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RI - Argyle Tunnel

Osage County, Missouri
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Photos 

East portal

Photo taken March 2007 by Nathan Morton

Map 

Description 

This was the second of four tunnels along The Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad's St. Louis mainline. Located approximately 128 miles west of St. Louis, it is the only of its relatives to feature an unfinished, bare-rock interior beyond its concrete portals. The western half of the bore is curved, obscuring through sight from one end to the other. In 2003, 'tell-tales' still hung near the eastern portal, which once warned trains of the limited hight clearance inside the tunnel.

The relief casting above the portal opening reads: "Tunnel No. 2 1903"

Facts 

Overview
Tunnel on the Rock Island Railroad under a hill and CR 541 between Meta and Koeltztown
Location
Osage County, Missouri
Status
Railroad line inactive since 1979
Future prospects
Ameren had donated the railroad to the State of Missouri for use as a "Rail to Trail" project. Work is currently underway to remove the overgrowth and rails.
History
Built 1903
Railroads
- Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (RI; CRIP; ROCK)
- St. Louis, Kansas City & Colorado Railway (StLKC&C)
Design
Tunnel
Dimensions
Total length: 1,223.0 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+38.31380, -92.08081   (decimal degrees)
38°18'50" N, 92°04'51" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
15/580358/4241032 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Argyle
Inventory number
BH 22243 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Abandoned (2,993)
Built 1903 (466)
Built during 1900s (6,226)
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (869)
MO Rock Island Rail Trail (24)
Missouri (5,903)
Osage County, Missouri (18)
 Owned by state (13,377)
Preserved (1,045)
Railroad (12,952)
St. Louis, Kansas City & Colorado Railway (6)
Total length 1000-2500 feet (1,638)
Tunnel (1,146)

Update Log 

  • April 20, 2016: Updated by Kelly McClanahan: Added category "Rock Island Rail Trail"
  • December 17, 2015: Updated by Chris Perry: Tunnel is to be utilized in a "rail trail"
  • February 27, 2014: Updated by Luke Harden: Name change
  • November 21, 2012: Updated by Brian Parkinson: Description added.
  • April 23, 2008: Updated by Max Johnson
  • April 4, 2007: Posted photos from Nathan Morton

Sources 

  • Nathan Morton - morton890 [at] yahoo [dot] com
  • Brian Parkinson - railstoruin [at] yahoo [dot] com
  • Luke
  • Chris Perry

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