In Wayne County, West Virginia, particularly in its rural areas, lie the abandoned tunnels of the former Kenova District, Scioto Division of the Norfolk & Western Railway. This area is now part of the Norfolk Southern Railroad’s Kenova Division main line.
The Ohio Extension of the Norfolk & Western Railway began construction north of Elkhorn, West Virginia, in September 1889. Its route traced Elkhorn Creek, Tug Fork, and Twelvepole Creek. The first train to travel the entire route between Kenova and Elkhorn ran in December 1891. To manage growing traffic, the Big Sandy Low-Grade Line was opened in December 1904. This 59-mile single-track route along the Big Sandy River connected Naugatuck and Ceredo.
This line included six tunnels. Tunnel No. 5 was completed in 1906, Tunnel No. 6 in 1903, and Tunnel No. 7 in 1907. In 1925, a second track was added to the Big Sandy Line, necessitating additional tunnel bores at Tunnels No. 5 and 7. Near Tunnel No. 6, a second track was constructed following the Tug Fork valley.
Subsequent changes led to the bypassing of Tunnel No. 6. The original bores of Tunnels No. 5 and 7 were decommissioned after the second track was removed in 1954.
