First International Tunnel (S0081)
Posted by: 
Hard Oiler
N 42° 57.627 W 082° 26.540
17T E 382361 N 4757432
Located on the Michigan side of the railway tunnel linking Port Huron with Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.- the first international submarine railway tunnel opened in 1891. Registered Site #81.
Waymark Code: WMAAG
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 04/12/2006
Views: 65
This plaque recognizes construction between 1889 and 1891 of the St Clair River Railroad Tunnel. The tunnel was completed at 11.30pm on August 30th 1890.
An engineering feat at the time, two 21 foot shields were used to excavate the tunnel. The total length is 11,725 feet, with 2,290 feet underwater. The tunnel operations were electrified in 1908 and completely dieselized in 1958. Tracks were lowered in 1949 to accommodate larger freight cars. The bore diameter of 19’ 10” could not handle larger freight cars and a new tunnel, 27’ 6” in diameter was opened in 1994.
A corresponding Ontario Historic Plaque marks the Canadian portal of the tunnel.
Visit Instructions:Take a photo of your GPS at the marker. We'd prefer a photo of you with your GPS, but we realize that sometimes that's just not possible or preferable.
Also include a bit about your visit to the marker.
NEW: Instructions for logging Missing Marker Visits.
If the Marker is missing, but still listed here, you must provide a photo of you at the actual item historically honored. (This should be the waymark's "default" image). Indicate in your log that you took your photo at the Historical Location instead of the marker, because the marker was missing. Please also still include a bit about your visit to the site.