TUNNEL VISION Traditional Geocache
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THE CACHE IS LOCATED IN THE MOUNT WOOD TRAIN TUNNEL JUST OFF THE SIDE OF THE NORTHERN PRWY ROAD THAT RUNS UP THE HILL INTO NORTH PARK. YOU WILL HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM TO PARK IN A TURN AROUND AREA. THERE IS A VERY LARGE TRAIL THAT LEADS DOWN TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE TUNNEL. YOU WILL NEED A FLASH LIGHT TO FIND THIS CACHE AND WILL NEED TO TAKE A SHORT WALK INTO THE TUNNEL TO FIND IT.
THIS TUNNEL WAS BUILT IN 1904 AND IS THE LONGEST TRAIN TUNNEL IN WHEELING MEASURING OVER 1205 FEET LONG AND WAS PART OF THE PA RAIL LINE. THE MOUNT WOOD TUNNEL NEAR ITS CENTER MADE A 40 DEGREE ANGLE TURN AND YOU COULD NOT SEE LIGHT AT THE OTHER END OF THE TUNNEL. THE TUNNEL IS NO LONGER PASSABLE FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER. MANY YEARS AGO FROM THIS ENTER POINT ABOUT A FEW HUNDRED FEET IN THE TUNNEL SUFFERED A 150 FOOT COLLAPSE. THE CITY OF WHEELING WAS LOOKING INTO SEALING THE TUNNEL TO STOP PEOPLE FROM CROSSING A DANGEROUS TRAIN VIADUCT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE TUNNEL WHEN THE COLLAPSE OCCURRED. WHEN THE TUNNEL WAS OPERATIONAL IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY 100-PLUS TRAINS PER DAY WOULD TRAVEL THROUGH THIS TUNNEL.
SOME SAY THAT THIS TUNNEL IS HAUNTED BY STEEL WORKERS WHO WERE KILLED IN A TRAIN COAL CAR ACCIDENT AND OTHERS RELATE GHOST ACTIVITY TO THE MOUNT WOOD CEMETERY THAT SITS ON TOP OF THE HILL DIRECTLY ABOVE THE TRAIN TUNNEL. THE PA LINE RAN THROUGH ANOTHER SHORT TUNNEL NEAR THE MOUNT WOOD TUNNEL. THIS TUNNEL WAS CALLED THE TOP MILL TUNNEL AND WENT ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER RAILROAD BRIDGE. THIS TRAIN BRIDGE SPANNED THE OHIO RIVER INTO MARTINS FERRY OHIO WHERE HUNDREDS OF WORKERS WOULD WALK OR CATCH TRAINS ACROSS THE BRIDGE INTO WHEELING. THE TRAIN BRIDGE WAS TORN DOWN IN THE 90'S AND THIS SHORT SECTION OF TUNNEL IS ALL THAT REMAINS. THERE IS STILL SOME OLD TRACK IN THE MAIN TUNNEL, BUT THE REST OF IT WAS TAKEN UP AND SOLD FOR HEAVY SCRAP METAL. THIS TUNNEL WHEN OPEN TIED INTO THE B & O RAILROAD AND MADE ITS WAY INTO THE NOW CLOSED STEEL FOUNDRY OF BLAW KNOX ROLLS. BLAW KNOX FOUNDRY WAS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT ARMOR PRODUCTION PROGRAM DURING WWII AND CASTED THE TANK TURRETS FOR THE SHERMAN TANK AND ALSO THE M60 A1 TANK. LATER WHEN THE ARMOR PROGRAM ENDED THE PLANTS VERTICAL SPIN CASTERS MADE ROLLS FOR OTHER STEEL MANUFACTURES OF FLAT STEEL. THE ROLLS WERE THEN TAKEN DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET TO THE MACHINE SHOP AND THEN SENT OUT BY TRUCK AND TRAIN. MUCH OF THE IRON ORE AND COAL WAS SHIPPED THROUGH THIS TUNNEL TO THE BLAW KNOX FOUNDRY. MY FATHER AND GREAT UNCLE WORKED AND ROAD THROUGH THIS TUNNEL WHILE EMPLOYED AT THE FOUNDRY. MY FATHER WAS AN ELECTRICIAN AND MY GREAT UNCLE JOE WAS A MOLDER. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2010 ENGINEERS FROM THE WHEELING RAILS TO TRAILS PROJECT INSPECTED THE MOUNT WOOD TUNNEL, MILL TOP TUNNEL AND TUNNEL GREEN FOR REOPENING AND CONNECTING TO THE OTHER 16 MILES OF RAILS TO TRAILS.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
YRSG FVQR BS GHAARY PBYYNCFR