Work began on November 21, 1831, and often occurred during inclement conditions. The men were paid $13 per month plus room and board for 12-hour days, 6 days per week. Workers chipped and blasted of solid rock to make the tunnel. Approximately of bedrock was removed using
black powder blasting. This was done by drilling -long holes and packing them with powder. Drilling one typical hole took up to three hours of hard effort using a three-man crew. Nine to ten holes, each in diameter and in length, were made before blasting. of explosive powder wrapped in paper was pushed into each hole, tamped down, punctured with a sharp needle, and a fuse added. Fuses were lit with explosions to occur at mealtime. Workers would eat while the dust settled; then get to work cleaning (mucking) the tunnel. Of the 36-inch hole drilled only , or half of the hole, was blasted. After a few years of operation, the Allegheny Portage Railroad, including the tunnel, was sold to the
Pennsylvania Railroad in 1857. ==After the Portage==