Oldest Railroad Tunnel: Light Show!

Brockville, Ontario

The Brockville Railway Tunnel was dug from 1854 to 1860, stretching a third of a mile beneath downtown Brockville. It was Canada's first rail tunnel, and its age is evident in its drippy, mineral-crusted curved stone walls and its tight fit. Passing through the tunnel must have been a claustrophobic nightmare for trains, but they used it until 1970.

The tunnel thereafter was boarded up and abandoned until 2017, when Brockton built parks at both ends and reopened the tunnel as a subterranean walking trail. The Brockville Railway Tunnel quickly and unexpectedly became a huge hit -- one of the top tourist attractions in Ontario -- so when it was reopened in April 2018 it was augmented with color-shifting LED lights and music. Despite these trippy trappings, the tunnel remains pedestrian-only: no bicycles, scooters, or skateboards allowed.