C&O Church Hill Tunnel West Portal 401 North 18th Street, Richmond, VA 23223

C&O Church Hill Tunnel West Portal is a historic site located at 401 North 18th Street in Richmond, Virginia, United States. This tunnel was built in the early 1870s by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) and extends approximately 4,000 feet under the Church Hill district of Richmond. Tragically, on October 2, 1925, the tunnel collapsed on a work train, resulting in the deaths of four men and the trapping of a steam locomotive and ten flat cars. Despite rescue efforts, the tunnel was eventually sealed for safety reasons.

Over the years, the tunnel has continued to cause problems above ground, with sinkholes destroying houses and other structures in the area. The tunnel remains dangerous and is owned by CSX Transportation, the successor to C&O.

Despite its dangers, the tunnel has been the subject of community speculation and trespassing incidents. In 1998, an expedition by a reporter and photographer from the Richmond Times-Dispatch explored portions of the tunnel with professional caving equipment. Efforts to unseal the tunnel and extract the buried work train have been unsuccessful.

The construction of the Church Hill Tunnel was challenging due to Richmond's unique soil conditions, which caused deadly cave-ins during its construction. After being abandoned in 1925, the tunnel fell into disuse for over twenty years until restoration efforts began in 1925, leading to the tragic collapse.

Today, the western end of the tunnel is sealed with a concrete plug, while the eastern end remains open for some distance, although it is filled with water in many areas. The tunnel's entrances can still be seen, and a Virginia historical marker was placed at the site in 2012.

The C&O Church Hill Tunnel West Portal is a reminder of Richmond's railroad history and the challenges faced during its construction and operation. It stands as a testament to the dangers of underground infrastructure and the importance of safety in such endeavors.