The Tip Top tunnel is an abandoned railroad tunnel approximatley 1,500 feet in length & located on the boundary between Magoffin & Breathitt counties..With the northern portal in southern Magoffin county,and the southern portal in eastern Breathitt county.The tunnel was approximatelty 25 feet tall by 25 feet wide,constructed in the late 1940's & was lined with steel sets & timber lagging.In 2009 the tunnel burned,damaging the rock roof,timber lagging & steel sets.Berms comprised of soil & rocks were pushed up into the tunnel portals to block the ends of the tunnel from unauthorized access.An assessment performed in the Summer of 2014 indicates there is significant debris within the tunnel resulting from fire & subseguent roof falls.photographs of the portals & interior of the tunnel are attached to this note below.
The tunnel is part of an abandoned railroad line which is to be converted to a pedestrian,equine & mountain bike corridor as part of the "Rails to Trails" program of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet..This project will involve scaling of loose material from above the portals,the cleaning out of debris (both rock & original liner) from within the tunnel & stabilizing the roof of the tunnel with rock anchors & welded mesh.Loose rock material from within the tunnel will be reused to the extent practical to construct the trail bed within the tunnel.All work wil be performed from the North portal.This project will also require the installation of electric lighting within the tunnel,the construction of wooden canopies at the North & South portals,and the construction of approximately 2,000 feet of pedestrian trail on the abandoned railroad bed leading to the North tunnel portal.
Governor Steve Beshear today announced the awarding of two contracts for the final phases of the Dawkins Line Rail Trail in eastern Kentucky – soon to be the longest trail of its kind in the Commonwealth.
One of the contracts awarded by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is for the third and final phase – construction of 9 miles of trail from Carver Tunnel in Magoffin County to a point 1 mile south of Evanston in Breathitt County. Hinkle Environmental Services LLC was awarded the contract on a low bid of $1.71 million.
Also awarded was a contract for rehabilitation of the Carver (Tip Top) Tunnel, located at the Breathitt-Magoffin county line. The project includes lighting for the tunnel, which is 0.7 mile in length. Sak Construction LLC was awarded the contract on a low bid of $5.96 million.
Both projects are scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2016. Once complete, the trail will run for 36 miles through Johnson, Magoffin and Breathitt counties.
Septemeber of 2015 work has started on the Tip Top tunnel..Dirt has been removed from the Magoffin county side & widing the area out in front of it.Cleaning out the creek along side the trail up to the tunnel & some of the brush have been removed beside of it.
