I’ve long wanted a more practical way to access the interior of the Mountain Division. Until now, the only route has been to exit our driveway, go up the street about 250 feet, and enter through a gate I installed several years ago. While it served its purpose, it’s far from convenient, and it leaves open the possibility of unwanted access through a somewhat hidden entry. Once the new access route is complete, I plan to remove that gate and fence over the opening.

The new tunnel provides a much better solution. It allows me to drive the John Deere—loaded with ballast—directly over the track, making it easy to dump material wherever it’s needed. This will greatly simplify the ballasting process. The tunnel will also provide reliable access for routine maintenance and serve as an important route in case of emergencies.

The pipe arrived this morning at 8:30 a.m., and I worked straight through until 4:30 p.m. The project is now nearly complete—only the stonework on both ends and across the top remains, which will create the look of a proper stone portal.