Welcome
Welcome to the Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike Forum. I hope we can use this area to share information about visits to the site, memories of when the road was still in use, or anything else folks can think about. Just keep it clean
Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to make these forums more useful. Enjoy!
RJC160
Unregistered User
(10/29/01 10:26 pm) Reply
Uses for Tunnels on Turnpike, how to contact PTC
I enjoyed your website about the abandoned Turnpike tunnels, I travel the road regularly. I feel that it is a terrible shame for the PTC to let them deteriorate. Using Laurel Hill tunnel for storing gravel is a waste. I recommend reopening it to lead to a modern service plaza on the original road which leads to the current pike. This could at least service eastbound drivers, and I find I could use a break driving there (the tunnel could be 2 lanes eastbound to send traffic to the plaza, which would be much safer than the original 2-way traffic). I have heard of Rays Hill tunnel and the area around it to be a Turnpike museum. Have you heard of this? I would like to see the rest of the abandoned (including Sideline Hill Tunnel) become a bike trail. I live in Pgh, and read an article about how a tunnel near Ohiopyle was made into a bike trail, is it possible something like that could be done? Lastly, I heard that both Allegheny Mountain tubes will be bypassed. With all the concern about terrorism now, I'm sure some government agency might want to plug all the entrances and use the two tunnels as a secure bunker (like Norad in Colorado). These ideas would MAKE MONEY for the PTC but do they just make too much sense? Thanks for letting me post my 2c.
I'm glad you enjoyed my site. I hear regularly from folks as far away as Alaska and Japan who enjoy learning and reminiscing about the old 'pike.
I've thought of ways to reopen the section. I had a slightly different idea, but similar to yours. With quite a bit of the Turnpike going to three lanes in each direction, why not reopen it for both directions, but with modern median protection in the tunnels, for cars only.
But in any case, as you read here in the forums, the Turnpike doesn't own this section anymore and it will become a hiking and biking path.
I've heard rumors about a Turnpike museum on this section. One person even e-mailed me that it would be IN a tunnel. Maybe with the section becoming a bike path, this may indeed happen.
John '99 New Beetle 1.8T, yellow, Mikro Audio stereo upgrade, AlienTech remote window controller '76 Beetle Convertible, orange http://www.en.com/users/johnb/ourcars.htm
Re: Welcome
i live in eden,ny and have made the trip to breezewood,pa many times just to see the old roadway and the two tunnels.i have also seen laurel hill tunnel.it is so cool(literally!) going through rays hill tunnel!i haven't tried sideling hill yet-too long! i have also seen the old service area location.when i was there last summer, there was a sign there indicating it was an active shooting range.when i returned in spring,the sign wasn't there anymore.also,there used to be two floor to ceiling wooden doors at the east portal of sideling hill tunnel,but now there aren't.i understand the old pike is to become a hiking and biking path.i would assume that would include use of the old tunnels again,are the tunnels to be re-lit?that would be neat.i may take another trip again before years end.
Tunnel Relighting
I have heard (yes, stood there and heard) SAC talking about renting lights to bicyclists riding through the tunnel. I believe the tunnels should be relit. I live in IL, and travel to Breezewood on a regular basis. On my last trip there, I was able to retrieve some of the original light fixtures. They used Mercury Vaopr lamps (from old newspaper clippings) at, I believe, 175 Watts each. (biggest bulb that would fit in the fixture). There were designed so that the bulb, or entire fixture, could be replaced without stopping traffic. I think I may have found a source for an exact replacement light fixture as these are in very bad shape. I think it would be cool to install at least a couple of the original fixtures. The problem is - who is going to pay the electric bill? Relighting the tunnel (Sideling) will cost at LEAST $30,000. You have to figure you have over a mile of tunnel, how do you get 120V to go that far without a significant voltage drop? You have to use a thicker wire. If you want to see Sideling relit, make financial donations to SAC. Earmark them (in the memo section on the check) "Relight Sideling Hill". Together, with help from some corporate sponsors, I think we can do it.
Meanwhile, on your next visit, see if you can figure out what I did to relight the portal (hint - it lights up), then do the same. It's my way of saying "I've been here" instead of leaving graffitit. Better yet, send SAC some money.
Laurel Tunnel
Just visited the East entrance to this one. Anyone know about the boxes and boxes of bore samples that are stacked in the tunnel? The cylinder shaped rock samples are interesting to see, but are they from the bypass??? Also, there were a number of bottles with samples inside. Anyone ever explore how far you can go into the tunnel? My wife wouldn't set foot in there, but I would love to see more!
2exlporers
Unregistered User
(6/2/03 11:03 am) Reply
new enthusiasts
Hello all - great to see that there are some other folks out there as much interested in the tunnels and history of the turnpike as us. My husband and I accidentally discovered the Sideling Hill tunnel a week ago. Read up on the turnpike's website as well as the links here, and now we are just enthralled with all of this. We were both born in the 70's, so we don't remember the old tunnels, and did not even know of them until we stumbled upon one (what an amazing discovery for us). Went back and explored Ray's Hill and Sideling Hill along with the old Cove Valley station. Planning to check out Laurel Hill very soon.
I noticed a post on this site that was questioning the history of the Forest Headquarters building on the Oregon Road in Buchanan State Forest (at the trail head that takes you past Sideling). I can help here (I work for another state forest). The log building they now use as headquarters was originally a CCC camp during the depression. In 1940 conciencious objectors to the war were housed here, and in 1944, this camp and it's outbuildings housed German Prisoner's of war. The government selected this location because it was so easily accessible by the turnpike, yet was so secluded. Just thought some of you may find this bit of history interesting.
One question - has anyone sought out the old railroad tunnels that were planned to be used for the turnpike, but decided against? They were to be called the Quemahoning Tunnel and Negro Mountain Tunnel? I just wondered what was left of these, if anything, and their locations.
Laurel Hill not safe
Laurell hill has been recently purchased by a private firm and by its useage would be very property to be on. Just thought everyone should know.
notsaint351
Unregistered User
(11/29/03 12:55 am) Reply
tunnel
why would a private firm purchase this tunnel??
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