Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike Tunnel-Quemahoning S Penn RR

[animal16365]

is there any pictures or video fotage of the negro mt tunnel?

[theqman1956]

@animal16365 I have not been able to film that...much tougher to get to

[OldKingSol]

I grew up within walking distance of the Quemahoning Dam - we always pronounced it "quee-", not "quay-". Interesting vid at any rate, thanks for showing this little spot. I know of several tunnels in the hills around the dam, it's a fascinating area to spelunk.

:-)

[jenzahara]

Thank you! I noticed this today and searched and found your video. 

[doxyonr]

Thank you for posting. I drive past it 5 days a week and did not know it was there.

[dirtrokker4]

Thanks 4 posting! Live right near it and never knew it was there!!

[thenekom]

Anyone know of a good way to access this area without parking on the pike?

[theqman1956]

There is nothing reasonably Close.....

[Anex130]

@theqman1956 Does wild animals Inhabit the tunnel? Or is it empty

[theqman1956]

@Anex130 I really do not know...never got in deep enough

[arakano]

were those trees burned or something?

[BIMsWebshow]

Wow....

[cts1233]

I would go in

[OilHist]

Several years ago a friend and I tried to find this tunnel, but we were not successful. We parked just past the cut you show on the highway level as there is a place you can back a pickup truck into a spot that is safe from traffic. We looked too far north and too far from the Turnpike. We'll have to go back again and find it now that you've shown us exactly where it is. Thanks!

[paolito777]

cooooooooooooooooooooool!!!!!

[HISTORYBUFFPA]

Thanks for posting this.

I love odds and ends of PA.

[woodencoasterfan]

Within the last year, they removed one of the bends around a mountain. I want to say it's somewhere between Somerset and Breezewood but I'm not shure. It was quite hair raising for us truck drivers at times as those turns were a bit tight.

[fhood]

Why does the tunnel look so low? A person couldn't even walk upright in there. Why is that ? Has the tunnel gradually filled up with debris over the decades?

[theqman1956]

They uilt the cut to the right, and to level everything out, there was no need to go down as far--saved money too--remember they didn't have the same earthmoving equipment!~

[wheatus22]

So the tunnel that you were looking at, was it ever in use or not? I find these old tunnels fascinating.

[theqman1956]

Vanderbilt started building it for the S Penn Railroad--was abanonded before used in late 1800's PA Turnpike chose to bypass due to it being very short and also unstable-never used

[wheatus22]

Gotta love the history! Thanks for the info!

[rreidnauer]

Actually, while the SPRR itself never came to be, the tunnel WAS used briefly by the Pittsburgh, Westmoreland, & Somerset Railroad from 1909-1916. The turnpike commission later purchased the route from SPRR in 1937 and cut the pass you see today. Coincidentally, the now abandoned Laurel Hill turnpike tunnel was also built by SPRR.

[nswkilla]

pronounced QUE ( KWEEE) not KWEYH

[itweety21]

thats sucks! we want to look inside. next time go inside

[merks62]

As a regular visitor to the Ray's Hill and Sideling Hill Tunnels - or at least as regular as you can be living 300 miles away! - you have my admiration for tracking down and showing us one of the considerably harder-to-discern artifacts from the Turnpike's rich, railroad-rooted history! This is exactly what YouTube should be about.

[pilgor87]

I miss pa man awesome state

[gopconservative78]

I have cycled of the bypassed PA turnpike

[VisitorsChannel]

This is great- thanks for posting!

[dsm93talon]

that's an amazing find! I travel this road 5-6 times a year. Can't wait to see this in the spring!

[Foam219]

Wow, that is truly neat. I'm a recent discoverer of the whole PA turnpike tunnel-history venture. I remember reading about this particular tunnel and i always thought it was much farther away from the main line then it really is. Good vid my friend.

[sweethavoc]

This is cool. I just drove out to Ohio this year from Long Island and I was in awe of the tunnels and the turnpike (the views are amazing!!!). I plan to drive out again this year with the kids, now I can sound like I know a li'l something when I tell them all of this (I promise to mention that I saw it on youtube after they are impressed of course)

[SR722]

I would actually go down the turnpike just to see these.  Ive been on a few backroads that follow old grades, but the turnpike is the only one that I know of that is this frequently used by so many people. I doubt most of them know the history though....

[kevindemise]

I learned something today... nice.

[sicknecro]

my video response is a train tunnel in canada circa 1890.... partially collapsed there is a creek running through it now

[BarryManilowFan4eva]

Also did u know that NYC wanted

an easier way 2 get to Chicago.

To make PRR run for it's money,

& time for trips to chicago.

The NYC laid out a route.

But the line was never built.

The line is where the PA Turnpike is today.

[mpochan]

I feel like I am watching " Geraldo Rivera Meets the History Channel", and I mean that as a compliment. Your narration is filled with interesting facts.

[yankeeclipper2]

Great posting and very very intersting the history & your explanation is just great more please the Pen Turnpike 1940 excellent.

you can just see those prewar Fords Dodges & buicks climbing those roads. well done

[MAMsMom97]

This was awesome! You're right, YouTube was seriously lacking in good footage of the old Quemahoning Tunnel. I know I've been by this millions of times, but never knew the story behind it till now. The bed of the old South Penn is very plain to see near Sideling Hill and Rays Hill, even with the overgrown vegetation on it. Thanks so much for this!