The Staple Bend Tunnel was the first RR tunnel built in the United States, started on April 12,1831 and finished in 1834. It served the Allegheny Portage RR, a combination of an incline system and typical RR that shortened travel time from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh from 3 weeks to 4 days. The tunnel is 900' long mostly of natural rock and a architectural work of art having 150' of blocks at each end. The West portal shown here with the original Roman Revival facade and sprinkle in a little Allegheny Mtn snow that followed me the whole time!
