The Union Tunnel was originally constructed as part of the Union Railroad and served as the northern and eastern approach to Baltimore Union Station (now called Pennsylvania Station). In all, the Union Railroad was 9.62 miles (15.48 km) in length, extending from the northern terminus of the Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road to the southern terminus of the Northern Central Railway.[1] The junction with the Baltimore and Potomac lies between Pennsylvania Station and the northern portal of the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel. The Union Railroad joined the Northern Central at Bayview Junction, Maryland 39°17′48″N76°33′12″W / 39.29677°N 76.5533°W / 39.29677; -76.5533 on the northeast side of Baltimore.
In 1866 the Canton Company of Baltimore obtained a charter from State of Maryland to build the Union Railroad.[1] Active steps to finance construction of the railroad and tunnel came only in the autumn of 1870, and actual construction began on May 1, 1871. On July 24, 1873, the first train passed through the tunnel.[2][3] The original tunnel began at Bond Street, and passed under the bed of Hoffman Street to Greenmount Avenue, crossing under Dallas, Caroline, Spring and Eden Streets, Central and Harford Avenues, and Ensor, Valley and McKim Streets. Its length is 3,410 feet (1,040 m). The total cost of the road and tunnel was some $3,000,000.[3]
As soon as the Union Railroad was completed, the Northern Central Railway obtained the right to use it, and in February, 1882, the Northern Central purchased the Union Railroad stock from the Canton Company, and assumed control March 1 of the same year.[3]
Modificationsedit
Additional work was done on the tunnels between 1928 and 1935 to prepare for the electrification of the Pennsylvania Railroad's New York-Washington mainline. The original Union Tunnel, too small to accommodate overhead catenary on its two tracks, was supplemented by an adjacent double-track tunnel to the east, then converted to a single track which provided adequate clearance for electrification. 39°18′21″N76°36′32″W / 39.3058°N 76.6088°W / 39.3058; -76.6088
union, tunnel, baltimore, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, union, tunnel, baltimore, news, newspapers. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Union Tunnel Baltimore news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message The Union Tunnel is a railroad tunnel on Amtrak s Northeast Corridor in Baltimore Maryland adjacent to Pennsylvania Station that was built to connect the Pennsylvania Railroad s original mainline to Philadelphia Pennsylvania and points north The tunnel consists of two parallel bores the original bore from 1873 has a single track while a newer bore from 1934 has two tracks Contents 1 Original tunnel 2 Modifications 3 See also 4 ReferencesOriginal tunnel edit nbsp The tunnel and cutting under construction in 1872 The Union Tunnel was originally constructed as part of the Union Railroad and served as the northern and eastern approach to Baltimore Union Station now called Pennsylvania Station In all the Union Railroad was 9 62 miles 15 48 km in length extending from the northern terminus of the Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road to the southern terminus of the Northern Central Railway 1 The junction with the Baltimore and Potomac lies between Pennsylvania Station and the northern portal of the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel The Union Railroad joined the Northern Central at Bayview Junction Maryland 39 17 48 N 76 33 12 W 39 29677 N 76 5533 W 39 29677 76 5533 on the northeast side of Baltimore In 1866 the Canton Company of Baltimore obtained a charter from State of Maryland to build the Union Railroad 1 Active steps to finance construction of the railroad and tunnel came only in the autumn of 1870 and actual construction began on May 1 1871 On July 24 1873 the first train passed through the tunnel 2 3 The original tunnel began at Bond Street and passed under the bed of Hoffman Street to Greenmount Avenue crossing under Dallas Caroline Spring and Eden Streets Central and Harford Avenues and Ensor Valley and McKim Streets Its length is 3 410 feet 1 040 m The total cost of the road and tunnel was some 3 000 000 3 As soon as the Union Railroad was completed the Northern Central Railway obtained the right to use it and in February 1882 the Northern Central purchased the Union Railroad stock from the Canton Company and assumed control March 1 of the same year 3 Modifications editAdditional work was done on the tunnels between 1928 and 1935 to prepare for the electrification of the Pennsylvania Railroad s New York Washington mainline The original Union Tunnel too small to accommodate overhead catenary on its two tracks was supplemented by an adjacent double track tunnel to the east then converted to a single track which provided adequate clearance for electrification 39 18 21 N 76 36 32 W 39 3058 N 76 6088 W 39 3058 76 6088See also editHoward Street Tunnel another tunnel under Baltimore that s part of the Baltimore Belt Line References edit a b Wilson William Bender 1899 History of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company Vol 1 Philadelphia Henry T Coates amp Co p 277 Churella Albert J 2012 The Pennsylvania Railroad Vol 1 Philadelphia University of Pennsylvania Press p 358 ISBN 9780812207620 a b c Hall Clayton C ed 1912 Baltimore Its History and Its People Vol 1 New York Lewis Historical Pub Co p 488 nbsp This United States rail related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This United States tunnel related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Union Tunnel Baltimore amp oldid 1216116885, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
