After the demise of the old Portage Railroad the tunnel had other uses . Neither the " new Portage " nor the Pennsylvania Railroad used the tunnel . It was instead a popular carriage route until the Johnstown Flood in 1889 . Afterward , flood damage and other concerns made the tunnel a less desirable driving spot although local residents continued to visit , and even go courting at the tunnel until the 1940s
Johnstown Flood
Johnstown Flood
Staple Bend Tunnel