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TRANSCRIPT
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Form 10-300 (Ju ly 1969)
UN I TE (1 S1 AT ES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL P AR K SERVI CE
NATIONAL REGI STER OF HISTORI C PLACE S INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM
( T ypt· u lf entries - c omplet u applicable· sec tion !>) j 1. ":!AM_E ________ ~-
CCW-!ON
Howard Street Tunnel
'>1 11! I I "I I f Mt1 M t!t It ,
S TATt.: •
,' Maryland C O U NlY·
' Baltimore City FOR NPS US E ONL Y
E N T RY N U M E>CR C\ A TC
Beneath Howard Street from Mt. Royal Station to Camden Station ::1T f Oil tO WN :
Baltimore C n t u
510 r-- ~~A~~-l<:nd--.. - .. -__ -_-._-_-_--_- __ -.. -... ---....... =:~ .. -... _t~' r couNn~altimore City
r 3. CL_~~~~-~A !~ON __ ·---·- .. --- -· ---··---..,.---- ----,.----- -.,.... C Al EGO RY
(<'h t • ( I< < >:rt ·J OWNfRStt lP ST A TU '>
ACC ESSIBL E
TO THE P U Ol. IC - -- ------ .. --- .. ~--- -·--+-------
1:• Di strict
Cl Si te
['J 6ui I ding
·x Structure
0 Ob je c t
LJ Public
~ Privote
[ l Both
P ~E S C:.: N T U SE ( ('ht" c k O n e- o r Morn n ..... Appropri11/(')
1- Agr i cultura l IJ Government l J c Commercia l u Ind us tr ia l Cl r , L .. E d ucoriono I f~I Mi li ro ry Cl c; Enter tainmen t u M u seum I J
Pub li c Acqui•i l i on :
0 In Process
0 Being Considered
Pork
P ri vote Residence
Rel ig ious
Scient i fic
, 4 , OWNER OF PROPERTY- ------ --·-----
IX:I
[]!; Qq:vp.i ~d
Cl Unoccupied
0 Pre se r vo11o n work
fn progre ss
Tronsportotion
C(l Other (S pec lty)
tunnel
Yes:
[l Restri c ted
0 Unrestr i cted
~No
LJ Comrnenh
- -- - ---------· .. -- -- -
- ·-·- -·--·---- -----·r--i
Companies ~ ;I --, ~~ r
Baltimore & Ohio and Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad - ------- - - - -Sl REE T A N O NUM B ER·
Bal timore and Charles Streets Cl 1 Y OH TO WN
Baltimore LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPT ION
Baltimore City Courthouse STREET AN D lllU MBE R :
T''A~-· -M.ar·xland ··1 . ··-- I ~ ---- - - ..-.....;.... ____ _..-~-~ .. ~~.~ 2. -Jo· w8 ll-'· Pl c irt ....... ;; r ~/
j St . Paul and Fayette Streets _______ f ;:i
J•BTav lotRl.~omvo,Nr: e
1
,s, An -~ co1.· F : g . Maryland _ __J 24 ~-ro
I~ REPRESEN·T·A·TJON '~ -~XIST IN G SUR~.5.:!i _____ ,. __ • - ·---~- .. _ .. ___ -.. ·-·-~~~--~~ TITl.. E OF S U R V E '( < I "' :z
-i Maryland Register_ of His!:?r!~- §_i_t:~~--a!ld Landma._r_k_s__ . _ ·- _: _ ~Tl: OF S URVE Y . 19_7..Q____ 1 .!_cdcrol __ ~-~ S ta t " County [ ~~-L_o_co~ --- ·· -·
O C r" OS I TOHY FO~ s u n v E: V RE C CH'H >S:
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I Maryl~nd Hi~t-~r~_cal_ Trust trn'<EE T A NO N .,.IM lif-"J;
I 2s:,~'°~"va_R_oa_9 _________ _
nap~~is __ _
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r, . . 12:. DESCRI ~.!l_ON ·-r ....... __ ~=--~--=---- -·--.. _ -~~ -· ___ 9 --·--.. - B -~----·· ( <.'hc•i X 011c) .!"
[ Exce l lent ~ Good r·1 Fai r l. I Deteriorated [_! Ruins 1-1 Unexposed CONDITION -- --- --- -<«:i .... · k 0, ... >--- - --- ] - ·-----·-rz;;;;~l/(i",~,.J------ · -
[ I Alte re d lXJ Unaltered I 1 Moved (X Origi,,o l S 1tr ---- - ---- -·· -· -- --·-- ------- -------~
0£SCRI Bf! 1'HE PRESENT AN D ORI G INAL ( i r· knf.twri) r:i HYSICA I... A PPC ARANCE
The Howard Street Tunnel provides cover for an underground rail connection beneath Howard Street in downtown Baltimore between the Mount Royal and Camden Stations of ·the Balti more and Ohio Railroad. The tunnel is 7 , 341 feet l ong, 21 feet 3 inches at extreme height , 27 feet wide, and averages between 50 and 65 feet below the pavement . It is built of brick with iron- ring centerings shaped in an arch . The flooring is a flat reverse arch whi ch provides additional strength to the walls . The tunnel has a grade of 0.8 degrees which allows the southbound trains to coast from Mount Royal Station to Camden Station.
The tunnel was constructed beneath one of Baltimore ' s busiest streets; through relatively soft gravel with the everpresent threat of water seepage , hidden underground streams and patches of quicksand . The City of Baltimore placed restrictions on the construction which limited the length ·of uncompleted tunnel sections and insisted th t no uncompl eted sections be contiguous . The City ' s fears proved groundless , for no buildings were i njured by the tunnel construction. Even the street car line remained undisturbed .
The tunnel is still in use.
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SIGNIF1CANCE
PE:AIOO (Check O tw o r M ort· n s Apptoµriaf,")
L:J P re -Co lum bion
0 15 th Centu ry
l J 16 th Cen tvry
Ll 17 th Cen t ury
7-1 ~~o~~-B--~~~~
f I 18 tli C e11tury
IX 19t h Cen tury
r I I 20 th Cent ury
, _____________ ·--- --- ---- - -- ---- - - ------ ---- ---! SP E CIFIC DAT Efst (lf!:_fll!_li~~'I "_':.::'.~ '::.'..'.."~l_.l 8~_0-189 2--------- - - - - - -----1
t .. RE A S O F !". I C NI f Jl, A tl(.. I (CJ1t• 1 II f ) 111 • ur Mun· <' '• ApJ•to1uiult• )
Abo r igina l
CJ P re his toric ,
0 H i s toric
0 Agri cultu re
0 A rchi te c t ure
0 Art
0 C ommerce
n C ommuni co ti ons
I I C on ser v o 11011
f------·-·. --·-· ·-· S1 A. 1'EM EN r OF° SI GN I Flt: AN C t
l I f duc oho11
lk! En9 ineering
C-l Indus try
Cl I nven tion
"l Londscope
A rchitecture
[-, Li toro tu re
' I Miltto1y
I I M u '. 1(
I I P o li t ic a l
Re l ig ion/ Phi.
losophy
Sc ience I I r-1
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Sc u lpture
Soc ia f / Humon 4
I t orion
Tf 1r tH1·1
' Urban P lon111119
L Other ( Sp ecif)')
-------------------------
The Howard Street Tunnel is a monume nt in the history of American engineering. The construction of a 7,341-foot tunnel through soft ground unde r a busy street , and the innovational use of electricity for illumination and for powering the tunnel locomotives, represent an outstanding accomplishment for its time.
The Baltimore Belt Railroad , chartered in 1888 , built the Howard Street Tunnel. The seven-mile-long railroad connected the main branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad that extends westward with its Philadelphia branch. Previously , trains had taken a circuitous route around Baltimore, which included ferrying all trains across the Patapsco River. Two decades earlier , the Pennsylvania Railroad had constructed tracks directly through Baltimore. In order for the · B & 0 to remain competitive with the Pennsylvnnia company , the Baltimore Belt Rai l road was built . The growth of the city eliminated the pos s iblity of an above -ground track , necessitating the construction o f a tunnel.
Samuel Raw was the Chie f Engineer of the tunnel. A native of Pennsylvania , he previously had worked on the New York tunnel extension o f the Pennsylvanaa Railroad and on th e Hell Gate Bridge o f the Ne w York Connecting Railroad .
Construction of the tunnel began in 1890. On May 1 , 1895, the· first passenge r trairi pass e d through it .
The power for the locomotives moving the trains through the tunnel was provided by electricity--a nove l idea i n the 1890 ' s as e lectricity was the n only beginning to b e used by railroads . Th e Ge n e ral Ele ctric Company designed electric locomotives especia lly for t he Howard Steret Tunnel, and an electric power station was bµilt on the Camde n Sta tion yard to power them . The e l e ctricity that provided the illumination for the tunne l was another innovative achie ve me nt .
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..
r 9. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES - ------- - - ---------"The Baltimore Belt Railroad. II En9:ineerin·~
ber 12, 1891) I 557-559; (De c e mbe r 19 I News. -'xxvr (Decem-
189 li, 585-587 .
" The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Tunnel at B altimore ." (August 10,
Scien-189 5) I ti f ic Ame rican SuEEle ment . Vol . XL
16346-16348 .
Hungerford, Edward . The Story of the Baltim road . 2 vols . New York : G. Putnam
o r e and Ohio Rail' s Sons , 19 2 8. ---
i.....-. ... ...--.--.-- ·....-·-- --·- - -- · - ·--· --- ... -- ·· 10, GEOGRAPHICA L DA f A -- .. .... ..
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Nancy Mille r, Histori an --- -- -·· - --- - --- --- --
OR GANI Z A llON
Maryland Historical Trust -- -- -- - --- --· ··- - -·----
STRE E T AN O NUM Bl:R:
2525 Riva Road -- --- - - - -- - ·-- --- ·-c1-r v O f ~ , O WN : S 1 AT I
Annapoli~-- - - . ··-· -~·.- .... --.... -· - ··· Maryl a .-- •-···· -
nd 21401 -·---- ---~~<~ I J 2. $TATE LI A I SON OFF IC F.R CE R T~_!£~~ I <}_N ____ -U-__ _:_N:.:.A:....:T:..:.1.::.0.:..:N:.:...A:..:L:....:.:.R.:..E.::.G.:..:I S:...:T...::E:._R.;_.:_V~E..:..:R.:...I ;_F ;_I C;..;,A.:...T;..;l.;.O_N~---t
A s t h e tics igna lt:d St a t l' f. 1<1 isnn () rf ic•• r l\>r l It<· !'l .i
ti o nal Hi s t ciri c Pr.·scr va tion /\.-1 o f l<lt•t" ( P11h l it' I .aw
89-(165) , I h e reb y 11<.Ht1inatt' this p rt> p<"rly f" r 11w l i1s 1t1 n
i n the N ut i<.."lnH l R eg is te r e1 1Hl t ' l'" r l ify thal it lH-•S ht' c.:n
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Nc1Ul<~ __ ;/4-_f. ':- l_._:·~_ ( !_ _ _ :._~:__:_/ ·--~ ---Orlando Ri dou t IV I . /
T 11 1t: _s_t._at_e_Liais.on _Q£fj cer far Mary land
I h«rt"l>y c<• rtify thal thi s p r o pe r! l ' i>< inc l ude-ti in 1h ..
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August 21 , 1972 . - -- ------- -- - - ------------- --- ·----
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B-~ Form 10 -30 1 u 'U STAT ES DEP A RTMENT OF THE INT ERIOR S TA TE 9 -t:lf (July 1969) NAT IONA L PARK SERVICE Ma r yland
-NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
C O UN T Y , j3al timore Ci t y
PROP ERTY MAP FORM ·-FOR NPS US E ONLY
I -(Type a ll entries - attach to or enclose with map)
EN TRY NUM B E R O A T I
I -
11 ; }ltA,,fE :·
-- ·-C O M M ON : Howard Street TunnP l AN D / OR H ISTO RI C!
J2. ·.LOC.ATiQN . STR E E T AN D N U MB ER:
Be neath Howard Street f rom Mt. Royal Station to Camde n S t ation ,___ _ - · -C I T Y 0 11 T O W N :
Da l timorc ,____ ----- - c ou L. 1 -;;·~UNl.Y : l ---ST A TL: co u t·
Maryland I 24 I Baltimore City I 510 /3. MAP R_EFERENCE
·--~-··--· ..... ___ ...... _ ........ ___ . __ .. -··-- ------
S O UR CE. :
USGS 7.5 minute map ; Baltimore Eas t qµ adrangle SCA L E : 1: 24 o~o D AT E: photorevised 1966
[4. :~=EQlJ.l~EME;NTS ·.·
T O B E IN CLUDED O N A L L MA PS
1. Property broundories where required.
2. North arrow .
3. Latitude and longitude reference.
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NAT ~L REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLAC
PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM
Maryland ~
COUNi y Bal ti more .. c~~~-- -·· 1 --/' FOR .N"PSIJSEONLY --- - · +
(Type all entries - tlltach to or enclo.'>e with photograph) . ---~; NUM~_:R __ T--~-;;;,-~- ..S
--~- ---~,JiME · , . .... _.__._ -------
COMMON: Howafil Tunn@l ANOI OR HISTORIC! _____j
'.CQG~ T;·iQ~ ' .. . ; ·. ·~: .. .... :: :/ ' . ' I . .. ; ' .
iSTREET ANO NUMBER : I Beneath Howard Street from Mt . Royal Station to Camden Station -·-CIT'!' OR TOWN:
Baltimore -··--.. ,.. .
lt~OE /COUNTY :
---·- l ·-·-ST A TE: C'OP C
Maryland Baltimore City I 510 tl;~"P::ttoro, Re F~~Ei~m~ '·' ·: I
. ;
PHOTO CREDIT: Mark Adams ·-l"lATE OF PHOTO: 19 6..9.._ _ __ - ---·-··· ·----- ----t----·---·· ~EGA T1vE FILED AT: City Ha:J_l Baltimore Maryland 21202 Corrunission for Historical & Architectural Preservation , 40 2
14 ·~· F l ., ·:~-;! i .. .. _._,, -~ . ,Tl ·<.:;1'TION .,:, ~ ·< .. .. . . ;; ·.
OESCRI BE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC.
north entrance to t he tunnel
GPO !> ? 1. ·131
•'
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Form N~. 10-300 ,o-1 4'
l~e-i ·
UN ITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
FOR NPS USE ONLY
N ATIONAL REGISTER OF IDSTORIC PLACES RECEIVED
INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENIE:.:.:A:.::E.z0_;;'' _.:....;;.;.__.:....;.:_...:. ____ ::....::!::::.__;. _ _...
SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS
N AME H1sTOR1c Baltimore Belt (Baltimore and Ohio} Railroad
AND/OR COMMON
Howard Street Tunnel and Power House (Belt Railroad , Baltimore }
ED LOCATION Tunnel beneath Howard Street from Mt. Royal Station to
' .. \
STREET & 'NUMBER Camden Sta ti.on - :Power House - Bet . Montgomery and
CITY, TOWN
STATE
Henrietta west side of Howard - NOTFOR PUBLICATION
Baltimore ·VICINITY OF CODE
Maryland 24
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Sey en th. COUNTY
Baltimore City CODE 510
CLASSIFICATION
CATEG ORY
_DISTRICT ..XBUILDING(S)
:X..STRUCTURE _SITE _ OBJECT
OWNERSHIP STATUS
_PUBLIC ..X OCCUPIED XPRIVATE ~NOCCUPIED _ BOTH _ WORK IN PROGRESS
PU B LI C A CQU ISITIO N ACCESSIBLE
_IN PROCESS _ YES: RESTRICTED _ BEING CONSIDERED _YES: UNRESTRICTED
LNO
PRESENT USE
-AGRICULTURE _ MUSEUM _ COMMERCIAL _PARK _ EDUCATIONAL _ PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT _ RELIGIOUS _ GOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL ~TRANSPORTATION _ MILITARY X-OTHER:Tu.nnel
llJOWNER OF PROPERTY NAME
Baltimore & Ohio and Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Companies STREET & NUMBER
Bal timore and Cha,rles Streets
CITY. TOWN Baltimore _ VICINITY OF
STATE Maryland
1:1LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEOS;ETC. Balti.roore City Courthouse STREET & NUMBER
Calvert and Lexington Streets CITY. TOWN STATE
Baltimo~e Maryl and
Iii REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE
Maryland Register o~ lfistoric Sites and Landmarks DATE
l 970 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS
CITY. TOWN
_ FEDERAL )E-STATE _ COUNTY _LOCAL
Maryland Historical Trust .Annapolis Maryl cM.~E21401
1 MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES
"The Baltimore Belt Ra,+:lroqd • 11 Engineering News . XXVI (December J.2 , 1891), 557-559 ; (.December J.9 , l89l), 585-587 .
"The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Tunnel at Baltimore ." Scientific American Supplement . Vol. XL (August 10 , 1895), 16346-16348.
See conti~uation sheet #4
ll!]GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMI NA TEO PROPERTY ___ ..:::S'--1.'-"5,.,__,a .... c~r_,_e"""~ UTM REFERENCES
VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION
sQJLJ ZONE
D~
Two non~contP"i.uop~ ~t~uctu~es-, the ff0wa.~d Street Tunnel and the Belt ·:R,a,i:_lroa,d )?OW~fiou~ ;(Opt) t5.e $·~e ; tfie oounda,z-j:.es o~ the sS:te a,;r;e the J?b¥'$·tcal d~ens-t:ons ot the$e two structm:;es,
LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COU NTY BOUNDARIES
STATE CODE COUNTY CODE
STATE CODE COUNTY CODE
m FORM PREPARED BY NAME/TITLE
Nancy Miller , Historian/revised Steven Levy Nov . 1976 DATE ORGANIZATION
Maryland Historical Trust Aug . 17, 1972 STREET & NUMBER
21 State Circle TELEPHONE
301-269-2212 CITY OR TOWN STATE
Annapolis Maryl and 21401
!ESTATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN TH E STATE IS:
NATIONAL _ STATE _ _ LOCAL
As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 8 9-665). I
hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the
criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service.
STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE
TITLE DATE
GPO 89
. (i!DESCRIPTION (3 - 1'1
COND ITION CHECK ONE C HECK ONE
_ EXCELLENT .X..DETERIORATEO J;:>o~hou :?€-UNALTERED .z ...2bRIGINAL SITE
z.GOOD Tunnel _ FAIR
_ RUINS .-ALTERED _ MOVED DATE __ _
_ UNEXPOSED
DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
The Howard Street Tunnel provides for an underground rail connection beneath Howard Street between the Mount Royal and Camden Stations of the Baltimore and Ohio ~ailroad . The tunnel measures 7,341 feet in length and 21 feet in height and 29 feet in width , and is· placed between 50 and 65 feet below grade. Fifty-nine hundred feet of the side walls are constructed of brick; the remainder of the side walls and the portals are built of cut stone . Iron rings shaped to conform to the tunnel arch were used as centerings in the construction of the structure . The roof is shaped in an inverted arch and the flooring is a flat reverse arch providing additional strength to the side walls. Originally hous·ing a double track, the tunnel now contains a single track> built at an 0.8% upgrade from Camden Station , and is still in use today .
Located adjacent to the line near South Howard between Montgomery and Henrietta Streets , the Belt Railroad Powerhouse originally housed the generators which powered the General Electric locomotives used to tow northbound trains through the tunnel . The powerhouse was originally fitted with five E.~ . Allis 500 KW engine-generators plus several l ighting dynamos.
The Powerhouse is an exceptionally tall , one-story L-shaped brick building with a slate gable roof . There are pent roofs extending the length of the north and south gable ends . The building is 21 bays from north to south. The bulk of the structure is two bays wide , except for the southern end which is three bays wide . This section original l y housed the generator ' s boil ers . The north west corner of the building appears to have been truncated . The building has a simple brick cornice and a stepped brick watertable . The windows and doorways have brick rel ieving arches. Each bay is enclosed by a set of brick piers on either side . Above, they are enclosed by corbel ling.
In l9l4 , the building ceased to be used as a powerhouse . It was then converted into a car and locomotive shop . Since circa 1971, the building has stood vacant . The interior space is unpart i tioned , a nd is open to the steel roo f trussing . The floor is covered with wooden planking and contains a work pit .
The north end of the building , especially the roof and trussing has been damaged b y f i re . The doors , most of the windows and t he north e nd of the roof are open to the e l ements . There is a mode r n, one-story , rectangular cinder b l ock addi tion built onto the western side of t he buildin g . It is six bays long , one bay wide a nd fla t roofed . 1
SIGNIFICANCE
PERIOD AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW
_ PREHISTORIC -ARCHEOLUGY· PREHISTORIC _ COMMUNITY PLANNING _ LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _ RELIGION
_ 1400· 1499 -ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC _ CONSERVATION _ LAW _:_SCIENCE
_1500-1599 -AGRICULTURE _ ECONOMICS - LITERATURE _ SCULPTURE
_1600-1699 -ARCHITECTURE _ EDUCATION _ MILITARY _SOCIAL/HU MANITARIAN
_ 1700-1799 _ART ..XENGINEERING _ MUSIC _THEATER
:X..1800-1899 _COMMERCE _EXPLORATION/ SEITLEMENT _ PHILOSOPHY -~RANSPORTATION _ 1900· _COMMUNICATIONS _ INDUSTRY _ POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _ OTHER (SPECIFY)
_ INVENTION
SPECIFIC OATES BUILDER/ARCHrTECT
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
The Howard Street Tunnel is a monument in the history of American engineering . The construction of a 7 , 341-foot tunnel through soft ground under a busy s treet , and the innovational use of electricity for ill umination and for powering the tunnel locomotives, represent an outstanding accomplishment for its time .
"When the Baltimore & Ohio ' s Philadelphia Branch from Balti more to Philadelphia (and by affiliated lines to Jersey City} was completed in 1886 , there was no rail connection between it and the railroad ' s main lines from the south and west terminating at Camden Station , Baltimore . All freight and passenger business through Baltimore was carried by ferry across the harbor between Locust Point and Canton, with enormous inconvenie nce and delay .
To connect these two elements of its system, the B & 0 constructed the Baltimore Belt Railroad , extending about eight miles from Bay View Junction (Orangeville} in north east Baltimore , along the (then} northern edge of the city to Camden Station downtown . The project included eight minor tunnels carrying the double- track l ~ne under principal thoroughfares , and the Howard Street Tunnel . Thi s , the last completed , was a major work - - among the longest soft- ground tunnels in the U. S . at the time . It extended from Mount Royal Station , the railroad ' s new u~town depot and part of the scheme , south to Camden Station . "
"The growth of the city had eliminated the possibil ity of an above ground track , necessitating the building of a tunnel . Constructed in soft ground using the ' German Method' with small side drifts , a top drift , and then opened up to ful l bore , no shiel d or compressed air was used . The tunnel, t he largest of 176 tunnels on the Chessie system (Baltimore & Ohio , Chesapeake & Ohio , Western Maryland} was worked from the ends and sever a l i ntermediate shafts . tn the course of the work the Bal timore City College at Centre Street was undermined , and compl etel y reb uil t by the contractor. " 3
See continuation sheet #2
Form No. 10-300a (Rev 10-74)
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF T HE I NTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY-- NOMINATION FORM
FOR NPS USE ONLY
RECEIVED
DATE ENTERED
Howard Street Baltimore Maryland
Tunnel and Power House
CONTINU ATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 7 PAGE 1
Description (continued)
1Material for description taken from "Some - Industrial Archaeology of the Monumental city and Environs " (Society for Industrial Archaeology, Robert Vogel , Editor , 1975) and National Register for Historic Places Nomination June 2, 1973, for the Howard Street Tunnel , by Nancy Miller , Historian for the Maryland Historical Trust •
• [ J
. . '
Form No l0-300a tRev 10- 74)
U N ITl::.D ST ATES Dl::.PAIU MENT 01- THI:. I NTl·. R IOR NA rlONAL PARK SERVICE
NATIONAL REGISTER OF IDSTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM
FOR NPS USE ONLY
RECEIVED
DATE ENTERED
Howard Street Baltimore Maryland
Tunnel and Power House
CONTINUATION SHE ET ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 2
Statement of Significance (continued)
"The tunnel was constructed beneath one of Baltimore ' s busiest streets; through relatively soft gravel with the everpresent threat of water seepage , hidden underground streams and patches of quicksand . The City of Baltimore placed restrictions on the construction which limited the length of uncompl eted tunnel sections and insisted that no uncomple ted sections be contiguous . The city 's fears proved groundless , for no buildings were injured by the tunnel construction . Even the street car line remained undisturbed. 11 4
"Significantly , it was decided to employ electric traction on the ' Belt Line ', imperative because the Howard Street tunnel's l e ngth and the comme rcial area above it made it i mpossible to ventilate . Wo rse, the entire line , including the tunnel , was on an 0.8% upgrade from Camden Station; had ste am locomotives be en used , they would have been working heavily and smokily on nor thbound trains.
This was the world ' s first app l ication of electric traction in mainline rail road service . Northbound trains were towed , their locomotives dead , by heavy General El ectric locomotives , 5 designed by the Company especially for the Howard Street Tunnel . Five E . P . Allis 5 00 KW engine-generators housed in a powerhouse erected for that purpose powered the locomotives . Southbound trains were able to coast down to Camden . Several dynamos also located in the powerhouse provided illumination fo~ the tunnel another innovative achievement ." 5
"Samuel Rea was the Chief Engineer of t h e tunnel. A native of Pennsylvania , he previously had worked on the Ne w York tunnel extension of the Pennsyl vania Railroad and on the Hell Gate Bridge of the New York Connecting Railroad .
Construction of the tunnel began in l890. On May l, 1895, the first passenger train passed through it. 11 6
See continuation sheet #3
Form No. 10-300& (Rev. 10- 74)
UN ITl:.D STATES DEPARTM ENT 01-THE INH :RIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
NATIONAL REGISTER OF IIlSTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM
FOR NPS USE ONLY
RECEIVED
DATE ENTERED
Howard Street Tunnel and Power House Baltimore Maryland
CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 3
Statement of Significance (continued)
1National Register for Historical Places Nomination for the Howard Street Tunnel June 2, 1973 , Nancy Miller, Historian, Maryland Historical Trust.
211 Some Industrial Archaeology of the Monumental City and Environs " (Society for Industrial Archaeology , Robert.Vogel, Editor , 1975)
3Ibid
4Miller
5vogel
Form No. 10-300a (Rev. 10- 741
UN ITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY --NOMINATION FORM
FOR NPS use ONLY
RECEIVED
DATE ENTERED
Howard Street Tunnel and Power House Baltimore ,
CONTINUATION SHEET Maryland ITEM NUMBER 9 PAGE 4
MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES (continued)
Hungerford , Edward. The Story of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. 2 vols . New York: G. Putnam;s Sons , 1928 .
" Some Industrial Archaeol ogy of the Monumental City and Environs " (Society for Industrial Archaeology) Robert Vogel , Editor , 1975.
"National Register for Historic Places Nomination for the Howard Street Tunnel," June 2, 1 973 , Nancy Miller , Historian , Maryland Historical Trust .
) ) )
)
(b -- "1°1 Baltinore Belt Railroad U.S .G.S. 7.5 ' Balt.im:>re East 1 : 2000 U'IM A 18 360450 4351970
:a: ::ur 31ill48a 438'7900 c 18 360070 438780 D 18 360090 4351970
- 4' - 0