The Collapse of Richmond's Churchill Tunnel

by Griggs, Walter S., Jr.

• ISBN13: 9781609493417
• ISBN10: 1609493419
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-10-13
• Publisher: History Pr

Summary

In the aftermath of the Civil War, Richmond's railways were the lifeline of Reconstruction efforts. One of the most important links in the system was the Church Hill Tunnel, finished in December 1873. The tunnel was eventually rendered obsolete by an alternative path, but the city decided to renovate and reopen it in 1925. Soon after construction began, 190 feet of the tunnel unexpectedly caved in, trapping construction workers and an entire locomotive inside. After more than a week of futile rescue attempts that triggered more cave-ins, the city decided to wall up the tunnel, entombing the locomotive and remaining bodies within. Join local author Walter S. Griggs Jr. as he recounts the tale of this doomed tunnel, from the initial groundbreaking to the final cave-in that sealed the tunnel's fate forever. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. 9
Acknowledgments	p. 13
Introduction	p. 15
The Genealogy of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad	p. 19
Plans for the Church Hill Tunnel	p. 26
The Challenge of Digging a Tunnel	p. 30
The Construction of the Church Hill Tunnel	p. 33
Trains under Church Hill	p. 45
A Viaduct, a Station and a Three-Level Crossing	p. 52
The Extension and Closing of the Church Hill Tunnel	p. 58
The Tunnel Is Returned to Use	p. 61
Friday, October 2, 1925	p. 63
Saturday, October 3, 1925	p. 80
Sunday, October 4, 1925	p. 85
Monday, October 5, 1925	p. 90
Tuesday, October 6, 1925	p. 93
Wednesday, October 7, 1925	p. 96
Thursday, October 8, 1925	p. 98
Friday, October 9, 1925	p. 99
Saturday, October 10, 1925	p. 101
Sunday, October 11, 1925	p. 103
Monday, October 12, 1925	p. 105
Thursday, October 15, 1925	p. 106
Friday, October 23, 1925	p. 107
Remembering the Church Hill Tunnel	p. 111
Bibliography	p. 121
About the Author	p. 127
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