Mr. N. H. Eggleston, in the "Atlantic Monthly,"
for March, 1882, describes the sensations of those who descended
the central shaft: "At every descent of the bucket it seemed
as though those in it were being dashed down the dark pit to almost
certain destruction. Speed was necessary, and the machinery was
so arranged that the descent of over a thousand feet was made
in a little more than a minute. The sensations experienced by
those who descended the shaft were peculiar. First, there was
the sensation of rapid, helpless falling through space in the
darkness; then, as the speed was at last abruptly arrested, it
seemed for a moment as though the motion had been reversed, and
one were being as rapidly elevated to the surface again."
The same writer, after remarking that now that the tunnel is finished
and in use, a perpetual cloud of smoke pervades it, each of the
forty trains a day adding its quota, so that it is impossible
to see more than a few yards in either direction within the bore,
continues as follows: "No artificial light, not even
the headlights of the locomotives, can penetrate the darkness
for any considerable distance. The engineer sees nothing, but
feels his way by faith and simple push of steam through the five
miles of solemn gloom. If there is any occasion for stopping him
on his way through the thick darkness, which may almost literally
be felt, the men who constantly patrol the huge cavern to see
that nothing obstructs the passage, do not think of signalling
the approaching train in the common way. They carry with them
powerful torpedoes, which, whenever there is occasion, they fasten
to the rails by means of screws. The wheels of the locomotive,
striking these, produce a loud explosion, and this is the tunnel
signal to the engineer to stop his train."
Hoosac Tunnel
| Tunnel Page | Contents
Page
|