[Tom]

Nice shot Ulrich!

[WrongBridge]

ulrich, Did you guys go through the tunnels as well? I know your not supposed to, but I could'nt resist I did'nt have a flashlight with me either so I had to feel the wall all the way through. Talk about spooky!!! And stupid I guess. WB

[Ulrich]

No, we didn't.

[Newt]

My photos of the walls and ceiling caving in didn't turn out. Warning: My car had an attempted breakin in the parking lot. NN

Warning!!

Tunnel

Tunnel End

[Newt]

Flashes don't go to far do they? NN

[marzsit]

bring a coleman lantern next time

[Mike Collins]

The original Cascade Tunnel was 2.6 miles long. It was built with FOUR teams operating at once. One team on the west end, one team on the east end, and two from the middle. A shaft went down to the tunnel midway along the route into which men were lowered and rock debris from blasting brought to the surface. The tunnel eliminated nine miles of switchbacked tracks, 700 feet of rise, and 2,322 feet of track curvature.

[Newt]

What I find funny is how it only was in use for 29 years. All that work and money. Reminds me of the Everett-Monte Cristo RR in that the wrong route was picked in the first place. Pretty neat hike in history. NN

[Mike Collins]

James Hill wanted the Great Northern to be operational (i.e. making money) ASAP. That is why initially it had twelve miles of convoluted track to get over the pass with switchbacks. In 1917 an engineer named E.J. Beard called for the construction of a new tunnel up to 17 miles long. The existing tunnel of 7.79 miles was proposed by Frederick Bears in the early 20's and started on in 1925 (after consulting approval by John Stevens). I am sure that technologies improved over the thirty years which allowed for greater tunnel lengths to be thought of as options. Certainly there were advances with locomotives. Prior to todays diesel engines electric motors were used in the locomotives. The steam locomotives were attached to the trains but only puffed enough power so as not to be a drag on the train. The electric locomotives uncoupled at Wellington. Travellers can see the concrete remains of Tumwater's power plant (used for the electricity needed) alongside the Wenatchee River. The powerhouse became operational in 1908.

[MooseAndSquirrel]

[Newt]

Did you have a chance to check this out? Had some stairs leading up to it at the east end of a wall. If I remember right, there was another above it. NN

Spillway

Plaque

[mpaul_hansen]

My family and I greatly appreciated the rebuilding of the Iron Goat Trail... A place for enjoyment by people of all abilities, including those confined to wheelchairs. This is noted in response to previous comments about entrance to the tunnel, currently posted as Not to Enter. The behavior of the very old concrete crown of the tunnel liner can be unpredictable, not being inspected in detail, and a very small projectile from the crown can cause grevious injury..or worse. One would certainly be taking your chances to traverse the tunnel. There are no tunnel 'sets' and containment mesh, like exists on the abandoned 2 mile Snoqualmie Pass tunnel, part of the John Wayne Trail.