Thet curve is very sharp. I road thru on the head end
of Amtrak RDC in early 70's and could hear the flanges
squeel in pain. Quite the adventure. As i recall a
road goes over the top just at the west portal. CY
--- Charlie Vlk <cvlk@comcast.net> wrote:
> The tunnel at East Dubuque is unique even more than
> you think!!!
> At the time of its construction the CB&N was at a
> grade much lower than it is today.
> Because the IC had to meet the grade of the bridge
> the tunnel floor and trackage was
> at a level that was higher than the CB&N track. So,
> for a while at least, until the CB&N
> grade could be raised, the IC crossed the CB&N on a
> small swing bridge!!!!!
> Charlie Vlk
>
> The tunnel at E. Dubuque is owned & maintained by
> IC (CN). The Q (and
> CGW) had rights going back to the days when E. Dbq
> was known as
> Dunleith (old stock certificates for the nearby IC
> bridge across the
> Mississippi are for the "Dubuque & Dunleith Bridge
> Co".).
> The tunnel is unique for 3 reasons: it at one time
> had 3 RR's using
> it; it makes a complete 90 degree curve within it
> portal to portal and
> finally, when west-bd trains emerge they are
> immediately atop the
> double track Q (BN) mainline and then in a matter
> of 20' or so are on
> the bridge crossing the Mississippi. Quite a shock
> for engineers on
> their 1st trip thru!
> Yrs back there was a tower at the west portal (was
> @ 2 different parts
> of the diamond over the yrs). At the east portal
> there was a shack
> for a crossing guard (lasted into the 50's) as
> well as a tell-tale.
> Until the IC rebuilt it for higher loads
> (autoracks) the exhaust from
> steam could be seen atop the portals. last sgteam
> to go thru would
> have been Q steam excursions from Dbq to Savannah
> in the early 60's.
> The ICHS site may have photos; it is easy to find
> postcards of the
> tunnel on eBay or any RR show; both lithos and
> RPPC. Gerald
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
>
>
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