Taft Tunnel

Taft Tunnel is a railroad tunnel in the northeast United States, located in the southwest part of Lisbon, Connecticut. Completed in 1837, it was the first common carrier railroad tunnel built in the United States, though it was not used until 1839 . It is still in use in its original form.

In late November 1835, the Norwich and Worcester Railroad awarded a contract for construction of the first 8 miles of its line from Norwich, Connecticut to Jewett City, Connecticut. The most difficult section of the railroad to construct, it ran along the rocky ledges of the Quinebaug River and required a short tunnel under Bundy Hill. The tunnel was 300 feet long, 23 feet wide, and 18 feet high. It was ready for rails to be laid on August 26, 1837, and declared complete two days later. Some passenger and freight service began around September 1839, though the railroad did not officially open until March 9, 1840.

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