Belden Tunnel
A train at the tunnel's west portal in 2007 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Colesville, New York |
| Coordinates | 42°13′3″N 75°42′52″W / 42.21750°N 75.71444°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Crosses | Belden Hill |
| Operation | |
| Constructed | 1864–1868 |
| Opened | 1869 |
| Rebuilt | 1985 |
| Owner | Norfolk Southern Railway |
| Traffic | Train |
| Character | Freight |
| Technical | |
| Length | 2,240 feet (683 m) |
| No. of tracks | Single |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Tunnel clearance | 28 feet (8.5 m) |
| Width | 18 feet (5.5 m) |
The Belden Tunnel is a 2,240-foot (680 m) active railroad tunnel located in the town of Colesville in Broome County, New York. The tunnel's west portal is located in the hamlet of Tunnel, a community which was settled by workers building the tunnel. Constructed between 1864 and 1868, the Belden Tunnel is one of the earliest railroad tunnels in the United States and has been designated as a state historic civil engineering landmark. In August 1869, the tunnel was the site of a railroad war between the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad and the Erie Railroad for control of the line between Albany and Binghamton. The tunnel was rebuilt in 1985 to accommodate higher and wider loads.