Howdy folks, just got back from a trip to St. Louis. I heard the Meramec Highlands depot was for sale so I wanted to see it and the old tunnel. I tried to locate the old site about 8 years ago but was looking in the wrong place, about a mile to the east. That was before Terra Server and the internet so this time I had real good information to go on. I'm happy to say I have all good news. The depot was purchased and is being remodeled. It is at the end of Barberry off of Big Bend Road. From there a road has been built westward along the north side of the tracks where they are building expensive houses. At the end of the road is a circle with a sign "Old Tunnel Hiking Trail", I think. I will have to wait until I get the photographs back next Tuesday. You can walk right up to the east portal, approximately about 500'. They did a real good job clearing out the brush and cleaning it up. The only bad news is the tunnel has been filled with rock and debris and was closed off, so there is no way to walk thru it. There is only about 3-foot between the debris and the top of the tunnel. The approach has also been filled in with wood chips and leveled out with the new road so when you walk up to the tunnel only about the top 10-feet are showing. I don't know if they are going to gate off the new new road, it looks like an exclusive community. So if you ever wanted to see the old Meramec Highlands Tunnel now is your chance. Morning photos would be the best! Roger
This is the entrance to the hiking trail at the end of the street. Looking northwest. Photograph dated 1/11/2006.
Looking east at the entrance of the hiking trail 1/11/2006. You can see the expensive homes that are being built on the old main line right-of-way.
Here is what the east portal of the tunnel looks like at the entrance of the hiking trail 1/11/2006. The cut has been filled with wood chips so it is a real easy walk. See what I mean when morning shots are the best.
The tunnel has been filled with debris so walking thru is impossible. I couldn't imagine anybody crawling over all that junk with all those snakes & bats.
The west portal is in there somewhere. If anybody wants to see it bring a chainsaw. The Frisco Museum magazine published a photo of this location after the tunnel was bypassed with the double tracking from Lindenwood-Valley Park in 1922.
Here are pictures I took today at the Meramec Highlands Tunnel. The lady of the house on the left from the street was very nice and assured me that the pathway was Kirkwood City Park property.
This is my speculation, only, but the fill could be intended as a deterrent to people going into the potentially dangerous confined space. Of course, the crawl-space at the top of the fill only worsens the problem. Former owners did use it for mushroom culture, according to one write-up, but the photos show way too much stuff in there. This is another reason to get out in the community, put my ear to the ground and ask a few questions.
