The tunnel was built beginning in 1851 as a single-track bore 2,100 feet (640 m) long, approached by deep open cuts, to connect central Pittsburgh with points to the west, on the south side of the Ohio River.

A shaft was sunk from the overlying ridge to a point near the midpoint of the tunnel to speed construction and to provide ventilation.

Nevertheless, the tunnel continued to represent a bottleneck, since large cars could not pass each other without causing derailments, which happened frequently.

Around 1900 a 300-foot (91 m) section of the tunnel was cut open to the sky at the Pittsburgh end.

[1] The tunnel was refurbished and re-opened in 1995 to serve as the link between Pittsburgh's Sheraden neighborhood and the community of Ingram on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's West Busway.