The Staple Bend Tunnel, built in 1833 as part of the Allegheny Portage Railroad, was the first railroad tunnel in the United States and the third tunnel of any kind built in the country. Located approximately four miles east of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, within what is now the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, the tunnel is a significant artifact of early American industrial development. Its arched sandstone portals represent the masonry craftsmanship of the early 19th century.
Years of disuse and vandalism had left the tunnel portals in deteriorated condition. The National Park Service undertook a restoration program to stabilize and preserve the structure as part of the Main Line project, a planned biking and walking trail intended to run from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg following the route of the old Pennsylvania Main Line of Public Works.
Scope of Work
Graciano Corporation was engaged to restore both portals of the Staple Bend Tunnel following strict Historic Landmark guidelines as administered by the National Park Service. The work required careful attention to historic fabric, matching original sandstone materials, and using conservation-appropriate repair methods throughout.
Services Performed
- Cleaning of sandstone portal surfaces at both tunnel entrances
- Patching of deteriorated stone using Jahn repair mortar
- Resetting of displaced stone throughout the arched portal liners
- Installation of stone Dutchman repairs to cap stones
- Rebuilding of dry-laid sandstone retaining walls using salvaged material from existing walls
- Construction of new sandstone retaining wall at the east portal
- All work performed in compliance with National Park Service standards and Historic Landmark guidelines
Historic Context
The Allegheny Portage Railroad was an engineering marvel of the 1830s, using a series of inclined planes and stationary steam engines to carry canal boats over the Allegheny Mountains at a time when a continuous water route was not possible. The Staple Bend Tunnel -- 901 feet long and cut through solid rock -- allowed the railroad to bypass a section of difficult terrain, and its construction represented the state of the art in American civil engineering at the time.
Restoring both portals required Graciano's team to work within a remote, wooded site with limited vehicle access, carefully sequencing material deliveries and staging to protect the surrounding landscape and the National Historic Site. The sandstone retaining wall construction at the east portal added new infrastructure that matched the character and scale of the original 1830s masonry.
Recognition
The Staple Bend Tunnel restoration earned Graciano Corporation a Special Recognition Golden Trowel Award from the International Masonry Institute (IMI), recognizing exceptional achievement in masonry craftsmanship and restoration technique.
About Graciano Corporation
Founded in 1916, Graciano Corporation is one of the oldest and most experienced masonry and concrete restoration firms in the United States. With offices in Pittsburgh PA, New York NY, and Florida, Graciano has a long record of historic restoration work for the National Park Service, state and municipal landmark agencies, and private institutions. Approximately 90% of all labor is self-performed. Graciano is a WBENC-certified Woman Business Enterprise.