When railroad tracks were first laid along the New River, a number of tunnels had to be dug. These two are the earliest, dating back to 1883. They are no longer in use, having been abandoned somewhere around 1905. Now, trains pass through a pair of newer tunnels nearby, which are larger and makes less sharp of a curve.

The tunnels are each about 3/16 of a mile long, and make a pretty sharp curve. They were carved by hand through solid limestone. They resemble caves on the inside, as much of the limestone has been eroded by groundwater into cave-like formations. The first tunnel is in decent shape, but the second tunnel has three cave-ins. The first two cave-ins are relatively small, but the third is substantial, and blocks the entire tunnel from floor to ceiling. All three cave-ins have associated sinkholes in the mountainside above.

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