Yet another former power distribution tunnel leftover from the days of the Twin Cities Rapid Transit company. This one leads from the former TCRT hydropower dam northwards away from the river, but is blocked and injected with concrete a few blocks away. It's unknown what, if anything, likes beyond the blockage, although there is a telephone substation in the area which could have taken over the tunnel for their purposes. Approximately half the length of the tunnel is being used for NSP co power lines. This tunnel used to have a side branch connected to the TCRT's main power plant, but that plant has been taken over by the University of Minnesota, and the U of M seems to have incorporated this side branch into their steam tunnel network. It's possible that the TCRT also had tunnels beneath the U of M campus, which would explain some of the side sandstone drifts and other oddities of the steam tunnel system. Someday I'll con some info out of the University's power plant (they're paranoid about Action Squad pwning their tunnels), and do a proper writeup on the history of the TCRT and Minneapolis Street Railway companies.

  
The tower which formerly supported high-voltage lines from the TCRT hydro dam. The lines transitioned from overhead wires to underground conduit within the tower, entering the tunnel at the base. This tower is very unstable and is not a safe entrance.

  
Some old and more recent grafitti carved in the wall, and one of the many antique Colt 45 cans lending the tunnel its name.

  
The tunnel passes over and under other systems, including the U of M steam tunnels (1st and middle photo) and the main East Bank sewer interceptor tunnel (3rd photo).
The middle photo shows the former side branch (now cemented at the side and top) leading towards the U of M power plant.

       
The NSP power feeders, which disappear into the ceiling halfway down the tunnel.

The cinderblocked end, with concrete injected behind, apparently from above. Somewhere there must have been a manhole or drill shaft, and there might be more tunnel beyond the concrete.

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