Pittsburgh & Steubenville Extension Railroad Tunnel

Panhandle Tunnel

Overview
Location	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	40°26′28″N 79°59′48″W / 40.44111°N 79.99657°W
Status	in use
System	Pittsburgh Light Rail
Operation
Work begun	1863
Constructed	brick and cut stone
Opened	1865
Owner	Port Authority of Allegheny County
Technical
Length	1,440 feet (440 m)
No. of tracks	2 (1865–1965) 1 (1967–)
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (1865–1980) 5 ft 2 ^1⁄2 in (1,588 mm) (1985–Current)
Electrified	1985
Highest elevation	740 feet (230 m)
Tunnel clearance	18.5 feet (5.6 m)

The Pittsburgh & Steubenville Extension Railroad Tunnel, also known as the Panhandle Tunnel was originally built for the Pittsburgh and Steubenville Extension Railroad in Pittsburgh. It officially opened for rail traffic in 1865.

History

The tunnel has been modified many times since it was first constructed. In the years after the construction the southern end was lengthened by 79.4 feet (24.2 m) to accommodate the overpass of Forbes Avenue. This new tunnel had a height of 19.5 feet (5.9 m), lower than the main tunnel. The southern end was again extended around 1900 to add a sidewalk to the road. This 19 feet (5.8 m) extension lowered the height of the tunnel to the current 18.5 feet (5.6 m).^[1]

Light Rail

The tunnel and the adjacent Panhandle Bridge were purchased by the Port Authority from Penn Central Corporation for $8.15 million in 1980.^[2] The tunnel is now part of the Pittsburgh Light Rail System, as the Steel Plaza Station.^[3]

See also

• List of tunnels documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Pennsylvania

References

1. "Historic American Engineering Record – Pittsburgh & Steubenville Extension Railroad Tunnel". Retrieved March 20, 2010.
2. Ken Fisher (September 24, 1980). "Conrail turning tunnel, Panhandle Bridge over to PAT". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
3. "PGHBridges.com – Panhandle Tunnel".