Went on a trip up to the coal country for NE PA the other weekend. I hadn't been up there for quite a while since my last trip and was really hurtin' for some RR exploring. Here's some shots of a handful of tunnels and misc bridges I shot - some abandoned, and some in use.

1.



DL&W Nay Aug Tunnel - South Portal.

2.



Laurel Line Tunnel - North Portal.

3.



Wilkes-Barre & Hazleton Electric Railway Penobscot Mountain Tunnel (Nuangola Tunnel) - South Portal. Built in 1903 and abandoned in 1933.

4.



Lehigh and Luzerne Railroad's Buck Mountain Tunnel - South Portal.

5.



Reading RR Lofty Tunnel - East Portal.

6.



Reading RR Mahoney Tunnel - West Portal.

7.



Hauto Tunnel - North Portal. From what I read, this portal was filled in due to the heavy traffic on Rt. 54 caving part of it in. They left that drainage pipe which had some super cool air and water flowing out of it. You would need a wetsuit, but it looks like you could actually crawl in there (if you're more on the skinny side and not claustrophobic!) The South Portal is a welded steel wall. Built in 1871 and abandoned in 1969.

8.



This bridge in Glen Onoko carries the former CNJ line over the Lehigh Valley Line before they eventually parallel and join together.

9.



Former CNJ Turn Hole Tunnel - North Portal. Abandoned in July, 1956.

As an interesting side note, from what I've read the Mahoney and Hauto tunnel's were both made from old coal mine operations and intersect some tunnels on the inside. I have not been through the Mahoney Tunnel, and I'm not sure if someone could get into the Hauto Tunnel. It would be a neat discovery though.

Posted by OwlsFlight Hauto Tunnel - North Portal. From what I read, this portal was filled in due to the heavy traffic on Rt. 54 caving part of it in. They left that drainage pipe which had some super cool air and water flowing out of it. You would need a wetsuit, but it looks like you could actually crawl in there (if you're more on the skinny side and not claustrophobic!) The South Portal is a welded steel wall. Built in 1871 and abandoned in 1969. ... As an interesting side note, from what I've read the Mahoney and Hauto tunnel's were both made from old coal mine operations and intersect some tunnels on the inside. I have not been through the Mahoney Tunnel, and I'm not sure if someone could get into the Hauto Tunnel. It would be a neat discovery though.

I bet I could fit through that. Hard to judge from the picture. Would it be worth the trip out there though?

Man I don't know. If there is still an intact system of coal mines on the inside, maybe. Who know's if the railroad sealed it up or not. The other side is a little better safety-wise. It's a huge steel welded plate - but it's old and there's a slight gap under one side. Last time I was there it had a couple of inches of water in it, but you'd get wet going through that drain pipe anyway. That way if something bad happened, you'd probably be able to bash your way through the steel with a rock to escape - or at least have cell reception. I'll have to take a walk-through of the Mahoney Tunnel to confirm that one.

Drain end looks more fun though.

Some nice holes you got there.

I've been in both Lansford-Hauto and Mahanoy City tunnels as far back as 1974. They do intersect coal mines and veins. One of the Lehigh & New England RR histories says that Lansford-Hauto was originally access to some of the mines back when the coal went over the Mauch Chunk, Summit Hill & Switchback Rwy., before the Nesquehoning RR was built.

This link to a discussion of the never built Allentown RR tells of a tunnel near Windsor Castle in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

http://www.railroa...c.php?f=79&t=69662

Jim, thanks for that link. I've never heard of that tunnel, and maybe a talk with the property owner can yield some shots via hip waders!

And thanks for confirming the inner workings of the tunnels. With the Hauto Tunnel, I read it was a mine slope bored through to eliminate the other coal hauling operations more towards Jim Thorpe (Mauch Chunk) so that makes sense if there's more going on inside. The cabs of the N&NE locos had to be cut down to make it through according to the one book I have, and the pics confirm that. The portals looked big enough though, so I'm guessing something was different inside of the mountain. Next time I make a trip up there I'll have to do a little more poking around.

I share my holes for all to see. lol

Both Mahanoy City and (I think) Hauto-Lansford are partly bored for double track, so some dimensions are confusing. Another post claims that a heavy truck on Pa. Rte. 54 crushed the Lansford end of the Lehigh & New England tunnel.
I am interested in more exploring.