FORGOTTEN Train TUNNEL COLLAPSE in Southern Illinois | Tunnel Hill State Trail | Norfolk Southern RR
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ค. 2024
- The Tunnel Hill State Trail is home to 45 mile bike trail that extends from Harrisburg, Illinois all the way to the wetlands of Karnak, Illinois.
This trail was the former railway for the Cairo and Vincennes Railroad, built in the 1870's and funded by Civil War General Ambrose Burnside.
In the 1890’s - 1940’s it was leased to the Big 4 Railroad Company. The last owner of the railway was Norfolk Southern Railroad. In 1988 the last train whistle was blown , thus ending over 100 years of railroad history.
In 1991, Norfolk Southern handed the right of way over to the State of Illinois. In 2001, the state opened up the entirety of the newly formed bike trail called the Tunnel Hill State Trail.
The Tunnel at Tunnel Hill is around 500 feet long, but up until 1929 it was over 800 feet. A 300 feet section collapsed and shortened it to the length we see today.
Trace fossils may also be viewed along the trail, but the state does occasionally clean the side for drainage and safety.
A trace fossil, also known as an ichnofossil, is a fossil record of biological activity but not the preserved remains of the plant or animal itself. (Wikipedia)
There is also a hidden waterfall and the remnants of the collapsed tunnel above the former railway.
Located 2.5 miles south of Tunnel Hill is Breeden Trestle. Out of the 23 trestles on the trail this is the tallest and longest. Coming in at a height of 90 feet and a length of 450 feet.
The trail, also, runs through sections of the Shawnee National Forest.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:20 History of the Tunnel Hill State Trail
1:26 Falling Rocks
3:24 Former Railroad Tunnel Tour
4:34 Checking Out Massive Sandstone Walls
6:18 Discovering Trace Fossils
7:54 Exploring an Unnamed Waterfall
10:09 A Jumble of Forgotten Rocks
12:11 Breeden Trestle - Highest Bridge on the Trail
12:47 UPDATE!
13:31 Outro
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Thanks to David Boren on Facebook, who corrected me on my error of calling the Norfolk Southern RR the Norfork Southern Railroad.
Supposedly, right past the R2R crossing on the trail, there is a portion where there are plastic fences on the sides of the trail - it is said that a runaway engine wrecked right there, and it was so violent that they left the engine in place and buried with rocks. If it's true, that is pretty interesting. Tunnel Hill is where my outdoor adventures started. I love that trail! Great video, Mark!
That sounds very interesting! May need some investigation - lol. That Tunnel Hill to Vienna is the best. Thanks! btw it's Gary not Mark - Marks is my last name lol
@@MarksofCuriosity Oops it is Gary not Mark! Sorry about that. It is the best section. Of course during snake season I like the Karnak section, too. But I'm a snake guy.
The tunnel feels like a treadmill in the middle, you keep moving forward but it doesn't feel like you're going anywhere! Another awesome video, you do a great job with these!
Absolutely! That’s a great way to think about it. Wish I would have put that as the description in the video 👍. Thanks again for the comment and watching.
One of my favorite places to ride when we visit southern Illinois.
👍
My ggg grandfather is listed on the 1880 census as living in the Tunnell Hill area.
These videos require a lot of planning.
Thank you.
My grandfather was born in Tunnel Hill in the late 1880's. His cousin did a horseback ride once a year on the trail until he was 100.
The red water is acid mine drainage, associated with iron pyrite that has been exposed to water. Chemical reaction creates sulfuric acid and iron oxide aka rust. Common in coal mining areas
Very interesting! It did look unnatural. Thanks for watching!
Took my kids there a couple years ago. Some of that red/rusty runnoff was inside the tunnel. My kids thought it was blood and were freaking out
Lol, I could see that 👍
I’m no expert, but that appears to be a Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) I frequently ride that trail, thanks for the vid.
Interesting! Definitely don’t know my bats. It’s is a great bike trail, especially Tunnel Hill to Vienna. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
If you think about it that tunnel and Tunnel Hill Illinois is 93 years old in the and where I live in Tunnel Hill Georgia there is the modern train tunnel it was built in 1928 which is 94 years old in the old one just sits there beside it
Very interesting - thanks for the comment