Sandy Ridge Surveys of the Clinchfield Railroad

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Clinchfield Railroad (S&W) Alternatives for Sandy Ridge

When the Clinchfield Railroad (South & Western Railway) began their surveys in 1906, they had some very surprising, or daunting alternatives to consider. In some ways, crossing this final ridge to reach the Ohio Valley was even more challenging than the Loops. Keep in mind that 1906 was 20 years before the construction of the 6-mile long Moffat Tunnel under the front ridge of the Rockies.

The S&W had five initial options over or under Sandy Ridge….the current tunnel was not one of them.  As you compare these options, today’s Sandy Ridge tunnel has an elevation of 1884′ and is 7854′ in length.

  • Crossing Austin Gap with a long and circuitous route with extensive grades and curves. The tunnel at the gap would be a much shorter, with an elevation of 2225′.
  • A 15,200′ tunnel at approximately 1750′ in elevation. The south portal would have been near Coal Miners Memorial. North portal was projected to be at the entrance to Philips Hollow.
  • A 16,900′ tunnel at about 1750′ in elevation. The south portal same as above. North portal near Bear Hollow.
  • A line over Deep Gap with switchbacks and a shorter tunnel.  The tunnel appears to be around 2500′ in elevation.
  • A line further up Laurel Branch above the current Sandy Ridge tunnel.  It included switchbacks, plus a much shorter tunnel. Tunnel appears to be around 2400′ in elevation.

3Cs Roadbed

Sometime in the late 1880s, the Charleston Cincinnati & Ohio (3Cs) had begun construction on roadbed up the mountain. It appears that their crossing of Sandy Ridge was intended to be at Flint Gap. The construction ceased by 1890, falling short of the halfway mark up the mountain. Eventually, the CC&O Bear Wallow logging branch would parallel that roadbed.

Clinchfield’s Solution

As the Clinchfield began the Elkhorn Extension in 1912, it had developed a viable solution to cross the mountain and to reach Elkhorn City KY where it would connect with the C&O Railway. This final 35-mile segment would achieve the original vision of the 3Cs and other railroads, connecting the Ohio River with the Atlantic Ocean.

Today’s Sandy Ridge Tunnel was constructed in 1914 and opened in 1915. This final alignment saved them approximately 9,000 feet of tunneling and kept the grades and curves manageable.

This photo was taken on the north end of the tunnel in 2023. Work crews had recently removed a switch and disabled the Trammel passing siding. As you drive the roads on either side of the tunnel, you truly appreciate the excellent engineering of this route and tunnel. The original switchbacks and roadbed of the CC&O Bear Wallow branch, and the 3Cs mainline roadbed are still very visible as you drive north out of Dante.

Clinchfield Railroad - Sandy Ridge Tunnel - CSX

Sandy Ridge Alternatives Map

Drawn (faintly) on the map by CRR at a later date are the current alignment and portals of Sandy Ridge Tunnel.

Use the zoom controls of your browser to see the map in greater detail.

Clinchfield Railroad Survey - Sandy Ridge

Sandy Ridge Interactive Map

The Google Map thumbnail shows the various surveys across or under Sandy Ridge that were being considered in 1906.

Click on this link for a full view of the Interactive Map with a legend and the descriptions for each option. Zoom in, zoom out, and move around to see the location of the routes.

The black line shows the current Sandy Ridge Tunnel and routing which was designed and constructed about 6 years later.

There is no doubt, when George L. Carter saw this initial survey, he knew Sandy Ridge was his greatest challenge, so the initial leg of the original construction of the Clinchfield stopped short at Dante.

Clinchfield.org Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the Clinchfield Railroad. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Clinchfield.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.

Clinchfield Railroad

Contact Us at Clinchfield.org

Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the Clinchfield or Model Railroads.

3Cs Websites

Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org