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| Name | Katy Trail - Rocheport Tunnel |
| Built By | Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Missouri State Parks |
| Superstructure Contractor | R.P. McCormick & Company of Kansas City, Missouri |
| Length | 243 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 25 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Bored Tunnel With Rock and Cut Stone Portals |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry |
| Date Built | 1892 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Open to Pedestrian Traffic) |
| Current Status | Open to Pedestrian Traffic |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 6/17/2016 |
In 1872, the Tebo and Neosho Railroad Company (T&N) constructed 72 miles of new railroad line, extending from Sedalia, Missouri to Moberly, Missouri. The new line crossed the Missouri River at Boonville, using an impressive iron bridge. The T&N would be acquired by the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway (MKT) in 1873. By the late 1880s, the MKT desired to enter the St. Louis area, and the Cleveland, St. Louis & Kansas City Railway began construction on 162 miles of new railroad, extending from New Franklin, Missouri to St. Charles/Machens, Missouri in 1890. The railroad would be completed by the Missouri, Kansas & Eastern Railway in 1893, and the railroad merged into the MKT in 1896. In 1899, the Missouri Midland Railway would complete a 13-mile branch line, extending from the mainline at McBaine, Missouri to Columbia, Missouri. The branch line was sold to the MKT in 1901. This railroad formed the eastern portion of the principal mainline for the MKT, connecting St. Louis to the MKT system which had greatly expanded into Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas during the 1880s. In 1923, the MKT reorganized as the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. In 1975, the line between Fayette and Moberly would be abandoned, and the New Franklin to Fayette segment would be abandoned in 1978. The Columbia line would be abandoned in 1980, and converted to a trail in 1982. Due to the proximity to the Missouri River, the line was prone to washouts. A severe flood in 1986 damaged the line, and it was decided to not repair the line. In 1988, the MKT was merged into Union
Pacific Railroad (UP), and UP would donate the line to Missouri State Parks. The line was then converted to trail use, opening between Machens and Sedalia in 1993. Today, the Machens to Sedalia segment is part of the Katy Trail, while the Columbia branch is known as the MKT Nature Trail.
Located in Rocheport, this short tunnel carries the Katy Trail under Moniteau Bluff. Constructed in 1892 as the railroad line was constructed, the tunnel is a 243-foot long structure, blasted through rock. Work for the tunnel was contracted to the R.P. McCormick & Company of Kansas City, Missouri. The structure was originally intended to be 440 feet long, but was shortened due to the nature of the bluff. The east portal is a bare rock design, while the west portal utilizes cut stone to stabilize the portal. The walls of the tunnel are lined with cut stone, and brick has been added to portions of the ceiling at the west end to stabilize the tunnel. This tunnel is the only tunnel along the Katy Trail. It appears that the brick lining and cut stone are original to the structure. Overall, the tunnel appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. Additional repairs, such as mortaring the joints of the brick, have been made to the tunnel since construction. The author has ranked the tunnel as being moderately significant, due to the design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Railroad Gazette; Volume 24, Issue 19 |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |