's probably the only true three track tunnel portal out there. By true I mean it's blasted out of solid rock, not a cut and cover job like you see in the city.
Also, it is the junction between a main line and a branch line, with the switch inside the tunnel itself. once again, something common in city subway tunnels but extremely rare in a solid rock tunnel like this.
ALso, note the way the rock layers are tilted at a sharp angle, and the scruffy pine tree clinging to the cliff face. That's quite common a bit further west of here, and something you don't see people model in real life.
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Posted - December 15 2021 : 7:55:18 PM
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Interesting comment, buss. I lived on the Virginia side during the 1970s and 80s and don't recall a highway through the tunnel without or without the train tracks being present.
I did a google search and didn't get any hits about a highway through the tunnel with the tracks present. I can't imagine any insurance company or planning committee allowing such an alignment to occur.
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Posted - January 31 2022 : 2:49:02 PM
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There is a tunnel on the Alaska Railroad that is shared with vehicular traffic. Trains and vehicles take turns.
https://dot.alaska.gov/creg/whittiertunnel/virtualdrive.shtml
1208
Glenn
I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"
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Posted - January 31 2022 : 4:10:14 PM
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quote:
yeah it originally was a railroad only tunnel until quite a few years ago
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