Tunnels

There are several tunnels in North Jersey that I have visited over the years. They include the Oxford Tunnel, Manunka Chunk Tunnels and Roseville Tunnel. Of those I have walked through are the west side Manunka Chunk Tunnel and the Roseville Tunnel completely. I do not believe this can be done any longer. The Oxford Tunnel had too much water in it to walk through. Are there other tunnels in North Jersey that I can walk through when I come up to New Jersey for the month of June? I know that there are several tunnels that are active, however, not interested in them.
For the 25+ days I am up in New Jersey, I plan to make a whirlwind tour of the entire state checking out many lines, bridges, viaducts and other railroad points of interest. As time gets closer, I will submit an itinerary as to where I will be.

The old Pattenburgh tunnel. It's next to the present day one on the Lehigh line. Exit 11 off Rt. 78. take CR 614 (Pattenburgh Rd.) south a mile or two, to the tracks. There is an enterance to an old Quarry right where the tracks cross the road. Park there and head west along the tracks to the tunnel.

Hey David, I can join up with you as usual in the South Jersey areas and maybe even some of the North Jersey stuff also...just let me know the dates you'll be here for...

Take care.

Mike,

I'd like to meet up with u if at all possible....I was good friends with David for awhile, but I haven't seen him in a very long time....Maybe the 3 of us can tour the south in June?

Thanks,
Steve :D

Geee XX WelderXx--What town is that in? I will try it--LOL--Thanks.

njt4172 wrote:Mike,

I'd like to meet up with u if at all possible....I was good friends with David for awhile, but I haven't seen him in a very long time....Maybe the 3 of us can tour the south in June?

Sounds great to me Steve...anybody else that would like to join in on this, please speak...

By then, CMSL should start this freight service of theirs...SHOULD is the key word here. And this all means more freight traffic. We've got very frequent coal trains running down here now too, and this Powder River stuff rolling through the area to Beesley's on NS behind foreign power...so besides the abandoned and old stuff we have an excellent chance of nailing something special around here in the process...

Have a good night everyone.

Mike,

Sounds great!
I hate to get further off topic, but why will coal becoming from the Powder River basin? Is there any reason why Up/BNSF will be shipping the western coal all the way here??

Thanks,
Steve

David,

I walked through all three tunnels last winter (Oxford, Manunka Chunk, Roseville) and all were still passable. I did, however, need hip boots for the Oxford tunnel as there was about 2 feet of water in the tunnel. The Manunka Chunk tunnels are both passable but after going through them I don't really recommend it as there are numerous cave-ins along both bores and there was a good amount of water also. I would be interested in meeting up with you and anyone else who wanted to make the trip, there are plenty of great places to check out in addition to the tunnels.

Steve,

The Powder River coal is used because it is cleaner burning due to its low sulphur content.

njt4172 wrote:Mike,

Sounds great!
I hate to get further off topic, but why will coal becoming from the Powder River basin? Is there any reason why Up/BNSF will be shipping the western coal all the way here??

Well Steve, Greg's explaination just above this post is correct...the emissions levels are much lower. In any case, here's an article for you from NS' last issue of Newsbreak:

http://www.nscorp.com/nscorp/applicatio ... tml%23coal

Take care.

Mike,

Nice article! I never knew that the coal they mine out in Wyoming is much cleaner. If you do happen to see UP hoppers or UP run through power please be sure to post!

Thanks,
Steve

njt4172 wrote:Mike,

Nice article! I never knew that the coal they mine out in Wyoming is much cleaner. If you do happen to see UP hoppers or UP run through power please be sure to post!

Will do...shouldn't be too long on that...

The Erie's Bergen Archways tunnels are kind of abandoned. The West end is very close to the West end of the Lackawanna's Bergen tunnels, and almost on top of the smaller and longer New York & Erie tunnel, which has air shafts. Last time I was there, the Archways were used as a dead end siding to store idle Trailer Train cars. The trestle at the East end down to the old Erie terminal had been torn down.
Both Erie tunnels lie next to the Holland Tunnel approach from Tonnele Circle and the Pulaski Skyway. The air shafts are on the SouthWest side of the highway.

I agree, Oxford is hip boot territory, knee high isn't quite good enough. Manunka Chunk isn't quite that wet, by a few inches, but you would have to walk on the ties or rocks to avoid deep spots if you skimp on height. However, on a hot June day, one of my companions wore "waterproof" hiking boots and shorts! He had other footwear and a towel in his backpack.
When I hiked Manunka Chunk in the early 1970's, I think there was only one large rockfall in the North tube, at the end of the rails. In 2000, there was another, East of that point.

There are also "artificial" tunnels under the "new" Lackawanna Cutoff South of Andover.