The Staple Bend Tunnel, about 4 miles east of
Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in a town called Mineral Point, was the first
railway tunnel constructed in the United States.
|
The tunnel was constructed between 1831 and 1834 for the
Allegheny Portage Railroad and is 901 feet in length. It is rock bored and
stone lined.
The Staple Bend Tunnel was the 3rd tunnel of
any kind built in the U.S.; the first two tunnels were for canals in
Pennsylvania.
The tunnel was designated a National Historic Landmark in
1994, and in 2001 became part of the Allegheny Portage Railroad National
Historic Site, administered by the National Park Service. The tunnel is now
open to the public for use as part of the Staple Bend Tunnel Trail.
 |
A view of the abandoned tunnel c.a. 1911. A man stands to the left for a height comparison,
|
No comments:
Post a Comment