ˈɑːbstəkəlz ɪŋklˈuːdᵻd ðə mˈʌskɪŋɡəm ɹˈɪvɚɹ æt zˈeɪnzvɪl,  ʌv ˌɛkskəvˈeɪʃən θɹuː ðə hˈɑːɹd sˈændstoʊn ʌvðə blˈækhænd ɡˈoːɹdʒ ɐlˈɔŋ ðə lˈɪkɪŋ ɹˈɪvɚ bᵻtwˌiːn zˈeɪnzvɪl ænd nˈuːɚk, ænd lˈɑːɹdʒ kwˈɔntᵻɾiz ʌv fˈɪl ænd tɹˈɛsəl wˈɜːk ɐlˈɔŋ ðə bˈɪɡ wˈɔːlnʌt kɹˈiːk.
Obstacles included the Muskingum River at Zanesville,  of excavation through the hard sandstone of the Blackhand Gorge along the Licking River between Zanesville and Newark, and large quantities of fill and trestle work along the Big Walnut Creek.