The Start of Construction on Canada’s Connaught Tunnel

April 2, 1914

In Canada, construction began on the Connaught Tunnel under Rogers Pass in the Selkirk Mountains in southeastern British Columbia. This tunnel carries the Canadian Pacific Railway main between Calgary, Alberta, and Revelstoke, British Columbia, and was built to replace the railroad’s previous routing over the sometimes hazardous Rogers Pass. 

The tunnel – measuring five miles (8.2 kilometers) in length — was named in honor of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, who served as the Governor General of Canada at that time. The Connaught Tunnel was completed ahead of schedule, and it opened for use starting in December 1916. 

At the time of its debut, this structure was the longest railway tunnel in North America. The Connaught Tunnel was inducted into the North America Railway Hall of Fame in 2001 in recognition of its significant contributions to the railway industry.

For more information on the Connaught Tunnel, please check out Connaught Tunnel – Wikipedia and Old Time Trains (trainweb.org)