The Winston Tunnel Photo Gallery by William J. Manon Jr. at pbase.com

The Winston Tunnel

This Gallery is still under construction.

When it is finished it will showcase photos of the Chicago Great Western Railroad's Winston Tunnel. Located in Jo Davies County Illinois.
Please check back in a few weeks if you are interested in more...
I'm still working on this Gallery I have a bunch more pictures from a visit in June 2007.
I will be adding the Pictures soon along with the commentary…
This gallery has been moved to the back burner, I have high hopes for it when it is completed, but I have not found time to do the necessary work yet.
Please leave comments; it will help me to finish this sight. 8-22-2007

November 7, 2007
I have photos of the east portal and the Fan house drawings, With all the recent comments I will be starting to update and add to this site in the next few weeks. Check back in A week or so to see my Progress.
Thanks for the Encouragement.

In early 2007 the fan house had been torn down! I felt sucker punched by the DNR! I visited the Site in June and photographed the destruction. Damb, I can't believe they have done that. Truly the ghost of the tunnel workers where crying that day. If I knew it was going to happen I would of put up some money to have it boarded up with a steel fence if they where worried about anybody getting hurt. I think we need to write some nasty letters to The Illinois Dept. Natural Resources saying we are the Ghosts of the Winston tunnel and make sure that no more damage comes to this historic place.

Winston Tunnel, one last look.jpg	Tunnel in the distance.JPG	1914 winston tunnel.JPG
1915 winston tunnel.JPG	1917 winston tunnel.JPG	3453 Winston Tunnel .JPG
1945 Winston Tunnel.JPG	From Video Winston West portal.JPG	From Video Fan house west portal.JPG
1919 winston tunnel.JPG	Tunnel behind me looking west. fanhouse on right.JPG	3484 Winston Tunnel.JPG
1939 winston tunnel.JPG	1921 winston tunnel.JPG	3458 Winston Tunnel.JPG
1931 winston tunnel.JPG	1933 winston tunnel.JPG	1936 winston tunnel.JPG
1941 winston tunnel.JPG	1942 Winston Tunnel .JPG	1943 winston tunnel.JPG
1937 DeWayne leaves a penny.JPG	3457 DeWayne finds his Penny.JPG	1940 winston tunnel.JPG
3454 Winston Tunnel.JPG	1922 winston tunnel.JPG	7936 Winston Tunnel.JPG
1923 winston tunnel.JPG	1925 winston tunnel.JPG	7933 Inside Winston Tunnel.JPG
1924 winston tunnel.JPG	1928 winston tunnel.JPG	West Portal arch visable from above.
1935 winston tunnel.JPG	3489 winston tunnel.JPG	3485 WinstonTunnel Fanhouse.JPG
3486 Winston Tunnel.JPG	3487 Winston Tunnel.JPG	3488 Winston Tunnel.JPG
3492 Winston Tunnel John Hill.JPG	East portal Winston tunnel from Video.JPG	DeWayne checks out East portal.JPG
Winston Tunnel Fanhouse Destroyed	1998 Northwestern lines.JPG	Northwestern Lines Summer 1998 Issue
Northwestern Lines Summer 1998 Issue	Map to Winston Tunnel West Portal.jpg

comment |

John Mann		03-Apr-2017 14:27
Did you ever post plans of the fan house? Do you have dimensions?

Pete Maliszewski		03-Mar-2017 19:09
I'm really glad to find this gallery. I just happened to to searching for info on the tunnel to see what's it's like now. A friend and I visited it only once and it was back in the early 70's. C&NW was just taking up the tracks as there was a work train west of the tunnel. The trestle still had tracks as did the tunnel. They were working west to east. We stopped on BlackJack Road where the tracks crossed it (old maps call this spot "Rice") and parked. From there we walked to the tunnel over the trestle. Because the tunnel was still being used by the work train, we were able to go into the tunnel. Glad to hear that the state owns the west part of the tunnel. The next time I'm in the area I plan on going up there and retracing our walk of 40+ years ago. Just sorry I didn't have a camera with me back then.

Gary		14-Feb-2016 17:17
I just discovered the existence of this old abandoned railway tunnel thanks to a 1971 photo being sold on EBAY. It is an amazing place and so are these wonderful photos with comments.

Guest		20-Dec-2012 19:58
I was at the tunnel site a few years ago and although there was no longer much to see at the portals in the woods above the tunnel there was an extensive aqueduct system made of wood and sheet metal I suppose to direct the surface water away before it would seep through to the tunnel. How effective who knows but this was obviously and expensive addition to the tunnel and was still largely intact but not very visible in the thick brush....Paul Schmidt

Guest		06-Dec-2010 03:39
It's good to see that people are intertested in this, I was just to the tunnel early this fall a couple times. It was so neat to stand at the enterence of the tunnel in silence, and listen to the drops of water fall inside the tunnel, and think about the trains that use to pass thru, and stories about that place. I don't know what any of you have seen for photos, but I have a picture of a steam train crossing over the tressel, a picture of Winston station, a picture of Rice station, a picture of world war 1 soldiers standing guard on the tressel, and a couple taken at the Galena Junction with a steam train. I live in Rice township, and my family has lived here for about 136 years, so these are some pictures that have been collected through the years. If any of you would be interested to add some of them to your collection, please let me know.

brit		29-Aug-2010 10:36
hi i was wondering where the grave of the man from finland is located? is it in the cemetery on irwin road off of blackjack? (between the tunnel and hanover). I was also wondering if there are any remains of either train station on the west or east side of the tunnel? thanks for posting so many pictures. i was there once right before the buildings were demolished in 2007, i haven't been back since, but your summer pictures are exactly as i remember seeing it. we would have been totally covered in mud if it weren't for the rocks laying around the buildings. there were just enough that we could get to the gate on the west end without being totally covered.

jason		23-Mar-2010 18:27
Are there any remains from Gallagher's Hotel which I have read was used for the original tunnel builders?

DAVE GLOECKLE		07-Apr-2009 19:31
GREAT WEBSITE! AS A HUGE CHICAGO GREAT WESTERN RAILROAD FAN IT IS NICE THAT THERE ARE STILL ALOT OF CGW RAILFANS OUT THERE! MY GREAT WESTERN O-GAUGE MODEL RAILROAD REALLY APPRECIATES IT TOO!

Matt McC		22-Mar-2009 02:38
Great photos! I've been along Blackjack Road many times and never had the guts to go up the old ROW to the tunnel since there are many postings of DO NOT ENTER from our friends at DNR.

Chuck		12-Feb-2009 13:19
I have heard that Doc Kearney sadly passed away a year or so ago. He was a very pleasant fellow who didn't mind one bit of me knocking on his door for permission to visit the west portal. He even gave me an aerial photo map that marked the location.

james Paglin		23-Nov-2008 22:16
If you have not visited the Railraod depot in Elizabeth, you are missing much information on the Winston Tunnel. We are closed this time of year but if you are interested in seeing our displays you can E-mail us at elizabethhistoricalmuseum.org Jim

Guest		20-Oct-2008 04:05
William, Great photos of the tunnel. I just resently become intrested in the CGW, tunnel and fan house. My Grandfather had told me about this railroad before he had passed away but I dident think to much about it. When I started looking threw his old railroad books and calendars I found pictures of the CGW , fan house and the tunnel. Iv been wondering what the area looks like now and your pictures pretty much answered that question for me. I still would like to view the tunnel in person someday. Maybe bring a brick home from the fan house if theres bricks still around. Thanks again for posting your photos. Randy S.

Wayne		07-Sep-2008 02:55
These days, at 48, I spend more time learning local and national history and some times even contribute a picture or story myself. Every thing from the many individual railroads to local outlaws, country schools and family tree/genealogy. Often these subjects are like a jig saw puzzle and many different people post their piece of the puzzle. Then, we history junkies can then assemble the pieces together, thus giving a subject a whole historical perspective. Thanks to you and all those out their who continue to do so! Wayne

George		22-May-2008 12:40
William, My buddies and I are planning a road trip to view the tunnel portals. What is the best access? I have heard that there is a picnic area fairly close to the west portal. How would I get there? On the east, is it best to walk the right-of-way from Rodden? Thanks, George

Guest		22-Apr-2008 03:46
Bill, Thanks for sharing photos. Sad to see Fanhouse demolition. First visited Winston Oct.1972,tracks were still in and we walked thru from east portal all the way to Rice. jwubbel was right about a builder plate on bridge, but it read American Bridge Co. 1944. American Bridge Co. was also painted on south side, and faintly still visable. He also may not know that C&NW 120 he shot at Elizabeth on scrapping train was the X-CGW GP9 of the same number. I was at Stockton Historical Museum grand opening May 2004, and met Chuck Finch, and bought a copy of his book Fanhouse, which he graciously then autographed for me. William & Tom Murphy also showed up, sons of a well-remembered CGW dispatcher and former operators themselves, so three one-time Fanhouse operators were reunited in one place that day, reliving the "good old days" of their youth. A CGW magazine article from Oct. 1913 gives a good desciption of the building of and mechanical operations of Fanhouse, but states the fan diameter as 12 feet, not 14 as Mr. Finch says. It would be an interesting subject for further research... Cedric Peterson

Guest		16-Feb-2008 03:18
Hey, Thanks for posting these pictures--sorry to hear about the fanhouse. I was one of those brothers mentioned an another 2-16-08 comment posted. Finding that tunnel was a great day, and I'll add my thanks to Doc Kearney and the old guy on the dirt road by the east portal (I think his name is Emerson Balboch).

Guest		16-Feb-2008 03:10
Thanks to area residents Doc Kearney (if he is still alive) and the old guy who lived in the house near the east portal for helping find the two portals.

Guest		16-Feb-2008 03:09
Great site! My brothers and I found the east portal a couple of years ago. A year later we found the west portal after a considerable search that could have been avoided had we simply followed the abandoned phone poles across the road and down the hill. An amazing place. I'd like to go back and see if there are any remnants (foundations, etc) of the Winston Station and the work buildings and "hotel" for workers near the east portal.

jwubbel		09-Feb-2008 01:43
Yes, I also agree it is a nice gallery. I too have been a fan of CGW. I took photos of the area 35 years ago just prior to the abandoning of the rails and immediately after. I recently wrote a short article featuring my 35 mm color slides complete with satellite images tracing the right of way. I then donated the story and the photos to the Elizabeth Historical Society about 2 weeks ago. Whether or not they incorporate my article into their collection is anybodies guess. They would have to get 2 or 3 permissions from a couple of authors for barrowed photos I used to illustrate a point. If you wish to view the article, I will leave it on my web server for a short time. Go tohttp://www.propertyclubpro.com/ElizabethRailRoadHistory.pdf and enjoy. Also, I would like to more photos of the bridge work over the valley which BTW was located at mile marker 153 on the rail line. As I recall from my scaling that structure I think there was a builders plate on it dated around 1938. Don't hold me to that though my memory is fuzzy it that I could be thinking of another bridge.

Todd Greenberg		14-Jan-2008 17:13
Found your gallery while researching a project on the railroads around Ladd, IL. As a fan of the CGW, I'd like to thank you for your photos. I unsuccessfully attempted to locate the west portal back in 1991, but I didn't do my homework beforehand (no maps or photos to guide me) and got lost! Please keep up your good work!

Dave Andersen		28-Dec-2007 05:32
Bill, Great pictures. Those are my kids. We met you there that day(Nov. 07). The buildings have since been taken down.

William J. Manon Jr.		16-Nov-2007 00:07
Thanks for the Comment and to answer your question. After the C&NW bought the CGW it closed most of the line in Illinois because it already had a railline in northern Illinois, 30 miles south. The C&NW line was 2 track and had much less grade. Not to mention that the tunnel was a maintanance nightmare. It had to be relined every 40-50 years. Later Bill

Tom Payne		15-Nov-2007 05:22
Very interesting, was it abandon because of its size?

Mark		08-Nov-2007 02:20
I am interested in seeing the East Portal as well. I followed the West Portal recently. DOn't forget about the awesome High canyon bridge that crossed over the valley 1/4 mile west of the tunnel before BlackJack Road. I got all kinds of pics.. The Fan house is reduced to rubble and bricks..... I struggled to find where the Rice Depot was and where the tracks joined up with the Burlington Northern track..

Scott Stephenson		02-Nov-2007 00:29
Very nice. I have been reading about this tunnel for years. Up until today, I have only seen a few photos of it on-line. Do you plan to go for another trip? How about shooting the east portal? Great work! Thanks so much for offering more photos of the tunnel! Scott

J. Kulik		16-Oct-2007 01:07
Absolutely great photos.

Guest		18-Sep-2007 16:13
Mike, You saved me a trip! Great shots. I followed a lot of the CGW in the 80's seen some of the tear up in the late 70's along 64 but never found the tunnel.. Also remember seeing trains crossing 1st Ave. as a kid growing up in Chicago, rode the bike trail between ST. Charles and Sycamore and visited the ST. Charles depot in the 80's were the main crossed 64. Long gone! Thanks!

Mike Stobbs		25-May-2007 01:02
This is going to be a cool gallery when done..keep up the super work....Mike

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