As part of the Triple Bridges Project, the tunnel's opened doors permitted
this view of the interior. It appears that basic road supplies,
such as sand, had been stored inside. The project calls this an abandoned
railroad tunnel, and schedules it for removal during 2021
More significantly, note on the ceiling the rusty metal strip that runs the
full length of the tunnel. The catenary (power line) was hung from it. As shown
in the 1940s photo further above, prior to the B-W Parkway, the WB&A did not have
one continuous tunnel here, but rather a series of bridges that carried local roads.
That the rusty ceiling strip extends the full tunnel length means either 1) the
B&A continued to operate here while the formerly-separate bridges were combined
into one long tunnel in prep for B-W Pkwy construction adjacent, or 2) the tunnel
was equipped with catenary brackets on the assumption the B&A would resume
service after the B-W Pkwy opened. The last B&A train to pass here did so
during February 1950.
Link:
Triple Bridges Project
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