Laurel Hill: The Tunnel J.P. Morgan Stopped to Prevent a Financial Disaster

The Laurel Hill Tunnel is a rather unusual place hidden within Laurel Ridge in Pennsylvania. A railroad company began excavating it in the 1880s, but no trains ever passed through the tunnel. The interesting part is not that the tunnel was abandoned halfway through. While the project was more than 60 percent complete, the decision was made to halt it on an iron-hulled barge anchored on the Hudson River. This decision was made through an agreement spearheaded by J.P. Morgan. As a result, the competition between the New York Central and the Pennsylvania Railroad companies came to an end, and the South Pennsylvania Railroad project was abandoned. Afterward, the tunnel lay vacant for years. This empty tunnel later became part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and served cars and trucks for a long time. In 1964, it was closed again when a wider route was opened. Today, Laurel Hill is used for an entirely different purpose. The tunnel is used for closed-track testing of professional race cars. It provides a unique environment where the high-speed behavior of cars can be tested without the influence of outside air, wind, or other vehicles. So, over the course of about 140 years, the same tunnel has had several different lives. First, it was part of a defunct railroad; then it served the highway; and today, it’s a sheltered, secluded spot where race cars are tested. If you know any stories about the old railroads and roads in or around Laurel Hill, please share them in the comments. I’d especially love to read stories from people who live in the area. 🔷 Deep Cost was created to examine in detail the tunnels dug within the United States, including the challenges of that era and the cost calculations.