Tunnels on  NS's  West Virginia Secondary
This line runs from Columbus Ohio, thru Southeastern Ohio, and into central
West Virginia.  With the dissolving of Conrail, this line became part of
NS's  Dearborn Subdivision.
This  Page Last Revised 6/15/99
Disclaimer:
As anyone who has done Caving  can tell you,  just because it's bright daylight outside
doesn't mean it won't be very dark inside.  For this reason, and because the area train
don't run on a schedule, I do not  suggest you should walk thru any tunnel ,  and
there are legal  trespassing concerns too.

Good Stuff:

Directly under the Perry County Airport is the Northern most  New Lexington
tunnel  at Mile Post #49.5 .  There is a  nearly mile long .89% grade North , and
a  2.5 mile  .74%  to the South  of this  644' long  tunnel.
This photo of  the tunnel's  south end was taken in  Dec. 1975 during re-ditching work.
 

North of  Corning on  route#13  is the community of  Moxahala.  This next tunnel is
about  1/4 mile  South of the grade crossing  ( can't be seen from the road ).   This
tunnel's  entrance has the date of  1918  above it ;  although the bore itself has likely
existed since the late 1800's.  There are two unique things about this long tunnel.  One
is that the grade crests inside this tunnel.  The other thing is that this tunnel isn't
straight,  but rather has an  S  shape.   Moxahala  tunnel  is 1275' long.  It is located at
MP#55 .   The tunnel marks the peak of the ruling northbound grade ; the reason
Helpers are used.  South of the tunnel are 2 miles of  1.1% grade.  The grade to the
North is 1.2%  for a mile but most southbounds are empty coal trains.
Here is a  Oct. 4, 1975  photo of this tunnels North end.  Soil erosion creates the illusion
that this was once a twin tunnel.  Notice the  light from the South end also visible.

Dan Innis  took this 1998 photo of a Northbound Conrail having just exited the tunnel.
 

Moving along the line southward one has to travel a good distance before you come to
another tunnel.    Down in Meigs County the next 3 tunnels are one mile apart each.

The first of these three is near the community of  Dyesville.  Nicolas tunnel  is just
North of  the crossing with Meigs County Rd. 27  in  Columbia Twp.     It's at
MP #99.5 and is 300'  long.   Approaching grades are insignificant  ( .38%  and  .07% ).
This photo was taken on Feb. 19,1990  looking North.

Wilson tunnel  is located South of Dyesville off of  Columbia Twp. Rd. #26 .
This tunnel is  not on the railroad track chart.   It's  about 300' long and  located 
at Milepost 100.8 .
Here is that tunnel seen looking South - Feb. 19, 1990

The third of the three consecutive tunnels is Dunbar tunnel , located South of
Dyesville but North of  Dexter, just South of  Salem Twp. Rd. #27  crossing.
This one is 106'  long and is at Milepost 102.   The only grade worth mentioning
is a quarter mile long  .44% , about a mile south.
This is what the view from the road crossing looks like.  Then here is the same
tunnel  looking  North , back in Feb. 19, 1990 .

The last tunnel is the better known  Langsville tunnel  at MP #106.3  and  is visible
from the road.  Take State Route #124 West, out of Rutland about 2 miles.  Turn
North onto Meigs County Rd. 10 .   According to my map, both ends of this tunnel
are accessible from County Rd. #10.  This tunnel is 714'  long and  has the date of
1908  above it.
Here is the tunnel's  North end  and  it's  South end - Feb. 19, 1990
 

A special thanks to Dan Innis for the tunnels'  data.