If you’ve ever ridden Amtrak’s Empire Builder, you’ve probably passed through the Flathead Tunnel. At seven miles in length, it’s tough to miss, and about 50 freight trains travel through it every day (in addition to the Empire Builder). And believe it or not, this tunnel actually plays an important role in Montana’s railroad history.

The Flathead Tunnel is located about 28 miles west of Whitefish.
David Wilson / Flickr
At seven miles long, it's the second longest railroad tunnel in the country. The first is the Cascade Tunnel in Western Washington, which is almost eight miles long.
When the Libby Dam was constructed in 1966, the Burlington Northern Railroad was required to relocate some of their tracks.
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This resulted in the relocation of an entire town, Rexford, from the Kootenai River to its current location 10 miles west of Eureka. Construction also soon began on a new tunnel.

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The tunnel was finished in 1970. And because of its extreme length, a special ventilation system had to be installed.
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The ventilation system is used to clear locomotive exhaust between each train, which can currently take between 10 and 20 minutes before it's safe for employees and passengers. If there's a power outage in the area, it can take much longer.
To combat this issue, the BNSF Railway announced their plan to renovate this year.
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They'll be installing a 2,000-kilowatt backup generator at the tunnel that will help prevent delays. This will definitely help keep things running smoothly. Since the Empire Builder passes through twice a day, this could put smiles on a lot of passengers' faces.

 

Have you ever been through Montana’s longest tunnel? Scott Hiddelston’s YouTube video shows the entrance from both sides.

If walking through tunnels are more your style, check out Glacier National Park’s Ptarmigan Tunnel.

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