RECENT COMMENTS
Revisiting the Church Hill Tunnel
At least four men died as a result of the collapse – the locomotive’s fireman, who staggered out of the tunnel but died a short time later; Mason, the engineer, whose body was removed from the tunnel after a lengthy rescue effort; and two railroad laborers whose bodies were never recovered.
However, there has always been a suspicion that more — perhaps many more — were entombed in the tunnel. Griggs doubts there are more than 100, as some have claimed over the years, but he finds it “certainly plausible” more than two are buried there.
“Because if you were an African-American from Georgia … and you came here for a job, your family never expected to see you again,” he said. “You could have walked in the tunnel and the tunnel collapsed … and nobody would have missed you.”
Alright, I will bite.
I have mentioned this here before-
How about Richmond exorcise some ghosts and re-do the Church Hill tunnel?
Engineering, materials, and tools have improved quite a bit in the last century and a new tunnel might be a good alternative to this Route 5 expansion nonsense.
and we can use the tunnel as a segway only route from one end of the hill to another.
Please please let there be another cave in.
@ kristal – they did give up getting the train out and they sealed the tunnel on both ends. The water you are seeing only goes back about 50 yards until it hits a stone wall.
@ Scott – there is no reason for the city to invest in the tunnel seeing as train traffic already has routes through and around the city. The tunnel was a project which a few developers hussled the city to get, screwed up, and still got paid for. Today there may have been an inquiry but back then, nobody cared about a few enslaved or cheap laborers.
The hill at Jefferson Park is full of groundwater http://www.vahistorical.org/tunnel_photos.htm
#3, I almost spit out my tea! You made my day, again!
Who says it would have to be just for train?
i live by the entrance below jefferson park, does anyone happen to know where the other end comes out?
It’s in the woods on the other side of Sugar Bottom, between Libby Hill and Chimborazo Parks. You have to hike in to see it.
@8 – near Grace / 31st over by Libby Hill Park.
I have always thought that area should be cleaned up and a nice hiking trail installed. That’s what happened with the Mid-Lothian mines site (midlomines.org). Does anyone know if the city owns that property?
The area below the playground retaining wall is owned by the railroad and at least 3 private individuals.
The city discussed making this a trail a few years ago, but the CHA chair at the time (Col Johnson? the same man behind the petanque court fiasco) and city officials bungled
by surveying the property without asking the owners permission. So, there is some resentment and mistrust from the private property owners.
When the train#123 caught fire, people tried to get them out but could not. (More people died) that is when they built the cement wall so they could rest in peace. Couple of years ago they did try again, but to no avail.
When Grace street collapsed during Isabel you could see some of the tunnel.
.
Human Honey Badger your statements are both unfounded and not helpful to/for anyone – you are living proof that no good deed attempted on CH goes unpunished. The idea of the park/trail was initiated by CHA to the City. The City began some work but ran out of money and CHA lost interest with annual officer changes. It still is a good idea – so Honey Badger step-up and do something positive. We all will be looking forward to your leadership on this project in the near future.
Secondly, the petanque court fiasco belongs 99% to the City. They took a simple idea into a grand design and marginal execution Don’t pin problems and engineeing faults on the folks with an idea – when it was the design and execution which were flawed and failed.
I disagree on both counts. I was party to the trail discussion. In fact, I had suggested such a trail to the city long before CHA got invoved. I watched it being taken over by Colonel Ego, then head of the CHA.. I backed away as he bulldozed forward in his usual fashion and alienated some potential partners. When word reached the property owners through gossip, they felt predictably betrayed and mistrustful thereby dooming the project.
And seizing the pentanue courts from the other users of the playground area was the citys fault? Hmm. Interesting.
I have successfully worked with the city on other ventures and refuse to blame everything on them.
The problem is that people and I suspect engineers, felt that disturbing the water table within the tunnel would result in tunnel roof collapse and in turn above ground sinkholes. The tunnel was filled with sand and dirt but has since settled over the years and has a gap between it and the roof in many places, which has given way over the years and a few houses lost to it.