Flathead Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The Flathead Tunnel is a 7.01-mile (11.3-km) railroad tunnel in the Rocky Mountains
approximately 42 miles (67 km) to the west of Whitefish
, Montana
. It is the second-longest tunnel in the United States
. Speed through the tunnel is approximately 50 mph (80 km/h).
required the relocation of 60 miles (≈100 km) of the Burlington Northern Railroad
tracks, relocating the town of Rexford, MT and the building of a new tunnel which opened in 1970. The east portal has a door that can be closed and fans to ventilate the tunnel. It is currently part of the BNSF Railway
system and used by Amtrak
's Empire Builder
.
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
approximately 42 miles (67 km) to the west of Whitefish
Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish is a city in Flathead County, Montana, United States. The population was 5,032 at the 2000 census. It is home to a ski resort on Big Mountain called Whitefish Mountain Resort. Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer hails from Whitefish....
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. It is the second-longest tunnel in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Speed through the tunnel is approximately 50 mph (80 km/h).
History
The construction of Libby DamLibby Dam
Libby Dam is a dam on the Kootenai River in the U.S. state of Montana.Dedicated on August 24, 1975, Libby Dam spans the Kootenai River upstream from the town of Libby, Montana. Libby Dam is tall and long. Lake Koocanusa is the name of the reservoir behind the dam; it extends upriver from...
required the relocation of 60 miles (≈100 km) of the Burlington Northern Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....
tracks, relocating the town of Rexford, MT and the building of a new tunnel which opened in 1970. The east portal has a door that can be closed and fans to ventilate the tunnel. It is currently part of the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
system and used by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Empire Builder
Empire Builder
The Empire Builder is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Midwestern and Northwestern United States. It is Amtrak's busiest long-distance route and busiest daily train, carrying more than 500,000 travelers annually since 2007. Overall, it is the railroad's 10th-busiest line. Before...
.