Kelly Mountain Railroad Tunnel Roof Collapses, Interrupts Train Schedule
By WAYNE SHEETS, Contributing Business WriterArticle Photos
A 3-foot section of the roof in the Kelly Mountain railroad tunnel collapsed Monday while undergoing routine maintenance.
"The maintenance crew was removing some of the deteriorated arch timbers when the section of the roof support collapsed filling the tunnel with dirt," said John Smith, owner of the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad. "In October of last year, an inspection of the tunnel revealed that some of the arch timbers had changed color indicating deterioration. We were in the process of replacing these timbers when the collapse occurred. No one was hurt, nor for that matter, endangered in any way."
Bill Waxter, operations manager for MICON, the contractor from Glassport, Pa., which is performing the maintenance work the crew had removed the first three overhead arches of the section for replacement and then noticed that there were two more that needed replaced.
"When we started to remove them, the roof began caving in onto the railroad tracks and filled the tunnel," Waxter said.
Smith and Waxter said they have gone to great lengths to ensure the public that the tunnel is safe. The collapse occurred approximately 300 feet from the east portal in the portion of the tunnel that is covered by dirt. From the point of collapse to the western portal, the tunnel is bored through solid rock.
Smith said that when the tunnel was constructed in 1902 and 1903, the portion that contained the collapse, in all probability, had been excavated and after the tunnel completed, the dirt replaced over it. Smith said he expects repairs to be completed by the middle of August.
The first step in repairing the collapse, according to Waxter, will be filling the crater above the collapsed portion of the tunnel with concrete.
"Once the crater is filled, the concrete will settle against the crater walls and block any additional dirt and debris from entering the tunnel as that in the tunnel is excavated," Waxter said.
According to Kathy Smith, vice president of the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad, the Cheat Mountain Salamander run is temporarily canceled until repair work is finished. The New Tygart Flyer will continue its regular schedule, but will run a special route from Elkins along the scenic Tygart Valley River to Tygart Junction near Philippi where the Buckhannon River and the Tygart River converge.
"This trip is just as scenic as that along the Shaver's Fork of the Cheat River," Kathy Smith said. "It, too, is a beautiful, peaceful and relaxing trip. The Mountain Explorer Dinner Train will also continue its present schedule and will make special runs from Elkins to Tygart Junction. Both trips are about four hours duration."
For additional information, call the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad at 877-MTN-RAIL (877-686-7245), or visit www.mountainrail.com.
