Wednesday, November 1, 2023

NS/N&W Montgomery Tunnels near Christiansburg, VA

(Bridge HunterSatellite)

Length is 630' [192m]. Winston Link took several photos here of the N&W. Evidently both bores were built at the same time. [BridgeHunter]

Dennis Shafer posted
Making its way west over the Christiansburg District after changing crews at Roanoke. Norfolk Southern SD60M 6777, ex-Conrail 5526, leads intermodal train 201 west as it pops out of the tunnel at Montgomery on August 9th, 2014. The 6777 was sold off to Progress Rail in October of 2019.
Street View, May 2009

1965 Ironto Quad @ 24,000

They are not very long. You can easily see through them.
Chris Cook, Mar 2021

Eastern Rails Photogragy posted
NS ES44AC 8124 pops out of Montgomery Tunnel on the Christiansburg District as it heads westbound towards Bluefield & the coalfields of West Virginia with an empty hopper train. 9/26/22

Photo via PastPerfectOnline, which has several more photos.
The western portal was one of the favorite subjects of O. Winston Link because westbound trains are working hard on a heavy grade.

Dave Blaze Rail Photography posted
Montgomery Magic! 
Another take on this scene which was truly epic as if unfolded in perfect golden light.  Probably THE highlight of the trio. 
This monster NS train 815 (empty coal from Lamberts Point, Norfolk to Norton, VA) was slogging up hill slow enough we figured we'd try to beat him up the hill to Montgomery Tunnel even after waiting for some two miles of hoppers and gons to clear us, and with it being only four miles we made it with moments to spare! 
Here they are emerging from the 663 ft long south bore on Main 1 at MP 284.8 on modern day Norfolk Southern's Christiansburg District the former Norfolk and Western Railway mainline.  The tunnel clearly shows the roof clearance work done to open up the route for double stack service as part of the $150 million Heartland Corridor project.  This was only one of 28 tunnels that were enlarged along with 24 other structures between 2007 and 2010.  
Montgomery County, Virginia
Friday March 29, 2024 
Craig Hensley Photography: Look a GEVO trying its best to do an ALCO impression! Nice shot man. [i.e., lots of black exhaust.]

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