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Snoqualmie Tunnel |
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The Snoqualmie Tunnel is an abandoned railroad tunnel at Snoqualmie Pass at the border of King County and Kittitas County in Washington State. It is 2.3 miles (3.7 km) long. The tunnel now serves as part of a rail trail in Iron Horse State Park. The trail is called the John Wayne Pioneer Trail, but sometimes also called the Iron Horse Trail. It closed January 30, 2009 and reopened July 5, 2011 after renovations to the walls, ceiling, and path were completed. The tunnel was constructed from 1912-1914 by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, also known as the Milwaukee Road, as part of its line from Chicago to Seattle. Electrification in 1917 eliminated smoke dissipation issues. In 1980 the Milwaukee Road received approval from the Interstate Commerce Commission to abandon its western lines. On March 15th, 1980, the final Milwaukee Road train passed through the tunnel. Later, Washington state acquired the right-of-way for recreational use. Today the tunnel is part of the Iron Horse State Park rails-to-trails project. It is usually closed between November 1 through early May due to ice formations inside the tunnel. On July 5, 2011 the tunnel re-opened after 11 months of renovations. The $700,000 renovation added a 4-inch layer of concrete to the walls and ceiling, a reinforced structure, and a new and improved walking surface of crushed rock. The most impressive engineering feat by any western railroad in conquering the Cascade Mountain range to reach Seattle, Washington was the Milwaukee Road's Snoqualmie Pass Tunnel. The tunnel, the longest on the entire railroad at well over two miles in length, was not opened until more than five years after the original route commenced operations resulting in the railroad using a steep and tortuous temporary right of way over Snoqualmie Pass. The tunnel's impressiveness, however, was because of its short length and low grade resulting in very efficient train operations (much more efficient than nearby Cascade Tunnel). Today, however, the best engineered tunnel over the Cascade Mountains lies dormant and has not seen a train in more than 30 years |
