Tunnel Paranoia

[azimmer]

Here are a couple of photographs that I took at the Detroit-Windsor railroad tunnel a few years ago. Although it seems obvious, I would like a comment, if possible, on what is going on here.

In the first image a CP freight train is seen approaching the tunnel from the Detroit side. Also seen is the figure of a man, in the upper left, approaching the edge of the tunnel cut.

In the second image, the man has placed himself in a position to observe from above every car that passes into the tunnel. Indeed, he remains in that position until the entire train has passed.

Is this our tax dollars in action? Is this a Border Patrol or DHS agent who earns his salary by watching trains? Its a wonder why they didn't come after me for even taking these shots.

I recall that when I was a child this whole area was free and open. In fact, I often played with my childhood friends directly at the mouth of this tunnel. How times have changed! Now the area is essentially an armed fortress.

(These images are 1288x962 in size. Your browser, or the list software, may attempt to resize them.)

(Images will be taken down after 14 days.)

[RRTTF]

The guy's super secret job is to make sure that no illegal aliens escape from the US.

[Michael]

One would assume they have cameras as well but I think law enforcement is more concerned about someone attempting to destroy the tunnel rather than illegals.

[Michigan Railfan]

Where do I apply?

[AARR]

The guy's super secret job is to make sure that no illegal aliens escape from the US.

At least not until after the elections

[wagnew0923]

I thought that they were supposed to be upgrading or building new tunnels to support double stack trains.

[M.D.Bentley]

Notice the tube on the left, yup taller to accommodate to taller equipment. Done back in the 90's. They have been watching the tubes for years. Local police, railroad police, border patrol and even the Secret Service ( not all at the same time ) I use to take pictures from the 15th st bridge. One time encountering a bum, who was wondering why anyone would take a picture of a train anyways. As a Wayne county patrol unit pulled up to see what we we doing, the bum pulls out a badge and waves them off. What a surprise. The bum was undercover and was watching for illegal activities around the tubes. Yup times have changed.

[AARR]

I recall that when I was a child this whole area was free and open. In fact, I often played with my childhood friends directly at the mouth of this tunnel. How times have changed! Now the area is essentially an armed fortress.

I can recall into the 1970's there were customers on the upper level of both sides of the tunnels. I have a picture of Great Northern 50' skyblue box car with the Mountain Goat emblyemn at one of those indstries

[azimmer]

I thought that they were supposed to be upgrading or building new tunnels to support double stack trains.

They have had plans to do so for quite a while, but as with everthing else in this backward and comatose region, those plans will probably get nowhere.

Metro Detroit has only itself to blame. My experience plainly reveals that most business managers are at least 50 years behind the times. It's no wonder that folks from New York and California laugh at our incompetence. No new enterprise would ever want to locate here because the work force is so out of touch with modern times.

As far as a new tunnel, don't hold your breath. We'll just pull everything by rickshaw down to Toledo and let the real world handle it.

[azimmer]

Notice the tube on the left, yup taller to accommodate to taller equipment. Done back in the 90's.

It's not much of an improvement, but that is literally all that can be done.

Those "tubes" really are just steel tubes that have been welded together, dropped to the bottom, and covered with dirt. There is no room left for any expansion.

... who was wondering why anyone would take a picture of a train anyways.

These people have a lot to learn -- and unfortunately they're not going to learn it.

[Michael]

Notice the tube on the left, yup taller to accommodate to taller equipment. Done back in the 90's.

It's not much of an improvement, but that is literally all that can be done.

Those "tubes" really are just steel tubes that have been welded together, dropped to the bottom, and covered with dirt. There is no room left for any expansion.

Isn't it possibly to make the tunnel taller by dropping the floor so to speak? trench down a few feet then relay the track? Or would that upset the grade too much?

Anyone have stories from the tunnel in Port Huron?

[MSchwiebert]

As mentioned in a previous post, the Detroit tunnel was constructed offsite in segments, those segments were barged to the worksite, sunk in a trench that was dug for them and after the water was pumped out of the tubes the interiors were finished. (There was a good article about this and the original Pt Huron tunnel back in a late 1960's early 1970's Trains Magazine) If I remember right, the rails are mounted directly to the concrete floor that was installed in the tubes. In either event, there's no room that can be gained by going lower in the floor either.

http://www.da-up.com/jan07.html
(a link to a story showing a picture of one of the tubes prior to sinking)

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/1b48ce/
Link showing the interior of the tunnel

Notice the tube on the left, yup taller to accommodate to taller equipment. Done back in the 90's.

It's not much of an improvement, but that is literally all that can be done.

Those "tubes" really are just steel tubes that have been welded together, dropped to the bottom, and covered with dirt. There is no room left for any expansion.

Isn't it possibly to make the tunnel taller by dropping the floor so to speak? trench down a few feet then relay the track? Or would that upset the grade too much?

Anyone have stories from the tunnel in Port Huron?

[Saturnalia]

The tunnel was designed for steam locomotives and regular freight cars, not autoracks or double stacks. Sure is a tight squeeze today.

Who owns it anyway?

IDK if anyone here has thought/posted about it, but if they were to ever build that new bridge Snyder wants, maybe they could add a rail line down the middle

[wagnew0923]

I know where i will be taking pictures this weekend. I have always wanted to go there but the neighborhood seemed too classy for me. Hopefully the TSA will not haggle me.

[azimmer]

IDK if anyone here has thought/posted about it, but if they were to ever build that new bridge Snyder wants, maybe they could add a rail line down the middle

AFAIK, the new bridge (which has just been announced as final) will be a cable-stayed suspension bridge. These types of bridges are not suitable for heavy freight trains.

There is also the problem of approaches. Trains require a shallow grade and special approaches for trains would have to be constructed on both ends. This would involve land acquisition and private spending by the railroads and therefore the project would be very unlikely.

A new tunnel would be built by the same private interests that own the current tunnel, which is CP Rail and a few others that I don't know. Any new tunnel would also be in close proximity to the current tunnel and would not require extensive land purchases.

[azimmer]

I know where i will be taking pictures this weekend.

These photos were taken from the Bagley street overpass, and that is the only vantage. As is customary, the bridge is enclosed by a heavy cyclone fence. When I was there, someone had cut a small hole through the fence and I was able to stick the narrow lens of a point-and-shoot camera through the hole. The damage has probably already been repaired, but in any case there would be no way to poke the lens of a digital SLR through the hole.

[~Z~]

If you have enough zoom, you don't need to stick the DSLR lense through the hole, just zoom in.

In fencing like this:

I got photos like this:
and:

[azimmer]

If you have enough zoom, you don't need to stick the DSLR lense through the hole, just zoom in.

It works best if you can get back far enough from the fence. On Bagley street, there is about four feet of clearance before you are forced to step out into traffic.

[RRTTF]

Now THERE is a GREAT idea. Why don't they extend the new Woodward Avenue light rail project to go over the new bridge to downtown Windsor! Then people can have their choice of either the Detroit or Windsor casinos, and the other sundry services which are offered in both Detroit and Windsor. That's one way to support the North American Free Trade Act!

[Raildudes dad]

AFAIK, the new bridge (which has just been announced as final) will be a cable-stayed suspension bridge. These types of bridges are not suitable for heavy freight trains.

I have to differ,. Check out No. 8 The Hitsuishijima Bridge, a double-decker cable-stay bridge that opened in 1988

http://www.acrowusa.com/index.php?page= ... yed-bridge