College Hill Railroad Tunnel

The College Hill tunnel was built in 1920 under College Hill as a shorter route up Coal River. It is still in use today.

  The College Hill Tunnel , also called the Boxley Tunnel, was built in 1920 under College Hill as a shorter railroad route up Coal River. It is still in use today.The old R.R..route was through St. Albans and followed Coal River and was quite longer. The railroad up Coal River was built 1906 and was named the Coal River and Western Railroad. The C&O bought the railroad in 1907 and started making improvements and adding some double tracks.
   There are many stories about young people hitching a ride or walking through this tunnel to get to the swimming holes at Coal River. Further up the tracks is the Armstrong Railroad Tunnel near Riverlake Estates. It was built about the same time.

1.Ellis, Dart,. "St. Albans West Virginia, its Origin and Development". Vol. 1. St. Albans, WV. Dawson Printing, 1977. pg. 55