Another one of my side trips this weekend with my folks was to a place in Walhalla, South Carolina called Stumphouse Mountain. Basically this is where a railroad tunnel was being built through a solid granite mountain way back before the Civil War. Here is an excerpt from a website about the Stumphouse Tunnel... Click here for the website link.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Stumphouse Tunnel Park

“Located about 7 miles northwest of Walhalla on Hyw 28, the 1,617 foot long Stumphouse Tunnel is an oddity. Started in 1852 to connect Charleston to Knoxville and eventually on to Cincinnati, the Civil War—and lack of funds—brought construction to a halt. While there were various efforts by the Blue Ridge Railroad to revive the tunnel, none of them came to pass and it stands today as a monument to the efforts of pre-Civil War engineering. The tunnel measures 17 feet wide by 25 feet high and about mid-way in, there is a 16 x 20 foot airshaft that extends 60 feet upwards to the surface, causing a consistent cool breeze to flow out of the tunnel, a welcome treat in mid-summer. It also produces condensation and the tunnel is usually wet.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I was pretty amazed at how tall the tunnel was but also how dark it was inside. I had a D3s with me and a 24-70mm lens and decided to see how good the low light capabilities were with this new camera. Boy, was I amazed. The interior shots were in almost no light, handheld at ISO 12800. Incredible! I did absolutely nothing to these images. They are straight out of the camera! You gotta love technology!