Have you ever seen the infamous Moffat Tunnel? Located in Rollinsville, Colorado, the Moffat Tunnel features a 6.2 mile railroad and water tunnel that passes through the Continental Divide. It gave an array of opportunities for the natives in the area. Such as, saving around 173 miles of traveling from Denver to Salt Lake City. This tunnel featured a newer construction concept for pilot bores. Apart of the Moffat Tunnel, there is the East Portal and the West Portal, a couple of the access points.
The Building of the Moffat Tunnel
At an elevation of 9,200 feet, the Moffat tunnel united the slopes of the eastern and western of the Rocky Mountains. It is also 2,800 feet below the surface. Roughly around 800 men worked for about 3.5 years, which resulted in them having to move around 3 billion pounds of loose and hard rocks.
Did you know, it cost around $18 million to build the tunnel? This is because it was extremely difficult to excavate through all of the loose rocks. This lead to high labor needs, unexpected complications, and more engineering solutions. As a result of this, the Moffat Tunnel became the only working rail tunnel that the state-owned.
History of the Moffat Tunnel
This Colorado railroad got its name from the pioneer, David Moffat. Finished in February of 1928, the Moffat Tunnel had many challenges. On January 16th, 1925, a cave-in had occurred. This caused a significant disruption to the building process.
The ground was geologically soft-formed, and with some of the workers drilling into the ground, many timbers and braces were forced out. This filled the tunnel so much that it took about a week to remove all the fallen debris. Luckily, no one was injured. With the cave-in, the workers became immensely pressured due to the terrain. Some areas were so critical that they had to have double-timers to make sure everything was stabilized.
After all of the pressures of the terrain, the financial pressures started to arise. Having to double the timbers, made construction costs go up. This partially caused a financial shortfall that seemed unavoidable. More than half of the funding for the Tunnel had already been spent, leaving only a third being completed.
Despite the challenges, there was caution. Around a quarter of the funding was invested in campsites and construction plants. This was needed to continue operations for the duration of the building process.
January 22nd, these challenges took a tragic turn. Another cave-in had occurred and took the life of a 34-year-old mucker, Joseph Grusser. At around 6,150 feet from the entrance of the tunnel, it was reported to be the most dangerous spot. As Grusser and several other workers were placing some of the props at the face of the tunnel, they had heard “a series of explosive cracks in the rock.” The other workers had escaped in time, but Grusser was buried below tons of rock as he had turned to escape. The ones who had escaped, worked for hours to try and recover his body. As the construction pushed forward, the workers still remembered the incident of Grusser, and had remained extremely cautious.
The East Portal
About 50 miles west of Denver is the East Portal. This portal is 1 of 2 access points for the Moffat Tunnel. Unique for the remaining Camp Cabins. One of the main trails you can explore is the East Portal Trailhead. In this area of the Moffat Tunnel, you not only have trails you can hike, but there are also areas for you to fish and camp. You can even go on a few of the trails on horseback!
The West Portal
The West Portal gave travelers an idea of what it was like back in the day. For example, it gives you a glimpse of its region’s rich history. It also gives you many breathtaking views of all the surrounding mountains as well! In the winter, the West Portal is a popular location for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. This is because they receive an abundance of snow, making it the base of the Winter Park Ski Resort.
What To Know Before Going
Before going to see the Moffat Tunnel, here are a few things you should know. The tunnel portals, East and West, are the only access points. You are not able to drive through it as it is only used for rail traffic. The Tunnel averages about 15 trains per day. For instance, the California Zephyr uses the Moffat Tunnel for cross-country passengers.
Many travelers also suggest looking into the Tunnels history before visiting. This helps you gain a better understanding of the area. For example, learning the building of the Moffat Tunnel, and why it became very well known today. Or even learning the costs of building it. Sometimes learning the history of the Tunnel makes the experience more exciting.
Lastly, doing virtual tours may give you an idea of what the area looks like or even the tunnel itself. Making it more convincing to check it out in person. There are many pictures and videos of other travelers that have been posted that you can take a look at as well.
Touring The Moffat Tunnel
Touring the Moffat Tunnel gives the history of railroad engineering. The tunnel is known as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. During its time, it represented a pioneering achievement. Touring in person also gives you the scene of how complex the construction process was. You can observe some trains traveling through the tunnel as well, giving you a unique perspective.
Interested in learning some railroad history, you can book a tour with us! Utah Luxury Tours offers a wide variety of tours for you and your whole family to check out. To book a tour to check out the Moffat Tunnel in person, you can reach out through our “Contact” page, or you can call us at (435) 940-4212. Or for more inquiries on some more tours that we offer outside of train rides, you can also email us at quoterequest@utahluxurytours.com.
