Vale Tunnel

I think that this is a photo of the Vale tunnel back in 1914..I think this is the tunnel because grandfather worked for the Rock Island RR and they were living at Vale where this photo was taken. He was a foreman.

The engraving on the south side of the tunnel read as: TUNNEL NO. 4 1903-4

I'm not sure how much of the trailwork is done, but Ameren filed with the surface transportaion commitee to "abandon" some of the line, to allow the state to build the trail directly in place of the rail line just as the Katy was done. This is the nail in the coffin to the rail line. There is a presentation detailing the trail at:

http://www.marc.org/community/rockisland.htm

The tunnel was built

1904-1906. It took so long because they had 1 labour strike that delayed constution 6 months.

The Katy Trail Extension will not necessarily go through the tunnel. The extension is only funded from Windsor to Pleasant Hill. Also, Ameren, the company that owns the abandoned RI right of way, has reserved the option of reestablishing rail service on the line. That means the trail will run alongside the old roadbed, not on top of it as elswhere on the Katy Trail. Since the tunnel is not wide enough to accomodate both the tracks and the trail, the trail will have to go up and over the hill, instead of tunneling through it.

March 31st, 1980, last Rock Island Railroad train in use, this line and many others abandoned.

Well, this one sees new hope.

Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri, has begun the process of rebuilding this line in a Katy trail extension, a video of the story can be seen here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rix15Tqx5bU&feature=channel

So, new hope and the line will come back to life!

They have said it will take five years to complete, but it will be done.

Tunnel 4 (of 4) on the old CRI&P line. Access is farily easy. Tunnel goes under Bannister Rd (Kansas City, Mo) just west of Nortfleet Rd. Take Nortfleet (south) to end of paved road (it turns into 98th).