Place Type: Railroad Tunnel

In December 1901, Alexander Cassatt, president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, announced a bold plan to build a tunnel beneath the North River (Hudson River).

The Palmyra Tunnel was one of the most ambitious engineering projects undertaken by the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad during the construction of its line across Middle Tennessee. Located near the community of Palmyra, west of Clarksville, the tunnel was cut through the rugged terrain separating the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers. Construction began in the late 1850s and was marked by difficult working conditions and dangerous blasting operations. On April 9, 1859, foreman Michael Cain was killed when a charge unexpectedly exploded while work was underway in the tunnel, highlighting the hazards faced by railroad laborers during the era. Despite

The Chetoogeta Mountain Tunnel formally opened for traffic on May 9, 1850.