New-York tribune., 1883-06-17
TIE UEEHA WKEN TUNNEL.
DIFFICULT PIECE OF ENGINEERING SUCCESS
FULLY ACCOMPLISHED.

A DIFFICULT PIECE OF ENGINEERING SUCCESS
FULLY ACCOMPLISHED.
Black on the gray and ruSset face of the Pali-
sadrs across tue hudson River from West Thirty
scyentil-st, shows the opening OF the Weeha W
ken tunnel built for the New York, Ontario
aud western Railroad Company, and one OF the
cosllest and most difficult pieces Of railroad engl'
me- rng accomplished in this part OF the country In
recent years Tnis tunnel, VIII oh was begun IN March
1881 s ished and ready with the exception of
uart of the baastiug and trackayng within the tunnel
Construction trains now running through aud 1t Is
expected that In hree weeks milk trains will make
regular trips Its length. the eastern face to New
Durain Ia 900 eet. It's extreme height. at the centre
is II eet ordinary heg to the spring line,
feet inchcs with rise Of feet In the arch whch Is
sem. elpse. width Is 81 feet throughout. AT the
east end account Of the curves running north and
south to hc terminal yard, It was necessary To WIDEN
The tunnel 10 trumpet shape, thus making the poria
SO wide, and 40 high from grade % roof Tie
grade rlsrs from each portal 10 point about 1000
feet r Jm the west eli where the summit ls reached
The elevation grade a this point Ia ten feet above
tie cast end and five feat above the west emu. Ihe
grades are made easy for purposes OF drainage. The
many unlocked for difficulties 10 be overcome have run
up the cost TO 900 in round numbers up to the
present due Tnis uclues the work on the approaches
aud settlements for right oi way.
Tue westend cut Is GOO feet long Here the engineers
encoui tered large bed OF qucksand, 300 feet long,
winch was overcome by making ditch on the north
side of the cut from when the drained, so that
the sand could be excavated and osred or This opera
ton had TO b. repeated many times Five shafts were
sunk each 10 G 1t feet wide and feet long and about
100 feet deep, with ten headings, IN which steam and
air compressOrs used. AT the east end were hVe
sets OF which forced the drills Compressed
air pipes extended the surface from one end To the
other of the tunnel and down the shafts water sup
ply obta aued from marsh at tue west end ana tne
wafer was pumped TO the east end Tor supplying the
boilers and for purposes by aid OF tue eectro
liRt work was carried at night by second shllt
The encountered was Tor the most part the
ordinary trap rock OF the Pasade range, whch s ex-
trrnely hard Many lne specimens were obtained Az
the east end this trap rock undcrad Dy trassc sand
stone at the west end the sandstone oyernys tna
trap rock between shafts No. aud No the rock on
the track tunnel Ia utersectrd by sheets OF tasc
shar Al ths point aud otuers were soft places III
the rock which required brick anu stone achlng, ana
there are all 1000 feet of this work In the tunnel
The material except nc west heading was all carried
by a teln porary road and dumped over the brow or
thu hill partly used for crD nlng on the
water 'front.' and partly for ballasting tue track
The company has nearly Completed AT lhe east
ern terminus engine house with room Tor 10 loco
motives three slips, four piers two large frsght
train and large grain elevator Al New Durham
az tie western terminus, Is large freight yard mile
long and a quarter of mile wide. Freight trains VIII
be transported to this city oy noats 70 the 1901 OF
seventh other points. The companys cars are ~
prcsenf into the Pennsylvania Depot at Jersey
CITY The contractors for the weehawken tunnel were
Smith. RiDey Il Coleman