Carlin Tunnel

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Carlin Tunnel
Driving eastbound along Interstate 80 on a snowy day. The freeway bores are to the left, while the two railroad bores are on the right.
Overview
Line Overland Route
Location Near Carlin, Nevada at Tonka rail siding
Coordinates 40°43′18″N 116°00′51″W / 40.721665°N 116.01408°W / 40.721665; -116.01408Coordinates: 40°43′18″N 116°00′51″W / 40.721665°N 116.01408°W / 40.721665; -116.01408
Route I-80
Operation
Opened 1903
Operator Nevada Department of Transportation
Union Pacific Railroad
Character Interstate Highway system (two bores)
Passenger and freight rail (two bores)
Vehicles per day 10000[1]
Technical
Length 0.3 miles (0.48 km)[2]
No. of tracks double track
Number of lanes 4
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Highest elevation 4,950 feet (1,510 m)[3]

The Carlin Tunnel is a collective name for a set of four tunnel bores east of Carlin, in Elko County, Nevada, USA. Each of the four bores was constructed for a different purpose and at a different time. Currently, two of the bores carry Interstate 80 through a canyon wall to bypass bends in the Humboldt River. The other two bores carry Union Pacific Railroad's Overland Route and Central Corridor through the canyon. Bridges over the Humboldt River are adjacent to both portals of three tubes, including the two freeway bores and one of the railroad bores.

History

The first bore was constructed by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1903 as part of a straightening of the First Transcontinental Railroad, prior to this time the railroad followed the curved river through the canyon.[4] The second tunnel was constructed by the Western Pacific Railroad for the Feather River Route. The modern Union Pacific Railroad, which acquired both of these railroad companies, has combined the former competing lines into a dual-track directional running main for uninterrupted traffic. The former Southern Pacific bore crosses the Humboldt river at each portal, similar to the freeway bores, while the former Western Pacific bore does not cross the river at the tunnel portals.[5] U.S. Route 40 was originally routed on the old railroad grade through the canyon, however a third and fourth bore were finished by the time US-40 was upgraded to Interstate Highway standards and replaced by Interstate 80.

In addition to these larger tunnels, both railroad grades feature several smaller tunnels as the railroad follows Carlin Canyon and downstream Palisade canyon of the Humboldt River. The railroad bridges and tunnels near Carlin have made news on a few occasions. In 1908, a rock slide nearly caused the Southern Pacific tunnel to collapse resulting in a massive effort to save the rail line.[6] In 1939, the City of San Francisco passenger train derailed on one of the Humboldt river bridges, killing 24 and injuring 121. The incident was ruled sabotage, but remains unsolved. In 2008, a train derailment at a smaller tunnel west of Carlin led to the collapse of one of the Humboldt River bridges. This bridge collapse resulted in nationwide rail traffic delays.[7][8]

References

  1. ↑ "2008 Annual Traffic Report". Nevada Department of Transportation. 2008. Retrieved 2010-05-08. 
  2. ↑ Google, Inc.. Google Maps - Carlin Tunnel (Map). Cartography by GeoEye. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=40.722722,-116.016419&daddr=I-80+E&hl=en&geocode=%3BFcBWbQIdRM8V-Q&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=16&sll=40.72225,-116.013372&sspn=0.011725,0.011008&ie=UTF8&ll=40.72225,-116.013372&spn=0.011725,0.011008&t=h&z=16. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
  3. ↑ Benchmark Maps (2002). Nevada Road and Recreation Atlas (Map). p. 43, section F8. ISBN 0-929591-81-X.
  4. ↑ "Tonka, Nevada". Elko Rose Garden Association. Retrieved 2010-05-07. 
  5. ↑ "Carlin Canyon". Elko Rose Garden Association. Retrieved 2010-05-07. 
  6. ↑ "SP Tunnel may cave in". Los Angeles Times. 1908-08-17. p. I3. 
  7. ↑ Damele, Ron. "Yucca Mountain Information Office, Union Pacific Freight Train Derailment". Eureka County Public Works. Retrieved 2010-05-07. 
  8. ↑ "Train Derailment to Disrupt Rail Service". Associated Press. 2008-12-28. Retrieved 2010-05-07. 


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