Tunnelton – Railroad History, Rail Trail and Viaduct

Tunnelton in West Virginia is a destination for anyone who wants to combine outdoor activity with railroad history. The town carries its past in its name: Tunnelton received its name because of its location at the eastern end of the Kingwood Tunnel of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Today, a rail trail, historic railroad architecture and prominent structures such as the Tray Run Viaduct come together here. If you are looking for more than just a place to stay for your trip and instead have a specific theme in mind, Tunnelton offers an unusually wide range of points of interest for it.

Rail Trail and Outdoor Activity in Tunnelton

The WV Northern Rail-Trail Corridor is a 10-mile rail trail that connects communities along the route between Kingwood and Tunnelton. In Tunnelton, a southern, unconnected section of the WV Northern Rail-Trail is also open. This distinction is important when planning your day, because the corridor and the section in town do not automatically form one continuous route. At the Tunnelton end, the first mile of the rail trail has been newly resurfaced.

Another option for outdoor activity is Tunnelton Trailhead Park. It has a 5-km fitness trail. Depending on your preferred pace of travel, you can therefore choose between a longer rail trail route and a shorter fitness option. This can make your stay varied, especially when different interests come together in your travel group, without requiring every day to have the same focus.

Train Station, Museum and Railroad Architecture

The Tunnelton Railroad Depot is located in Tunnelton, West Virginia, between the main line of CSX Railroad and Boswell Street. The depot is considered an exceptional example of early 20th-century railroad architecture. It is also historically significant because of its role as a transportation center, which influenced the development and growth of Tunnelton and much of Preston County, West Virginia.

The Tunnelton Train Depot Museum is a beautifully restored train station dating from 1912. It once served as a heavily used stop on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. The museum displays artifacts from that earlier period, when passengers, freight and U.S. mail were handled there. The Tunnelton Train Depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For travelers interested in culture, this provides insight into the railroad's former role without limiting the history to a single building.

The railroad tradition is also visible at Tunnelton Trailhead Park. The old railroad pump house and maintenance buildings were painted by local residents and young people together with regional artists. This artwork adds a more recent, community-created perspective to the historic architecture.

Viaduct and Tunnel History

The Tray Run Viaduct is located along Route 72 in Tunnelton and can be viewed in late fall or early spring. The bridge is the structure depicted on the reverse side of the WV State Seal. This seasonal note is particularly useful for planning your trip if you intentionally want to include historic structures in a late-fall trip or an early-spring stay.

The Kingwood Tunnel is also part of the railroad's history. It was just under 4,100 feet long; the original Kingwood Tunnel was closed and sealed in 1962. Together with the depot, the viaduct and the rail trail, this tunnel history helps explain why Tunnelton is more than just an ordinary starting point for accommodation: The town itself tells the story of infrastructure that shaped its development.

Choose the Right Base for Your Trip

If you want to make the WV Northern Rail-Trail, the depot history and the Tray Run Viaduct the main focuses of your trip, you can specifically search for a vacation rental in Tunnelton. Your choice of accommodation can be based on your desired itinerary: outdoor activity takes center stage on the rail trail and at Trailhead Park, while the depot, museum, viaduct and tunnel history provide a cultural and historical focus. Since the trails and structures described have different characteristics, it is worth considering the respective sections and seasonal notes separately before planning your day.

For further trip planning, you can also view Kingwood and Terra Alta. This allows Tunnelton to remain the right starting point for exploring the local railroad history while you compare other destinations for your personal selection.

For the higher-level travel overview: Preston County.