Upper and Lower Sabula Tunnels

West Portal of Pennsy Sabula Tunnel: (Satellite,  one of the photos is of the southern tunnel.)

I was very confused for a long time as to which tunnel was which. Finally, I figured out that most of the sources make sense if the Upper Tunnel was the southern one and the Lower tunnel was the northern one. A lot of sources pointed out that there was a second tunnel nearby, but they used terms like "next to," "close by," etc. No one used terms like "north of" or "south of." If you know which is which, please comment. I'm writing these notes with the working assumption that the Buffalo & Susquehanna Tunnel was the Upper Tunnel, but south of, the Pennsy Tunnel. And this confusion about Upper is South while Lower is North is why I use the labels of Pennsy and B&O instead of Upper and Lower in the remaining text.

1929/1954 Penfield Quad @ 62,500

1905 Pennsy (Northern) Tunnel

If you know which portal is which (east vs. west), please comment.

Nathanael Miller, Oct 2024

 Hot Stuff Nick Sterno, Feb 2026

1874 Bats/Aban/B&O/BR&P/B&S (Southern) Tunnel

Most of the sources imply that this is the Upper Sabula Tunnel. It is now sealed off as a bat sanctuary.

 Nathanael Miller, Oct 2024

This was posted Oct 13, 2020, before it was turned into a bat shelter.

As is typical of abandoned tunnels, some of comments on the Facebook posts talk about the ghosts they have seen in the tunnel.

Connie Woods posted six photos with the comment:

Upper Sabula tunnel

The Buffalo & Susquehanna, c.1905, cut through the second tunnel. The “Hoodlebug” and other passenger trains ran from the Sabula station through DuBois to Punxsutawney. Workers used the tunnel material to build the dam in the early 1870’s.

The first tunnel is still in use. To get to the second tunnel, you need to walk through the first tunnel.

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Some comments confirmed that this tunnel has a slight S-curve.

Forgotten Clearfield County PA posted three photos with the comment: "Upper Sabula Train tunnel near Dubois. I did not go personally (yet)."

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AlleghenyFront
The tunnel was gated in 2017 to protect the bats, some of which are endangered.

Facebook Reel
TikTok

Both

Istraubb comments on her Instagram post:

1870s “Old” Sabula Tunnel 1,040’ - Built by Allegheny Valley Railroad 🚂

Sabula, PA 

Clearfield County

Her video starts with the southern tunnel. Later, she walks over to the northern tunnel and explains that it was built in 1905. However, she says it was built by the Buffalo & Susquehanna. So I think she is also confused about the identity of the two tunnels.

1901 Aban/New Castle Industrial Railroad/((B&O/BR&P)+P&LE) Bridge over Shenango River in New Castle, PA

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; B&T; Satellite)

BR&P = Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad

P&LE = Pittsburgh & Lake Erie

HistoricBridges
The 370' (113m) long bridge has a main span of 235' (71.6m).
"Situated on a Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad line, this railroad bridge is a breathtaking pin connected truss bridge, and is very tall. As a surviving pin-connected Whipple railroad truss bridge, it is a very rare and highly significant historic bridge. The two span bridge also has a smaller Pratt through truss span as well. The bridge features an ornate portal bracing design, something not often seen in railroad bridges."

Bridges & Tunnels by Sherman Cahal posted four photos with the comment:

Since these photos were taken several years ago, this bridge has since been abandoned.

This unique skewed Whipple and Pratt through truss spans carried the New Castle Industrial Railroad over the Shenango River in New Castle, Pennsylvania, and originated as part of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railroad before later incorporation into the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad system. Completed in 1901, the bridge played a role in the city's industrial development by linking the BR&P, B&O, and P&LE networks and serving nearby manufacturing plants. Although the line survived multiple railroad consolidations and continued operating under the New Castle Industrial Railroad, its status changed in 2024 when the diamond crossing east of the Mahoning River was removed. That action effectively cut the route, leaving the bridge isolated as a remnant of the city’s once-extensive industrial rail network.

More photographs and historical background: https://bridgestunnels.com/.../shenango-river-railroad.../

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2009 photo by Brian McKee via BridgeHunter

2009 photo by Brian McKee via BridgeHunter
[This together some other photos by Brian show that the flat cars are being stored on the bridge. That is, neither end has a locomotive.]

Facebook Reel

Two of the sources say it was owned by Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh (BR&P). It must have used B&O tracks to connect to the rest of its system at Callery, PA.

Rumsey via Dennis DeBruler

1933,1984,2020 US-79+US-80 Texas Street Bridge over Red River in Shreveport, LA

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; HAER; Satellite)

The Mississippi River is not the only obstacle to transportation in Louisiana. It looks like Red River is pretty  big.

Joseph B, Jul 2020

The 2,982 (909m) long bridge has a main span of 420' (149m). "This truly unique bridge is noted for its K-truss cantilever configuration, and is the only such bridge in the state. While Louisiana is one of the few states that built K-truss bridges, the few other surviving examples are all simple span through trusses. Thus, this bridge's K-truss cantilever main spans, as well as its simple K-truss deck truss spans are all unique in the state. The bridge was lucky enough to be extensively rehabilitated in 2019, so unlike the other K-truss bridges in the state which are at risk for demolition, this one appears to have a brighter future." [HistoricBridges]

Street View, Aug 2024

"Significance: The Long-Allen Bridge is significant as the first vehicular and pedestrian bridge crossing the Red River in Shreveport. Bridge construction began in September of 1931 and the bridge was formally opened to traffic in September of 1933. The bridge replaced a ferry service connecting US 80 on the east and west sides of the river. The bridge was constructed by the Weatherly Construction Company of Kansas City, Missouri. The bridge is also significant as a good example of a cantilevered through truss with steel deck girder approaches. The main span is a K-Truss with riveted connections and lacing. The bridge provides approximately 90 feet of vertical clearance above the river and the piers are set 520 feet apart. The central span is flanked by 182-foot long cantilevered spans with three 102'-9" steel deck girder approach spans at each end of the bridge. The total length of the bridge, including the approach grades, is 2982 feet. The bridge is named for Governors Huey P. Long and Oscar K. Allen, under whose administrations the bridge was built." [HAER_data]

HAER LA-18-2
2. Perspective, view looking northeast - Long-Allen Bridge, Texas Street Bridge, Spanning the Red River on US 80, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, LA

HAER LA-18-5
5. Substructure, view looking east

I discovered that the motivating post is not of this bridge.

I wonder how many Long-Allen bridges are in Louisiana. I thought this photo was the predecessor of this Red River bridge until I read the HAER "significance" above. Taking a closer look, the bridge on the right must be one of the Huey P Long bridges over the Mississippi River.

Wojtek Patyk posted

Long Allen Bridge 

Louisiana

1961 Sutton Dam on Elk River at Sutton, WV

(Satellite)

Street View, Aug 2024

Facebook Reel
It looks like 4 out of 5 of the lower gates are open

BraxtonWV
"The Sutton Dam is a concrete-gravity structure 210 feet [64m] high, 1,178 feet [359m] long, and 195 feet [5om] wide at the base....Sutton Dam was built primarily for flood control on the Elk, Kanawha, and Ohio Rivers."

"It controls a 537 square mile drainage area, including the upper Elk River, and the Holly River." [USACE] 

The flow from this drainage area must normally be low because the dam still doesn't have a powerhouse.

This is a 20-second video. I hope the link remains valid. 

Elsie, Apr 2025

Just a couple of gates are open a little bit.

Dave Andrews, Nov 2023

I think the stilling basin is designed to create a big hydraulic jump. I can't image what it would look like if the outlet openings were full of water.

mike layne, Jun 2018

1931+1987 Bridge over Mississippi River at Babasha, MN

1931: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite, it was downstream from the current bridge.)

1987: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

Street View, Jul 2025

Jeani Wodele posted
March 2026. Wabasha MN

Oct 18, 1988, photo via Leader-Telegram via BridgeHunter_1931 and _1987

They closed the navigation channel with falsework when they built the 1931 bridge.

1930 photo via The Winona Daily News via BridgeHunter_1931

Jason Smith photo via BridgeHunter_1987

The 1987 bridge is 2462' (750m) long with a main span of 470' (143m). [BridgeHunter_1987]

The piers have more style than I would have expected for a modern bridge.

2008 photo by Don Morrison via BridgeHunter_1987

As I expected, the new main span was floated into place. These are three images from the Oct 15, 1987, issue of The Winona Daily News via BridgeHBunter_1987.

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1909 Jenkins Bridge over Flat Creek near Jenkins, MO

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

Glen Burgess, Jan 2018

Elizabeth Sutton posted

Looking for history of this 111 year old bridge in Jenkins Missouri.  I’m part of a team trying to save and repair it for future generations to come.  It’s located on O hwy off Hwy 39 between Aurora and Shell knob in Missouri, Barry county.

I go live regularly and would like people to come on with me and tell their stories of the bridge and the area.

1914 Water Street and 1924 US-11 Fort Jenkins Bridges over Susquehanna River at West Pittston, PA

Water: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite) Firefighters' Memorial Bridge

Jenkins: (Archived Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

Water Street Bridge is 1,016' (310m) long with a main span of 202' (62m). [HistoricBridges]

Street View, Dec 2022

Street View, Jul 2017

Robert Polachek posted

Year-1972

Water Street Bridge.

West Pittston, Pa.

Jay Krajcovic shared

wvia
"The span was closed in the summer of 2021 after an inspection revealed structural deficiencies affecting load-bearing eyebars on the iron truss structure."

TimesLeader
"The span closed in August 2021 due to concerns over a bent eyebar."
[See below about replacing this bridge. They couldn't replace a bent eyebar?]

 

alpsroads, 1 of several photos

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Fort Jenkins Bridge

Fort Jenkins Bridge is 1,075' (328m) long with a largest span of 110' (33.5m).

Street View, Sep 2019

Boston Public Library Flickr, License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY)

Replacement of Both Bridges

PennDOT plans to tear down the Water Street Bridge in 2026 and start construction on its replacement in 2027. After the new Water Street Bridge opens, they plan to replace the Fort Jenkins Bridge. [TimesLeader]

The project is expected to cost $105,400,000 and to be completed in late 2030. [details via PennDOT]

It looks like the new bridges will be steel-girder Ugly Concrete Eyesore Bridges (UCEBs).

water via PennDOT

jenkins via PennDOT