Tunnel History

[AmtrakPDX]

Does anyone know what year(s) each of the tunnels on the Cuesta grade (CS) were built?

Tkx

 

[zephyr17]

Does anyone know what year(s) each of the tunnels on the Cuesta grade (CS) were built?Tkx

They've been there since that section of the Coast Line between Santa Margarita and San Luis Obispo was built in 1893-94. They were concrete lined in 1910. The line is still on its original alignment, as determined by William Hood, the chief engineer of the SP who also did the Tehachapi Loop.

 

[gswager]

I think there are total of 4 or 5 tunnels. Two of them were abandoned which one of them I've explored. I even wrote my name and date on a soot-covered wall! The year which AmtrakPDX wrote is correct.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Cuesta Grade is pretty much my backyard, so a little digging around was in order. Apparently not quite the original alignment, as there were originally 8 tunnels. I thought this article was really informative:

Closing the Gap, Cuesta Grade and the Railroad

It includes this passage about an abandoned tunnel...

"The abandoned tunnel above [photo] was abandoned in 1910. The soil in which it was dug was always shifting and a spring ran just above it which added to the railroad’s problems. In 1910 at around 7PM a passenger train had run through it just seconds before one half of it collapsed onto the rails. Great effort was made to open it up but to no avail, so the decision was made to allow the tunnel to collapse completely into itself, close it up tightly as the photo shows, and build a[n] extension of the railroad that ran around it. The railroad had tried for two weeks to reopen the tunnel and all during that time temporary sidings had been built on each end for the passenger trains to stop and disgorge their occupants, who then had to walk around the tunnel area to other trains waiting on the other side."

One of the article's internal links goes to a photo of a Cuesta Grade tunnel under construction, and the photo itself has a link for MAJOR enlargement.

 

[gswager]

That makes sense about a large dirt pile inside the abandoned tunnel which I explored.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

That makes sense about a large dirt pile inside the abandoned tunnel which I explored.

Aboard the Coast Starlight over Cuesta Grade I've always looked away from the mountains to enjoy the great views of the landscape and highway 101 below. Next time (soon!) I'll be checking out the other side of the train, looking at the hill side in hopes of spotting historic remnants of the original line.

 

[gswager]

That makes sense about a large dirt pile inside the abandoned tunnel which I explored.

Aboard the Coast Starlight over Cuesta Grade I've always looked away from the mountains to enjoy the great views of the landscape and highway 101 below. Next time (soon!) I'll be checking out the other side of the train, looking at the hill side in hopes of spotting historic remnants of the original line.

There's an old water tank that is used to fill up the steam locomotive in that area, toward the hillside. It's partially covered by either trees or shrubs, where the springs are.