Exploring an Abandoned Railroad and the Johnson Canyon Tunnel

The abandoned railroad line through Johnson Canyon and the Johnson Canyon Tunnel are largely forgotten today, but were very important in the history of the settlement of the American West.

In 1881, the cash strapped Atlantic and Pacific Railroad had a choice to make. They reached central Arizona and the western escarpment of the Colorado Plateau. With steep inclines and rugged canyons, they could either find a way through one of the canyons, or make a costly loop to the south. They chose to go through Johnson Canyon, but things didn't work out as they planned.

Having to build a tunnel, the only one on the entire line west of Albuquerque, the builders hit basalt, bringing construction to a crawl. It took nearly a year to build the Johnson Canyon Tunnel. In the mean time, a camp sprung up above the tunnel that had everything but a church or a jail. Several shootouts took place during the railroad's construction.

Shootouts weren't the only problems here. Falling rocks, fire, explosions, and train derailments plagued the line. Opened in 1882, it quickly became known as one of the most dangerous railroad's in the United States.

In this video we visit an abandoned section of Route 66, the Johnson Crater, the remains of Welch Station, follow the abandoned route of the AT&SF line, and explore the Johnson Canyon Tunnel where we find the remains of the WW2 guard shack.

Since it get's commonly asked, I drove a Subaru Crosstrek to get to this location. I would not attempt it in a sedan, some clearance is probably necessary.

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