GN - Old Cascade Tunnel
Video
Old Cascade Tunnel West Portal Old Cascade Tunnel, Wellington, WA (GPS 47.747898, -121.123971) Video link posted by Ed Hollowell |
Description
Built in 1900 it was abandoned in 1929 after the new Cascade Tunnel opened. In 1910 on March 1 96 people were killed in an avalanche at this spot including 35 GN personel on a train which was held at this spot due to the weather conditions.Facts
- Overview
- Abandoned tunnel under the Cascade Mountains on abandoned Great Northern Railway grade
- Location
- King County, Washington, and Chelan County, Washington
- Status
- Abandoned
- History
- The Original Cascade Tunnel was finished in 1900 and was built to replace a series of 8 switchbacks used to get over the mountains. Deadliest avalanche in US history occurred March 1, 1910 at Wellington (western portal). 96 people killed.
- Builders
- - John Frank Stevens (Chief Engineer)
- Railroad Company Forces
- Railroads
- - Great Northern Railway (GN)
- Rail-to-trail
- Design
- It was 2.6 miles long and had a grade of 1.7% (1 in 58.8ft). After the Wellington Avalanche in 1910 concrete snowsheds were constructed to help with snow control. In 1929 the New Cascade Tunnel at 7.8 miles was completed below the old tunnel and all switchbacks and the old tunnel were abandoned.
- Dimensions
-
Total length: 14,508.0 ft. (2.7 mi.)
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +47.74872, -121.12272 (decimal degrees)
47°44'55" N, 121°07'22" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 10/640713/5290078 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Stevens Pass
- Elevation
- 3383 ft. above sea level
- Inventory number
- BH 41923 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- March 4, 2018: New photos from Leslie R trick
- April 30, 2017: Updated by Dave Cox: changed 35 passengers to 35 GN personnel Changed builder to Great Northern Railroad
- April 15, 2017: Updated by Dave Cox: It was 35 GN personnel that were killed in Wellington Disaster.
- August 9, 2012: Updated by Daniel Hopkins: Added category "Railroad"
- April 30, 2012: Updated by Neil Martel: Added current owner
- September 9, 2010: New photos from Nathan Morton
- March 13, 2010: Updated by Ed Hollowell: Improved GPS fix, added discription.
- April 18, 2009: Updated by Curtis Lee: added appoximate coordinates and updated history
- March 29, 2009: Added by Nathan Morton
Sources
- Nathan Morton - morton890 [at] yahoo [dot] com
- Curtis Lee - clee47ford [at] yahoo [dot] com
- Ed Hollowell - erhollowell [at] aol [dot] com
- Neil Martel
- Dave Cox
- Leslie R Trick - Leslie [dot] Trick [at] gmail [dot] com
Comments
Here is some images of the eastern portal.
I hate to be picky but the original Cascade tunnels length is 13,758 feet and not 14,508. Since your picture was taken, the tunnel has suffered a roof collapse some 1000 feet from the west entrance just about 2 years ago. The forest service has closed off the entrace due to flash floods in the spring and this now prevents people from walking thru the tunnel. Enclosed is a couple of photos that I took last year and the last one in 2001. The last shot I took after me and a friend walked all the way from the east side to the west. Thanks.
You can still enter the east entrance and get in there pretty far before it starts to get wet (summer 2009).
Sadly this two and half mile long tunnel had its roof collapse by flash flood in June 2007.
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/wa/king/old-cascade-tunnel/
Some brave soul walked in from the west end and took this picture. Considering the earth here is a dam with water waiting to break through again, this picture was pretty risky to take.