Railroad tunnel

[Hermod]

The customs agents could perform their checks on the Detroit side before passengers boarded the trains.

The US does this with Bermuda and the Bahamas.

So that flights from these close-in airports can go into airports without international terminals or with inadequate space in their international terminals, the US stations immigration and customs personnel in these countries to pre-screen the passengers as they board the flights.

Switzerland does this on the TGV from Paris to Lausanne. The Swiss personnel board the train at the last stop in France and conduct all their business while the train goes to Lausanne. When you get to Switzerland, you just get off the train. I believe that this is done by other European countries as well.

[cosine]

Here are a couple of photos of the tunnel from Shorpy--

http://www.shorpy.com/node/9257

http://www.shorpy.com/node/8647

[iheartthed]

The US does this with Bermuda and the Bahamas.

So that flights from these close-in airports can go into airports without international terminals or with inadequate space in their international terminals, the US stations immigration and customs personnel in these countries to pre-screen the passengers as they board the flights.

Switzerland does this on the TGV from Paris to Lausanne. The Swiss personnel board the train at the last stop in France and conduct all their business while the train goes to Lausanne. When you get to Switzerland, you just get off the train. I believe that this is done by other European countries as well.

On the Eurotrain between London and Paris you go through customs before you board the train as well.

Also, since the attempted underwear bombing last X-mas, many/most/all[[?) flights coming into the U.S. from Europe require you to go through customs before boarding the plane.

[jsmyers]

A new one is in the works:

http://www.crgateway.com/

It will allow double stacked containers. The current tunnel doesn't.

[Augustiner]

Switzerland does this on the TGV from Paris to Lausanne. The Swiss personnel board the train at the last stop in France and conduct all their business while the train goes to Lausanne. When you get to Switzerland, you just get off the train. I believe that this is done by other European countries as well.

Most of Europe is part of the Schengen agreement now, so customs checks aren't required at the borders anymore. I believe Switzerland is part of the agreement too; I took the train back and forth between Munich and Zürich a few times last year, and never had to pass through any kind of screening.

[Hypestyles]

what are the options for local, state, or federal gov't to purchase or sieze the land back from Moroun for redevelopment..

[mcsdetroitfriend]

what are the options for local, state, or federal gov't to purchase or sieze the land back from Moroun for redevelopment..

If the Gov't ever got control of MCS it'd be gone quick....

[mcsdetroitfriend]

"The tunnel clearance was enlarged once in 1994 and can’t be further expanded."

Interesting any body have some photos or links about this?

[douglasm]

I believe the current tunnel does allow for double stacks, doesn't it? The problem is with the newer oversized containers that won't double stack through the tube. There was a thread a couple years ago about a train with oversized containers that didn't fit.........well, they DID fit, but when they got to Windsor they were a bit smushed.

[MikeM]

"The tunnel clearance was enlarged once in 1994 and can’t be further expanded."

Interesting any body have some photos or links about this?

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/BOTTLE...WAY-a015422080

[Hardhat]

Nice find Mike.

[Detroitnerd]

Yeah, they bored out the top of one of the tunnels. But it still can't accommodate double-stacked oversizes.

This article is eight years old but tells the story as it stood then.

http://www2.metrotimes.com/arts/story.asp?id=4555

[1KielsonDrive]

Was, or is there still, an under-the-river tunnel to Zug Island?

Never............

[1KielsonDrive]

An old picture. One of my highrailing trips into the tunnel. Of course, all pre - 09/11.

[Ltdave]

the tunnel in port huron [[the first) was the first sub-aqueous tunnel in the world when i opened in 1898...

the new tunnel finished in 1993 was in a toss-up between port huron/sarnia and detroit/windsor. CN promised that there wouldnt be any jobs lost when they finished the tunnel [[AAR rules require all rolling stock to undergo an inspection when it changes rail [[ownership) but that lasted all of about 6 months before they started to close the car shops in port huron...

the inter-modal cars may clear but if they arent in the underslung cars they wont fit. the hi-cube cars are too long to make the grade change and still clear...

for a while [[mid-late 90s, i dont recall exactly anymore) there was a blue water international that ran from toronto to chicago through port huron. after 9/11 the customs and border inspections became too onerous to continue the practice and the run was ended. this was already a re institution of a similar train run from many years earlier...

[douglasm]

We're having the same trouble out here between Washington and British Columbia.

What would be the possibility of lowering the floor and using low profile steel ties in the Detroit/Windsor tunnel. BNSF did that with the 8 mile long Cascade Tunnel a few years ago, and although it delayed service through the bore, they never had to suspend it.

[jon]

cp [[i think) has been planning a new tunnel for a long time. the work is being planned by hdr out of chicago. my impression is that the old tunnel will stay in place [[for upcoming passenger rail perhaps) and the new tunnel will be built below the first [[weird huh?).

[MikeM]

http://www.crgateway.com/Home.aspx

[1KielsonDrive]

Great posts as usual, MikeM. Always informative and well researched. Thanks.

[Downriviera]

If the new rail tunnel is built, the old one could be used for cars and trucks, right? And if thats the case, we wouldn't need another bridge? Just wondering.

[Magnatomicflux]

If the new rail tunnel is built, the old one could be used for cars and trucks, right? And if thats the case, we wouldn't need another bridge? Just wondering.

It could, but there's absolutly no-way Windsor would let that happen. The city put alot of effort into making sure we didn't have a freeway running thru the center of the city. We don't have the space on this side anyways.
I'm almost certain CP plans on using the old tunnel as a back up. And if Ontario ever gets off it's ass and turns the old CASO/MCR line into HSR, that tunnel would be needed to keep the freight and passenger rail seperate.

No matter what CP plans to do with it, Windsor will kill any attempts to convert it for vehicles.

[marcwigle]

An old picture. One of my highrailing trips into the tunnel. Of course, all pre - 09/11.

Someone couldn't spell "boundary". ;-)

[1KielsonDrive]

Someone couldn't spell "boundary". ;-)

It might be the French-Canadian spelling. Or, maybe a train was rumbling in their direction and they hurried to get into one of the crossovers and out of the way. Ha, ha. Funny thing about this picture - I don't remember who took it. I only remember the three of us high-railing on this occasion.

[BRAZZMAN]

Sorry if I missed anybody saying just where the tunnel entrance is on the Detroit side. I believe you can see it from the Bagley Street overpass just before Bagley continues past the Honeybee Market and then on towards the Mexican Village Restaurant. You have to look south from the railing. Looking north from the bridge is the Michigan Central Train Depot.

[highjinx]

I found this pic some time ago; though I do not know who took it or where I found it, the caption that was tagged to it claim that this was a picture of the last steam locomotive train to use the tunnel in 1953.
My father had worked for New York Central, so we were able to ride the trains for free back then, and we did go through this tunnel many times on our way to and from upstate New York; and as a kid, it was one spooky ride through that tunnel. Sure wish I could take that spooky ride one last time.