- Burlington Tunnel
The Burlington Tunnel is a
railroad tunnel located in Burlington,Vermont .It was constructed in 1860 and completed in 1861 for a predecessor to the
Central Vermont Railway . The tunnel runs in a northeast/southwest curve, however, the external approach trackage runs from south to east. The tunnel passes underneath North Avenue and measures approximately convert|340|ft long, convert|19|ft high and convert|16|ft wide.Current condition
The Burlington Tunnel is currently owned and operated by the
New England Central Railroad (NECR) and is in a state of internal deterioration.Fact|2008|date=March 2008The tunnel has limited clearance for large freight cars. According to a 1998 study by Gordon, Bua, & Read, Inc. the tunnel was found to be "deficient in vertical clearance ... with respect to Plate H (i.e. double-stack rail-car clearance code designated by the
Association of American Railroads ) with convert|6|in|adj=on buffer requirements". The study thereby considered two alternatives to accommodate double-stack cars: 1. lowering the track, and 2. constructing a new tunnel on a new alignment, reducing the curvature inside the tunnel.In estimated 2003 dollars, the cost would be $5.2-$6 million vs. $6.1-$7.1 million, respectively.
The current permitted speed limit for trains operating through the tunnel is less than convert|10|mph.
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