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SATURDAY December 6, 2003 - Subscribe - Contact Us Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels November 19, 2003 Fire in historic tunnel likely to continue smoldering for awhile By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings It could be quite some time before the fire in Tunnel 13 is snuffed out, railroad officials said this morning. Mark Wohlers, administrative affairs manager for the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad Co. said the company does not know when the historic tunnel on the Siskiyou Summit will reopen. Railroad officials hired Dex McCullouch, an engineer and geologist to figure out how to stop the fire deep in 3,100-foot long tunnel. McCullouch is an engineer director of railroad services for Shannon & Wilson Inc., a Seattle-based tunnel engineering firm. "It's still smoldering at this point," Wohlers said. "It could take awhile. That's why we have [McCullouch] to access what it will take to put the fire out." Wohlers, who has been in the railroad business for 25 years, said the situation at the tunnel is quite unique. "It's the first I've ever heard of it," he said. " It's very unusual." The fire is on the north end of the tunnel. A partial collapse has made access nearly impossible, railroad officials said. It is making it too dangerous to send crews inside to battle the blaze. "That's our main concern, "Wohlers said. "The fear is if someone entered the tunnel, it could collapse." The fire was first reported on Monday morning and it appears it was caused by transients or trespassers. The railroad has taken over fighting the blaze from Jackson County Fire District No. 5, who initially responded to the fire on Monday morning. Workers tried to use a large fan in an attempt to blow smoke out of the north end Monday afternoon to little success. Currently, trains are being routed through Eugene and Weed, Calif., Wohlers said. The railroad company hopes to continue to use the tunnel once the fire is out, he said. "Our hope is to get it reopened and back in service," he said. "It's a main line in our railroad." Tunnel 13 has great historic significance in the area. It was the site of what is called the West's "Last Great Train Robbery." Twin brothers Ray and Roy D'Autremont and their younger brother Hugh attempted to rob a train carrying gold inside the tunnel. The trio killed four people and fled the scene empty handed. They were caught four years later. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Road Cams