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Construction on the tunnel began in 1849 and was completed in 1852 with the tracks completed in 1853. Work was undertaken by slaves, Irish immigrants, and local workers with Swiss engineers. Three ventilation shafts approximately 170 ft (52 m) deep were created during the construction to
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facilitate air circulation, provide additional work areas, and to enable evacuation of steam and smoke from the steam locomotives during use. The importance of the tunnel was recognized during the
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and was completed in 1852 with the tracks laid in 1853 with a total length of 2,200 ft (670 m). The strategically important tunnel, part of the rail linkage between the
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with both sides fighting over but never destroying the tunnel. The use of the tunnel continues today with freight trains frequently running through it.
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View from north end into tunnel interior. The old
Mountain Goat rail bed bridge is in the foreground.
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403:. It was considered a major engineering feat at the time. It is still operational and owned by
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Railway buildings and structures on the
National Register of Historic Places in Tennessee
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Tunnel interior from the north with the
Mountain Goat rail bridge in the foreground.
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National
Register of Historic Places in Franklin County, Tennessee
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Railway tunnels on the
National Register of Historic Places
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337:E. D. Sanford, Minor Merriweather (assistants)
453:Tunnel entrance from the south looking north.
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389:Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad Company
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16:Railroad tunnel near Cowan, Tennessee, U.S.
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224:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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576:"National Register Information System"
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581:National Register of Historic Places
409:National Register of Historic Places
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399:, played a vital role during the
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407:. The tunnel was listed on the
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542:. The University of the South.
525:Northern tunnel vent interior.
513:Northern tunnel vent exterior.
477:Southern tunnel vent interior.
465:Southern tunnel vent exterior.
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631:Railroad tunnels in Tennessee
281:Show map of the United States
147:35.150676000°N 85.972563000°W
110:35.154273000°N 85.978389000°W
501:Middle tunnel vent interior.
489:Middle tunnel vent exterior.
387:The tunnel was built by the
152:35.150676000; -85.972563000
115:35.154273000; -85.978389000
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397:Southeastern United States
374:Cumberland Mountain Tunnel
216:Cumberland Mountain Tunnel
202:2,200 ft (670 m)
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342:NRHP reference
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393:Midwestern United States
538:Smith, Gerald (2010).
335:James H. Grant (chief)
586:National Park Service
304:42 acres (17 ha)
256:Show map of Tennessee
65:35.15222°N 85.97528°W
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70:35.15222; -85.97528
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422:American Civil War
401:American Civil War
549:978-0-918769-57-2
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295:Cowan, Tennessee
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588:. July 9, 2010.
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378:railroad tunnel
358:August 22, 1977
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138:85°58′21.2268″W
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101:85°58′42.2004″W
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98:35°09′15.3828″N
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540:Sewanee Places
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135:35°09′2.4336″N
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355:Added to NRHP
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531:Bibliography
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405:CSX Railroad
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370:Cowan Tunnel
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291:Nearest city
188:CSX Railroad
20:Cowan Tunnel
168:Constructed
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43:Coordinates
615:Categories
602:Smith 2010
559:References
56:85°58′31″W
53:35°09′08″N
411:in 1977.
194:Technical
171:1849–1853
163:Operation
395:and the
349:77001270
332:Engineer
324:Built by
37:Overview
428:Gallery
415:History
376:, is a
314: (
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199:Length
176:Opened
81:Status
380:near
372:, or
309:Built
184:Owner
89:Start
544:ISBN
368:The
316:1849
312:1849
301:Area
179:1853
84:Open
344:No.
126:End
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594:^
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567:^
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318:)
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