Discoveries in old rail tunnel surprise contractors

Timber and rail found inside the historic tunnel No. 2 in Lyon County will be removed and documented, and may eventually make it back into the new tunnel construction, officials said Tuesday.

A team of excavators recently found several sets of the tunnel's original wooden frames while looking for an open portal on the east side. History is fuzzy, but it's believed both ends were blasted closed in 1969 to put out a fire that had been started by hippie squatters.

The discovery of the wood and some rail, which was used to support the sides of the tunnel, came as a surprise to the archaeologist on staff with the project.

"The problem with the tunnel is that we've always thought it had all been scavenged or burned out," said Ron Reno, an archaeologist with Zeier & Associates, of Minden. "It was unexpected that we find timber inside."

The horseshoe-shaped frames appear to be crushed up against debris, but still standing straight in an 18-foot-high collapsed section. Workers found the new 5-foot tunnel opening behind this collapsed section by digging out the top. The original portal is about 60 feet in front of the new opening.

"For 135 years, it's been standing," said Gary Luce, a senior engineer with Geocon Consultants. "So the inside is not that bad. And for the last 40 years, it's been standing without support. That tells you it's pretty good rock."

Evidence of Comstock-era craftsmanship can be seen in the rock face. Several rocks have hand-drilled holes and blast points from black powder. The work was done by the miners, the archaeologist said. A spot farther inside the old tunnel was probably cut by Chinese workers with sledge hammers.

Builders could incorporate the excavated wood into the future east and west portal designs.

"But a lot will depend on how much comes out," said Luce. "We'll try to use it if we can."

Workers also found about 12 pieces of rail, one marked with the date 1869 that was made in Sheffield, England.

State officials want to turn this public hazard into a historic spot along the V&T right-of-way, where they will run a $420,000 steam locomotive between Carson City and Virginia City.

This month, excavators from subcontractor Art Wilson Mining Co. uncovered the portal opening on the Carson City side, which confirms that enough of the tunnel is intact for future train travel. The west end was opened almost exactly a year ago.

Hardrock Tunnel Contractors Inc., of Vancouver, Canada, will be on site Monday to set up then start stabilizing the inside of the tunnel.

Track for the reconstructed Virginia & Truckee Railway has been laid from Gold Hill to American Flat, but just around the bend in the next phase of construction is tunnel 2. The tunnel reconstruction could cost up to $3 million.

Luce said the tunnel will be ready when workers begin laying track for this phase of the 16-mile project.

"The tunnel should not hold up the project at all," he said.

• Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.