The Connaught Tunnel runs for five miles directly under the summit of Mount Macdonald and was opened in 1916. Originally it had two tracks but with the introduction of larger trains, the track had to be moved closer to the centre line. Because of leakage of grain from many of the grain cars using the tunnel, bears became a problem on the track. This tunnel was finished in 39 months by crews using compressed air hand drills and jackleg drills.

photo courtesy of Roger Steed - Canadian Pacific in the Selkirks

This is the east entrance or portal to the Macdonald Tunnel

photos courtesy of Roger Steed - Canadian Pacific in the Selkirks

The tunnel is fully instrumented to monitor the exact position of a train as well as the ventilation conditions.

Both the Macdonald Tunnel and the Mr. Shaughnessy Tunnel are lighted with high pressure sodium lights. Because the lights are on continuously, grain which has been spilled from passing trains has been found to sprout and grow to a height of 3 or 4 inches.

photo CP Rail E 6484-5 (courtesy of Jan Booth - Canadian Pacific in the Selkirks)

The Mount Shaughnessy Tunnel allows the Macdonald Track to pass under the Trans Canada Highway. It is only 1.14 miles long. The west end of the tunnel had to be reinforced with steel and concrete because the rock was too soft and brittle. The walls of the remainder of the tunnel only has a lining of sprayed concrete.

photo courtesy of Roger Steed - Canadian Pacific in the Selkirks

The Spiral Tunnels were CP's first attempt to halving the grade by doubling the mileage and they achieved this in 1909 by building the two tunnels and reducing the grade from 4.5% to 2.2%. In this shot, the eastbound train has traversed the Lower Tunnel and is now facing west. It will continue its climb across the Kicking Horse River, through Yoho to the Upper Spiral and then head east to the Continental Divide.

Lower Spiral Tunnel. - With the upper track crossing about 50 feet above the lower entrance, it is possible to see both ends of a train at the same time.

photo by Nicholas Morant - Canadian Pacific Corporate Archives (courtesy of D. Bain - Canadian Pacific in the Rockies)