Brock's Gap

This is the north portal of the L&N tunnel under Shades Mountain, built about 1908.  This line is now the CSX main line to Montgomery.

The old line of the South and North is out of the picture to the right and is shown in the photo below.

This is the location of the old line of the South and North passing over Shades Mountain looking south.  The old cut, nearly filled is at the left of center in the background of the picture.  At the crest of the mountain, South Shades Crest Road passes over the old cut, and it is completely filled in.

The Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic cut is to the right of center -- this line became the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) and later part of CSX.  This line passes through a deep cut and South Shades Crest Road passes over the cut on a short single span concrete bridge.

Today, this line is also part of the CSX main line going to Talladega, Alabama.

This is a closer view of the old cut, the line of the South and North at the crest of Shades Mountain.  It is mostly filled in, and some idea of the depth can be judged in the middle of the photo at right.