Abandoned Rathole Tunnels

[derekeh]

     I was up at tunnel #2 at kings mountain a few days ago and part of the east wall about a couple hundred feet from the north end had fallen in. It wasnt a big fall in and is easily walked around... but still sad to see it starting. Dont know how long it has been like this as this was my first time in the tunnel but I didnt see it mentioned on here in any descriptions so thought I would give everyone a heads up on that.
     Also someone mentioned the ventilation shaft at the middle of the tunnel. I dont recall seeing a fan still in it but it was dripping a LOT of water at the time so it was a little hard to see up in the shaft. There is another shaft about a 1/3 of the way into the tunnel from the south end that is off centered to the east side of the tunnel. Its really easy to overlook it... in fact I didnt see it until we walked back through the tunnel to exit it. Anyways I wonder why it was off to the side like that and not in the center like the other shaft? I have some pictures I took of the shafts and will post them when I get the chance.

[The Olivers]

First off here is a link to what Ive collected so far and plan on rapping up TN Ratholes in the next few months. https://www.flickr.com/photos/78994628@N02/sets/72157630564170596/

Second... found this online with a bunch of historic pics of Harriman. Note claims to be Tunnel 27 but pic shows wood reinforcments.. never seen on any tunnels.. Is it truly tunnel 27 of a mine shaft pic???

[butch]

Good stuff.  On the T27 pic, many of the orginal Cincinnati Southern Railway tunnels had timber linings-one of the requirements of the CNO&TP lease was that they replace the timber linings with stone or brick.  T27 was not a good candidate for lining so it was bypassed by the current cut that went into service in 1904.  This would fit the timeframe of your picture which looks like it was taken after the rails were removed.

[The Olivers]

Tunnel 18 has been added.. hope to do 19-21 next.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/78994628@N02/?details=1

[nsgelocos]

Nice! I have never honestly stepped inside of Tunnel 18 the two times I've been there. The second time, me and some friends did a "George of the Jungle" leap with some rope to the south portal from the side of the cut. We finally got up to it, but while we were looking through the tunnel, the north portal vanished, and black, cold fog began to role out. Needless to say, we were a bit freaked out.

[The Olivers]

Cool story nsgelocos.. It is one of the creeper tunnels..probably because of the water. I got a funny story on tunnel 24. It was the first tunnel I had been to and a couple of buddies decided to walk through it with no flash lights. About half way through I told them we should do a group photo. They laughed and agreed. Couple weeks later when I got the film developed there I was in the tunnel smiling for the camera as my 2 buddies mooned the camera... I had no idea... I still hear about it till this day.

Any-ways I've added tunnel 16 to the following link. I will post 19 and 20 soon. Everyone have a Great Easter!!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/78994628@N02/sets/72157630564170596/

[The Olivers]

19 is up. Hopefully will have 20 up tomorrow. Looked for remains of 21 and didn't see anything. Will look again.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/78994628@N02/sets/72157630564170596/

[nsgelocos]

19 is up. Hopefully will have 20 up tomorrow. Looked for remains of 21 and didn't see anything. Will look again.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/78994628@N02/sets/72157630564170596/

Check the East wall of the cut just north of the bridge in Lancing passed the end of the siding. Should be several sections of lining there.

[The Olivers]

20 is up now.. making plans for 13-14. Will probably be a couple weeks. Hope You guys are enjoying the pics!!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/78994628@N02/sets/72157630564170596/

[The Olivers]

19 is up. Hopefully will have 20 up tomorrow. Looked for remains of 21 and didn't see anything. Will look again.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/78994628@N02/sets/72157630564170596/

Check the East wall of the cut just north of the bridge in Lancing passed the end of the siding. Should be several sections of lining there.

Thanks for the info. There was a bunch of dogs running around and the area looked a bit rough so I didn't bother getting out of the car with the kids.

[NS_Milepost_279.2]

This thread never disappoints. That T27 find is truly a jewel, completing documentation of these tunnels. 27 has, in my opinion, been the long lost one.

We ventured into 16 today and felt a lucky, so we decided to sound off inside the tunnel. I think the tunnel made a cool effect on the airhorns. I've made this link public on Facebook for non-friend viewers if interested. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=668023193233839&set=vb.100000784926433&type=2&theater

Other news, Tunnel 24 is being dug out and ditched by NS to get the water out of it in preparations for it to return to access road use for work on bridge 89. This is great news for us tunnel explorers, no more car swimming in there. Source of mine says a gate over the portal is possible, but knowing a certain other group of patrons at Nemo, the gate probably wouldn't last long.

-Alex

[Gene]

Just curious as I've not had a bit of luck finding anything, but does anyone have pics of tunnel 11 at Parkers Lake? Thanks, Geno.

[rhotond]

This topic has intrigued me since it first started.  It would be fairly easy obtain old topo maps (20's etc)  that show the old alignment and tunnels to locate them.  These are geo referenced and can be overlaid on google earth and thus compare exactly the old line and new line alignments and tunnel locations.  Old maps can either be quadrangel or 7.5 minutes.  For example the burnside quadrangle can be found at thttp://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/kentucky/txu-pclmaps-topo-ky-burnside-1928.jpgo

just google old topo maps of KY  etc.   There are many free sources. 

[Gene]

Wow, nothing on tunnel 11, I was hoping to find historic pics and maybe some modern ones also. i figured there are so many photos of all the other tunnels that someone would have something. Any help is appreciated. Thanks, Geno.

[Bill Richardson]

I can't help you with tunnel #11, but here is a link to a page with some old topo maps, from the late 1800s, early 1900s, 1920s, and 1930s.   Burnside 1928, and Somerset 1929 are in there.  No Parkers Lake map.  There is a Harrodsburg 1930 map.  The first line has an index map, then the maps that are available follow, in alphabetical order.  There are maps from all over the state of KY, but they are scattered.  Only a relatively small number of old maps are included.  It looks like maybe 100.

This could be of interest to a lot of other people on Jreb, so I want to show this.

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/kentucky/

[Gene]

Thanks Bill, hopefully some one has some pics.

[butch]

Here is T11 from last Saturday and an inside shot that Emmett cleaned up for me that shows where the US27 construction caved the northern part in.  You can't tell in the pic, but the debris is at about a 45 degree angle.  T11 is just south Parker's Lake off where Rt 927/Day Ridge Rd heads west.  I'll add a topo tomorrow.

[Gene]

Awesome, thanks so much Butch, I sure do appreciate it. do you know how much of the tunnel was filled/caved to do the road project? Love the pics.

[butch]

Thanks Gene.  Since T11 was 465 ft. long, I'd ballpark it at 200 ft being gone, but that's just an eyeball guess.  If you can get a copy of the December 2013 issue of Trains magazine, Ron Flanary's Rathole article has a lot of information.

Here is the early 1950s topo I mentioned.  It shows the location of T11 below Parkers Lake, T12 above Wiborg, and if you look for the "arrowhead" shaped ridge about halfway between Greenwood and Parkers Lake, that is where T10 was daylighted.

[Gene]

Thanks again for the info and pics Butch. I'd just never seen much info or any pics on Tunnel 11 and am fascinated with the area. 

[The Olivers]

Finally got to south portal of 15.. getting close to having them all.. Take a gander!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/78994628@N02/sets/72157630564170596

[shermancahal]

I recently visited Tunnel Nos. 3 and 4 at Burnside and Nos. 7 and 8 near Greenwood.

I've posted more photos and narrative at https://abandonedonline.net/a-winter-exploration-of-four-cincinnati-southern-railway-tunnels/, with the full gallery at https://abandonedonline.net/location/cincinnati-southern-railway/

Tunnel No. 3:







Tunnel No. 4:









Tunnel No. 7:









Tunnel No. 8:

[shermancahal]

Additionally, we looked for an easy way down to No. 5 under US 27. I have one photo from it years ago but can't remember how I actually got down to it. There is a driveway located at https://maps.app.goo.gl/Pn7rLKfR8Yd1kMv17 that appeared to have been a trailhead at one point, with a mailbox that reads "Trailhead," yet there are a plethora of signs, cameras, and LED lights at the entrance. I think this is where I parked before and walked up the old right-of-way, but it looks like a landowner isn't too keen on this now. This would make for a fantastic trailhead parking area for multiple tunnels.

[AWayne]

Just wanted to share this information, as i explore parts of DBNF for onX Off-road. As of 12-1-2014, tunnels 7, 8, and 9 are closed to the public. I'm going to the Ranger Station to investigate further, in a few days.

[Bill Richardson]

Those are harsh punishments for walking into an old RR tunnel.  Many drug dealers probably don't get it that bad.  I suppose the reasoning is that if a person gets in trouble in a tunnel, then it might or would, depending on the situation, put rescue personnel in danger by going in to rescue somebody.