Mount Macdonald Tunnel

This single-track 14.66-kilometre (9.11 mi) tunnel, which carries the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) main line under Mount Macdonald in the Selkirk Mountains, handles most westbound traffic, whereas the Connaught Tunnel handles mostly eastbound.

The major growth opportunities were primarily in the bulk commodities of coal, sulphur, and potash.

Consequently, CP was unwilling to proceed with a new tunnel unless the Crow Rate, which did not cover the variable cost of grain movement, was addressed.

To enable the reintroduction of double tracks, three schemes required a 1.8-metre (6 ft) lowering of the Connaught Tunnel floor, complemented by a new approach to serve the east portal: However, lowering the floor would be extremely difficult while maintaining traffic flow.

[4] Three schemes offered a straight new tunnel at a lower elevation: Mike Wakely, Regional Engineer, Special Projects, suggested the selected option, which provided a 1.0% grade from Rogers, and a west portal 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi) west of Glacier station.

[6] The 34.8-kilometre (21.6 mi) route of surface track and tunnels, within a 30-metre (100 ft) wide right-of-way, uses continuous welded rail.

Length: 1,229 metres (4,032 ft); Pitts Engineering Construction began work in 1985;[14] 45 × 27.18-metre (89 ft 2 in) steel spans, each weighing 82 tonnes; brought from Calgary via the Crowsnest Pass, because too wide for the Spiral Tunnels,[12] and unloaded at the south end of the new Stoney Creek bridge;[14] supported on 44 custom-designed piers and two abutments; pier heights range from 4.6 metres (15 ft) to 21 metres (70 ft); cut and fill not adopted because it would undermine Connaught Track above, and encroach on highway below;[15] spans installed from early 1987 to that July;[14] walkway on north side;[16] named after John Fox.

Length 48 metres (156 ft); single span;[18] comprises a pair of 70-ton deck plate girders, offloaded near the east portal of the Connaught Tunnel, and hauled up to the highway and down to the site;[12] Cana Construction built.

In December 1985, the tunnel passed 110 metres (360 ft) below the Connaught one, almost directly beneath the mountain peak.

On October 5, 1984, the Manning-Kumagai (MK) joint venture (comprising Manning Construction and Kumagai Gumi) began from the west portal.

Using the drilling and blasting method, 30 men, rostered in 3 shifts, completed 5.8 kilometres (3.6 mi) eastward.

Meanwhile, the highway was temporarily relocated[20] to construct a 270-metre-long (880 ft) reinforced concrete box in a cut-and-cover trench.

[25] The eastern work camp was near the Mount Shaughnessy Tunnel, and the western one at Flat Creek.

Parks Canada allowed some dumping about 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) from the portal, creating a bed for track twinning.

The 500 cubic metres (660 cu yd) of rubble produced daily at the eastern end was dumped into a large depression to create the grade.

The purpose of the ventilation system is to prevent locomotives overheating and remove air pollutants.

[28] Standing at the top of the shaft, near the Rogers Pass highway summit, the ventilation building houses four fans, a standby 2.8-megawatt (3,800 hp) diesel generator, and two elevators.

[29] A straight tunnel would have made the shaft location clearly visible from the summit monument.

[30] On December 12, 1988, the first revenue train, hauling coal, passed through the tunnel, and saved an hour on the journey.

To ensure frequency vibrations do not cause damage to the track structure, the speed limit for all traffic is 48 kilometres per hour (30 mph).

2005: While clearing ice in the tunnel, an employee died when struck by a falling 225-kilogram (496 lb) chunk.