Great Northern Tunnel

{{short description|Rail tunnel in Seattle, Washington, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox tunnel

|name = Great Northern Tunnel

|image = {{Photomontage

|photo1a = Great Northern Tunnel - North Portal.jpg

|photo2a = Great Northern Tunnel - South Portal.jpg

|size = 200

|spacing = 2

|color = transparent

|border = 0 }}

|caption = North and South Portals of the tunnel

|line = Scenic Subdivision

|location = Seattle, Washington

|coordinates = {{coord|47.604|N|122.333|W|display=inline,title|region:US-WA}}

|system = Amtrak Empire Builder
Amtrak Cascades
Sounder commuter rail
Northern Transcon

|status = Active

|start =

|end =

|stations =

|opened = 1905

|close =

|owner = BNSF
Burlington Northern Railroad (1970-1995)
Great Northern Railway (original)

|operator = BNSF

|character = passenger, freight

|linelength = {{convert|5141|ft}}{{citation |title=Tunneling in Seattle: A History of Innovation |first1=Robert A. |last1=Robinson |first2=Edward |last2=Cox |first3=Martin |last3=Dirks |url=http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/filesDB-download.php?command=download&id=3901 |accessdate=2012-12-16 |publisher=North American Tunnelling Conference, Seattle, Wash. |date=2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100406143536/http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/filesDB-download.php?command=download&id=3901 |archive-date=April 6, 2010}}

|tracklength =

|notrack = 2

|gauge = {{RailGauge|ussg}} (standard gauge)

|el =

|speed =

|hielevation =

|lowelevation=

|height = {{convert|28|ft|m}}

|grade =

|}}

The Great Northern Tunnel is a {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} double-tracked railway tunnel under downtown Seattle, Washington, completed by the Great Northern Railway in 1905, and now owned by the BNSF Railway, on its Scenic Subdivision. At the time it was built, it was the tallest and widest tunnel in the United States, at {{convert|28|ft|m}} high and {{convert|30|ft|m}} wide.{{cite web|url=http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=4029|title=Great Northern Tunnel — Seattle (essay #4029)|author=Daryl C. McClary|publisher=HistoryLink|date=November 27, 2002 |access-date=2007-12-07}}

The southern portal is just north of King Street Station, and the northern in Victor Steinbrueck Park, between Virginia and Pine Streets. The Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel passes four feet below the Great Northern Tunnel.{{cite web|url=http://metro.kingcounty.gov/tops/tunnel/ts-pioneer.html|title=Pioneer Square Station-the Pioneering Spirit|publisher=King County Metro|date=April 15, 2008 |access-date=2008-05-10}}

File:Great Northern Tunnel - Plaque.jpg

Freight and passenger trains use the tunnel, including Amtrak service to Chicago (the Empire Builder) and Vancouver, B.C. (Cascades), and Sound Transit's Seattle–Everett Sounder commuter rail service.

File:Seattle - South Portal of train tunnel 01.jpg