The Rock Cut

The first major rock formation you encounter was originally intended to be a complete tunnel.

Under the direction of contractor George Chew, construction began in January, 1913 with crews painstakingly carving through the mountainside. Chief Engineer Andrew McCulloch, however, inspected the site and deemed the overhead rock dangerously unstable.

To ensure the safety of the KVR line, he ordered the roof blown out in July, 1913, transforming the tunnel into the dramatic open rock cut you see today.