Glenbrook Tunnel, Railway tunnel in Blue Mountains, Australia
Glenbrook Tunnel is a railway passage carved through the Blue Mountains with an distinctive S-shaped curve inside. The tunnel measures 660 meters long and features brick walls with cement coating throughout.
Construction took place between 1891 and 1892 as part of the Main Western Line. A new double-track tunnel replaced this route in 1913 when rail traffic increased.
The tunnel represents an example of late 19th-century railway engineering and received recognition on the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2011.
Safety alcoves are set into the walls roughly 48 meters apart to let railway workers step aside from passing trains. These recessed spaces remain visible today and show how the tunnel was designed for worker protection.
During World War II the Royal Australian Air Force stored mustard gas inside the tunnel as a defensive precaution. This military use shows how the old railway structure became critical for the nation's security.
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