Túnel El Árbol, Historical railway tunnel in Pichilemu, Chile.
Túnel El Árbol is a railway tunnel that stretches roughly two kilometers through the mountain near Pichilemu. The passage is about six meters high and four and a half meters wide and once carried trains on the line from San Fernando to the coast.
Tunnel construction began in December 1900 and was completed after about four years, which was a significant technical achievement for the time. This connection was part of a broader effort to open up Chile's southern coast to better links with inland areas.
The tunnel was essential for connecting the coastal region with inland areas and continues to shape how people understand Chile's railway heritage today. Visitors can see the traces of this transportation revolution that once linked this remote area with larger cities.
Access to the tunnel is via the old railway line that runs between Cardonal and the former El Lingue station. The route is reachable on foot but requires reasonable fitness and appropriate footwear for the uneven ground.
The construction teams connected both tunnel sides with remarkable accuracy, with only about eight centimeters of horizontal deviation. This skilled craftsmanship was an impressive feat in the early 1900s without modern surveying technology.
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