Historic Moffat Tunnel - East Portal - "Space and Budget Friendly Version"
Historic Moffat Tunnel - East Portal - "Space and Budget Friendly Version"
"Space and Budget Friendly Version" This is the Moffat Tunnels East Portal without the larger structure which includes the blower towers and motor rooms. We realize the larger structure is not in everyone's budget and many do not have room on the layout to place the entire structure. This portal provides a solution with a lower cost and space saving version of the East Portal.
NOTE: This Model is Modeled to Scale with minimum Tunnel Clearance set for "Modern Dimensions & Operations" (Table 3) as Recommended by the NMRA Recommended Practices, rev 2019.
Now you can recreate the magic of the Moffat Tunnel on your railroad layout.
Model Scenery World has modeled a detailed scale recreation of both the East & West Portals, including many of the associated structures. Future model releases will include the Water Tunnel, Pump House, Company Houses, Cabins and More!
If you have specific questions about this or any of our models, please contact us at: info@modelsceneryworld.com
Don’t miss out on your chance to own one of these detailed pieces of railroad history!
Moffat Tunnel History...
The Historic Moffat Tunnel is a railroad and water tunnel that cuts through the Continental Divide in north-central Colorado. Named after Colorado railroad pioneer David Moffat, the tunnel's first official railroad traffic passed through in February 1928.
The Moffat Tunnel finally provided Denver with a western link through the Continental Divide, as both Cheyenne, Wyoming, to the north and Pueblo to the south already enjoyed rail access to the West Coast. It follows the right-of-way laid out by Moffat in 1902 while he was seeking a better and shorter route from Denver to Salt Lake City. The Moffat Tunnel currently averages 15 trains per day. The railroad and water tunnels parallel one another; the water tunnel delivers a portion of Denver's water supply.
The eastern portal is about 50 miles west of Denver, about 10 miles west of the town of Rollinsville. The West Portal is located at the base area of Winter Park Ski Resort. The railroad tunnel is 24 feet high, 18 feet wide, and 6.2 miles long. The apex of the tunnel is at 9,239 feet above sea level. The tunnel has a gradient of 1 in 125 or 0.8%.
The Moffat Tunnel is the fourth longest railroad tunnel in North America. It was the longest non-electrified tunnel until 1956, when electrification was removed from the Cascade Tunnel.
The tunnel was conceived by David Moffat of the Denver, Northwestern and Pacific (DNW&P) railroad as early as 1902. The original DNW&P tracks climbed Rollins Pass with a series of switch back loops with a steep 4% grade and severe snow conditions. Snow removal on the original line made it unprofitable to operate.
Now you can recreate the magic of the Moffat Tunnel on your railroad layout. We are in the process of modeling a detailed scale recreation of both the East & West Portals as well as all of the associated structures including the Water Tunnel, Pump House, Motor Room and More!
We will be offering individual 3D printed portals and structures in popular model railroading scales beginning Fall of 2020, with additional releases as models become available.
Don’t miss out on your chance to own one of these detailed pieces of railroad history!