Blogging the Railroad Tunnels

Early in the process of laying out the route of the railroad, engineers had to determine where to build trestles and where to fill in to keep the track on a steady grade.  When they came to the valley carved between Click Ridge and Sensabaugh Ridge, they opted to fill.  They built a concrete tunnel over Sensabaugh Hollow Road and Sensabaugh Branch (it runs through the tunnel).  Then, using the rock hewn out of the ridges for Click and Sensabaugh tunnels, they fashioned a 30′ or so high fill to keep the trackage at roughly 1300′ above sea level.  The fill spans the distance from Click tunnel and Sensabaugh tunnel (coming up next).  Coming out of Virginia into Hawkins County, you hit Click tunnel at 88.2 miles from Elkhorn City at 36.584876, -82.630481.  The tunnel is 608′ long and apparently has the original facing set in 1913.  There are stories about the road tunnel below the track being haunted, but, from what I hear, the locals think that’s hooey.  This picture was taken looking northward, with Sensabaugh tunnel to my back.