http://www.cincinn...net/deercreek.html

Doing some reading on this, there is proof the tunnel still exists. Scroll down to the very bottom to the picture "photo of the vicinity of the Southern portal." Anyone know if that Southern Portal still exists down in that mess of brush somewhere?

It's all been buried over. I just finished reading a large book on the Cincinnati, Lebanon and Northern Railroad (the ones who started work on the McMillian and Oak Street tunnels, later finished by the Cincinnati Northern), and it had some nice images and graphics of the proposed and partially constructed 10,000-foot tunnel. Four segments were completed before money ran dry, and it was brick lined with room for two standard-gauge tracks.

Deer Creek was filled in, for the most part, in the late 1800s. The southern most portal was covered as a result. During construction of Interstate 71, crews broke through what I believe is the southern most section. And when crews were constructing the Extended Stay, they broke through it again.

But somewhere deep below Walnut Hills lies the other 3 sections, and presumably portions of the shafts dug to get to them. I say we rent a bobcat, get some official looking equipment and orange barrels, some rope, and go at it like they did in Ghostbusters II.

They broke thru it a bit more recently as well.

click to view

Photo Credit
[Dec 5, 2007 Jake Mecklenborg]

^That's the Extended Stay location near Humana.