Tunnel No. 6 (Coast Line)
Tunnel Number 6, or the Summit Tunnel, is a railway tunnel between Santa Margarita, California and San Luis Obispo, California. It is the longest tunnel along the Union Pacific Railroad Coast Line at 3,610 feet (1.10 km) in length and is wide enough to carry a single track. The tunnel under the Cuesta Pass represents the highest point along the line at 1,323 feet (403 m) above sea level.
The tunnel was constructed between 1893 and 1894 by the Southern Pacific Railroad. It was enlarged between 1940 and 1959. One daily passenger train, the Coast Starlight, operates through the tunnel.
References
- ^ SMA Rail Consulting (April 2016). "California Passenger Rail Network Schematics" (PDF). California Department of Transportation. p. 6.
- ^ Rice, Walter; Echeverria, Emiliano (2008). Rails of California's Central Coast. Arcadia Publishing. p. 87. ISBN 9780738555911.
- ^ Middlecamp, David (October 4, 2013). "Tales from the tunnels, the railroad and the Cuesta Grade". The Tribune. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
- ^ Highest Elevations (PDF) (Map). Union Pacific Railroad. Retrieved November 12, 2020.