Monon64

Tunnelton Tunnel

This is the Big Tunnel, located in Tunnelton, IN which is just east of Bedford. This is the East entrance. When railroads were introduced into Lawrence County, the hills presented quite a challenge. Rather than go around one such hill located between Tunnelton and Ft. Ritner, the O&M (Ohio & Mississippi Railway) made the decision to tunnel through, thereby saving about eight miles of track. The hill became known as Tunnel Hill. The resulting tunnel was a 1750 foot-long, man-made cave carved through the solid rock of the hill and appropriately named The Big Tunnel. It is located approximately three miles southeast of Tunnelton on River Road.

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Tunnelton Tunnel
Monon64, Jan 25, 2007
    • HemiAdda2d
      Cannot argue with the name of the tunnel! Very neat catch! Still in use?
    • Monon64
      Still used, but if I understand right it only sees a few trains each week.
    • BoxcabE50
      Wow. They sure thought of an original name! Ha ha. :teeth:

      :D

      Boxcab E50
    • mikado
      I never looked at the other tunnel entrance (about 20 miles west) to see if it said 'little tunnel', It's near Huron In.
      Most people don;t think of Indiana as hilly, but it is around here. Norfolk Southerns line west of Louisville has several tunnels and a helper grade.
    • mikelhh
      I love the effects of weathering and age in these tunnel photos, especially on the rh side where masonry is the same colour as the rock. And yes I know this isn't steam era, and the tunnel sees little traffic, but there's no conspicuous black deposit on the arch.
      Lovely photos!
      Mike
    • bierbass
      I like the facade on the tunnel. In my neck of the woods the tunnels are non-descript holes in the ground. Recently on another website, I saw a photo taken from the inside of this tunnel as a train was entering. The photographer remarked that it was an experience never to be repeated again. Thanks for sharing the pix!
    • Monon64
      I've actually only been through the tunnel once, however I know several folks that have been inside the tunnel when trains came through, they said it was a pretty harrowing experience. There are duguouts in the wall every so often, you just slide in there and hug the wall. It's actually a pretty wide tunnel, but I'm sure as train is flying by it would seem like your'e about to get your nose taken off. :)
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    Monon64
    Date:
    Jan 25, 2007
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