Tunnel 13 still closed - January 15, 2004

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2005-03-06

Document text

60 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, March 5, 2005   Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery      SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries   Life   Opinion   Tempo   AP News   Weather   Classified   Archives   Site Map   SPECIAL SECTIONS   Since We Asked   Outdoor Journal   Menu Guide   How To Guide   Health   Readers' Choice   Real Estate Showcase   Real Estate Guide   Joy Magazine   Homelife Magazine   Wedding Guide   Passport to the Rogue Valley   SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad  TOP JOBS   EXTRA   NIE   Personals   Movie Times   TV Times   E The People   Volunteer   Moving here?  eSouthernOregon   CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 15, 2004 Tunnel 13 still closed ASHLAND — A 3,100-foot railway tunnel connecting the Rogue Valley to Northern California could be closed for another four months, as railroad officials grapple with damage from snow, fire and collapsing rocks. Pacific Railroad predicts losses of up to $5 million from added costs of rerouting trains, plus the expense of reinforcing the inside of the tunnel, said Dan Lovelady, the company’s general manager About four feet of snow has fallen at the tunnel since Christmas, nearly blocking the south end of the tunnel and slowing access to the north end. On Nov. 17 a fire of unknown cause was found near the north end of Tunnel 13, which crosses the Siskiyou Summit south of Ashland. It burned support timbers and caused debris to collapse for about 400 feet near the north end of the tunnel. Meanwhile, about 20 timber companies that rely on the railroad between Weed, Calif., and Eugene are still adjusting. Swanson Group of Glendale north of Grants Pass has been loading lumber and plywood on railroad cars six or seven days a week instead of the normal five, and has relied more on trucks to make deliveries. With trains being routed north to Eugene, then south to Klamath Falls, it takes 10 to 13 days for products to reach California destinations, instead of five. Mail Tribune Home  | Local News  | Sports  | Business  | Obituaries  | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives  |  Site Map  | Community  | Classified   Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Slippers Student Loans afsa teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress Advertisement s