Moffat Tunnel West Portal - Winter Park Village, CO
N 39° 53.241 W 105° 45.649
13S E 434950 N 4415532
The Moffat Tunnel is a Railroad and water tunnel that cuts through the Continental Divide in North-Central Colorado.
Waymark Code: WMWE3Z
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 08/21/2017
Views: 0
Plaque Reads:
HERE, AT AN ELEVATION OF 9,044 FEET, IS THE WEST
PORTAL OF THE MOFFAT TUNNEL, WITH AN APEX ELEVATION
OF 9.239 FEET, THIS TUNNEL RUNS 6.2 MILES THROUGH THE
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE, UNDER JAMES PEAK, THE RAILROAD
BORE IS 21 X 16 FEET, THE PIONEER OR WATER BORE 8 FEET
IN DIAMETER. WITH THE DOTSERO CUT-OFF, THE MOFFAT
TUNNEL REDUCED THE RAIL ROUTE OVER THE DIVIDE BY 23
MILES IN DISTANCE AND 2,421 FEET IN ALTITUDE. IT CUT
THE RAIL DISTANCE BETWEEN DENVER AND SALT LAKE CITY
BY 175 MILES AND PUT DENVER FOR THE FIRST TIME ON A
TRANSCONTINENTAL RAIL LINE. WHEN AS ASSESSMENT DISTRICT
EXTENDING FROM DENVER TO CRAIG AGREED TO TAX
ITSELF FOR THE PURPOSE. THE TUNNEL WAS BEGUN, IN
1923. IT WAS HOLED THROUGH FEBRUARY 12, 1927. THE FIRST
TRAIN TROUGH THE TUNNEL EMERGED FROM THIS PORTAL
FEBRUARY 26, 1928. COST OF CONSTRUCTING THE TUNNEL
WAS 18 MILLION DOLLARS. ITS NAME HONORS DAVID H. MOFFAT,
FOUNDER OF THE DENVER & SALT LAKE LINE. MOFFAT DIED
BEFORE THE TUNNEL WAS BUILT, BUT HIS VISION INSPIRED
THE ARMY OF ENGINEERS, CONTRACTORS AND WORKMEN IN
THEIR HISTORIC BATTLE AGAINST UNDERGROUND RIVERS AND
A TIDE OF MOVING ROCK.
This marker is located above the West Portal of the Moffat Tunnel just off Highway 40. There is plenty of room to pull off.
Group or Groups Responsible for Placement:
Erected By
The State Historical Society of Colorado
From
The Mrs. J.N. Hall Foundation
and by
The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
County or City: Winter Park Village
Date Dedicated: 1959
Check here for Web link(s) for additional information: [Web Link]
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