Crossing The Continental Divide - Rare Look Inside Moffat Tunnel

[@1834RestorationHouse]

Running through red block signals, flashing End-Of-Train red light on the tunnel walls.....The entire video is played in reverse....Clever!

[@DirtyLilHobo]

First, running an absolute stop signal, no headlights, and what looks like Fred flashing away. We are seeing a reversal of a video taken from the rear of a train passing through the Moffat tunnel.

[@BrylcreemBill]

I was about to say the same thing. Even if you didn't notice the red signals, the flashing red light in the tunnel is a dead giveaway. Only the last car on a train has a flashing red light. But that being said, I did enjoy the video. Even though I lived in Denver for 22 years, I wasn't aware of how long the Moffat Tunnel was. Very interesting to see it from the inside.

[@sherriz3265]

I thought that was weird. No headlight and Fred flashing. Lived in Denver all my life and never knew much about Moffat tunnel. Super long tunnel

[@lawrencewheeler8868]

Thought it was a " Mars light"( oscillating) !

[@CallsItLikeISeizeIts]

It does say a look from rear car

[@juliegogo2941]

Claustrophobia the new movie 🎬 Thanks it makes more sense and sence...!

[@sagehiker]

The Moffat Tunnel is a major engineering feat. I have hiked in to the local trails from the parking at the east portal and heard the roar of the ventilators raging in the canyon. This view of shows the ultimate single purpose "get her done" execution of its design. Not one of those smatzy Euro multi-purpose great halls. Just a rail thru the Rockies. Well done and thank you.

[@mattalbrecht7471]

Always have a conductor named Karen...

[@rockiecmfan9662]

This video is a testiment to those that built that tunnel. Thank you for posting it.

[@cherylmontoya2697]

My mother and I were on our way to Montana when we went through the Moffat Tunnel; I was only 4 1/2 yrs. old -- this was in 1950.

[@tripoutposttrainadventures]

The history on this is so interesting!!

[@risksrewardsrelics51]

I used to work at Winter Park, at the west portal of the Moffat. Always wondered what it was like inside. Thanks!

[@sullysullivan1282]

Tunnely! My cousin and I wandered about 10' into the nearly abandoned Tennessee Pass tunnel. Much the same, way less traffic. Still neat to see a piece of history like that up close.

[@GeorgeJansen]

Love the " closet" carve outs, absolutely amazing

[@jean-pierrepodik9638]

Hi! wonderful ride in nice landscap. Thanks for your video and greetings from France.

[@mattalbrecht7471]

What a long ass tunnel! Wow! Thanks for sharing this

[@thewline887]

6.2 miles

[@RailFanRob]

Wow it looks like it could be a railroad spook-house if they decorated the tunnel for Halloween!! Incredible!!

[@libby5335]

Haven't been thru the tunnel, but some years ago were at the east end and watched a train come thru. It was fascinating!

[@colleenscott866]

I'm from the Intermountain West, and I remember my dad talking about what an engineering feat the tunnel was known as when he was a kid. I rode east through the tunnel for the first time on the CA Zephyr, one Monday in April, 2011. I remember the engineer announcing that the train's ventilation system would be turned off, so not to circulate diesel exhaust back into the train. Day turned to night. I had no idea this is such a tight fit. It seemed it was around 15 miles, but someone told me it was only six.

[@lynnsample4549]

As a kid back in the early '60s rode the D&RG from Steamboat Springs to Denver. Did it twice and a great trip both times.

[@johncox2284]

Looks like they mounted the camera on the FRED on a train heading East then played it backwards. The flashing red light gives it away.

[@robertheinkel6225]

It explains that in the title explanation.

[@thomasedwards2754]

Wow! Your are east bound on the California Zephyr. The Red light is the Fred! Nice work on playing the video in reverse. Fantastic video!

[@Dragondezznuts]

I knew a train hopper that would go all over the us and sometimes Mexico hopping trains. He would get a black plastic bag full of air and use it to make it through this tunnel so he wouldn’t get poisoned from the exhaust.

[@carolynsteed3649]

Chinese labor was used to do this tunnel, watched a documentary on PBS some years back, was so interesting, many died.

[@laurabogue3503]

Here's an amazing fact... This was hand dug. Human beings made this. There was no TBM just manpower and grit.

[@SeattleBoatdog]

And lots of very unstable explosives …

[@youtuuba]

Laura Bogue, not sure about your "amazing fact". I have read a few histories related to this tunnel, and they all said that dynamite was used. And as it was built in the late 1920's, not exactly the dark ages of railroad or tunnel digging development, they certainly used quite a few technologies of the time, not just pickaxes and shovels. Not exactly "hand dug".......

[@tomt9543]

@@youtuuba Still infinitely more hand work than a TBM drilling it’s mechanical self through the mountain!

[@irene1655]

A family member worked on the Moffat tunnel. Remember hearing stories about him working on it.

[@ademirsousaribeirosousa9776]

Linda paisagem com uma visao espetacular do ceu... Lindo contraste da linha férrea com as paisagens...❤

[@jetmelt]

Great video documentation. Many thanks for posting.

[@johnnyjames7139]

I used to fly to Denver from Los Angeles ( I hate flying), to ride the Rio Grand Zephyr to Salt Lake City so I have been thru the tunnel a number of times.

[@LMays-cu2hp]

Thank you for sharing..

[@LMays-cu2hp]

I am sorry but this view seems to be from the front part of a train. It seems to be from the locomotive conductor's front window cabin area. It does look nice coming out if the Moffat Tunnel.

[@midlifetravelers6151]

I like your forward thinking. I only read the description at the end. Great editing idea. We took the Zephyr through here last year.

[@garyhess3139]

Been through there 6 or 8 times, good times.

[@BrylcreemBill]

If you read the description of the video, it says that it was taken from the rear car of a train.

[@kipsome45]

Beast of a tunnel.

[@dfresh748]

Great video! Thanks for recording and sharing this. I've been through it a few times.

[@marcusarline7135]

The views are beautiful, 😲 Wow.

[@VidsPhone]

I am guessing this was taken from the back end of a passenger train and played in reverse going by the absence of a tailight and the red flashing "Fred". Still it is the best view of the inside I have ever seen and I have been through the tunnel 3 times. The stand offs seem to hold communication equipment but I have to wonder if they also have doors to a room that would protect someone from the fumes were they ever caught in there. But then again, where would they stow their railcar? Hard to imagine multible steam engines going through that with the smoke and fire they would belch. especially in the day of cabooses?

[@carnadero]

You can tell it's a rear-end mounted camera due to the FRED and the clip is certainly being played in reverse due to the train apparently going through several red signals with no hesitation whatsoever.

[@TheKurtsPlaceChannel]

Very entertaining and fun to watch. Thanks for posting this.

[@micheleerwin2848]

I was just through this on the California zephyr a few weeks ago.

[@ellebystrainvideos2023.]

Awesome VIDEO❤️💯

[@krystalstarrett6760]

So cool, just think what it took to build such a tunnel.

[@krystalstarrett6760]

Yes, your right, IT'S so cool though. Have a nice day!

[@tripoutposttrainadventures]

The history on this is incredible.

[@workingtaxpayer1201]

A+ for creativity and enjoyment 🎩🏁

[@kens.3729]

Excellent Job with the Video. Common Sense is not so Common based on the Comments. Nice Job. Thanks! 👍

[@matthewdoenges6634]

You either violated a red light and didn't use headlights or you reversed the video

[@ArtStoneUS]

The description hinted at the answer without saying it directly. This video was shot from the end of a train and reversed.

[@Spookieham]

You can see the red tail light blinking it's reflection towards the end (or beginning) of the tunnel

[@Tgspartnership]

Yes reversed as easier than filming from the front of train

[@mdtorres_76]

This proves, positivity... there is always a LIGHT at the end of the Tunnel.

[@tonyday7128]

But sometimes that of an oncoming train !

[@divox9pqr]

If it was necessary to dig a parallel tunnel to the Moffat, how much would it cost? Or, if the tunnel had to be closed, rebuilding the route across the west wouldn’t be easily rebuilt, but could it be done?

[@tonyburzio4107]

The main use of the Moffat Tunnel is the parallel water tunnel and the fiber optics line under the railroad tracks.

[@youtuuba]

@@tonyburzio4107 WHATTTTT? You don't think that the 'main use' of the tunnel is all the freight (and some passenger) trains that use it to cross the mountains? The thing called the "Moffat Tunnel" is apparently used for trains (who'ed a thunk it?), while the small parallel tunnel is used for water and communications. Those are two separate tunnels. You have a curious way of smearing your 'facts'......

[@brycehale4725]

Rebuild the old line over Rollins Pass, 30 miles of 4% grade

[@1906Farnsworth]

If a train goes off the rails, how do they get equipment to fix it in so narrow a tunnel. Scary.

[@prestontoborg4149]

Seems extremely unlikely for a train to derail inside a tunnel. It’s already unlikely during a normal journey.

[@1906Farnsworth]

@@prestontoborg4149 Of course it is unlikely. That just means you have to wait longer for it to happen.

[@tripoutposttrainadventures]

There are crews on the east portal side, and every 10 minutes at a walking pace there is oxygen in case a crew has to leave their train. I think the big fear here is a stalled train or fire.

[@leonardkudrecki8370]

Sure felt refreshing coming out of that tunnel.

[@joehoffman5308]

Well done!

[@brandonholmes8814]

Cleanest tunnel ive ever seen no graffiti

[@Lemonxfriendlyfoxfan]

Hell no what the hell is that’s tunnel that’s got to be the longest tunnel oh my omg

[@felixmosso747]

Been thru the tunnel once, I was hoping that we would see the large fan out the top for the fumes. Maybe things have changed now.

[@tripoutposttrainadventures]

There is still a fan it’s just hard to see coming from the winter park side.

[@dennisk5818]

Ok, I was a little slow. Couldn't figure why they would turn off the headlight. I wanted to see further ahead, but just had this damn flashing red light. About twelve minutes into it, I struck me that this flashing red light is the end of train signal. Daah!!

[@michaelmcginn1706]

Great video😊😊

[@tripoutposttrainadventures]

Thank you 🤗

[@NotABushFan1]

The video enter the East Portal, years ago I drove over the divide before the old tunnel caved in.

[@NaomiKGarza]

Sweet Tunnel, but if you are ever in Norway, go on a train ride on the Bergen Line, there's an amazing tunnel called The Finse Tunnel.

[@sammisworkshops3762]

I think this was recorded on the tail end of the train, the flashing red light is likely the FRED. Then they played it in reverse. Also it would be a lot brighter with the headlights shining into the tunnel. SIgnals were all red as they entered too. Still a very cool video!

[@tomt9543]

He says that in the description

[@stephenpowell5912]

Beautiful location 🥰😍😍

[@kirkzevola5004]

Does the Moffat Tunnel on the East Portal access have a door that opens and closes during the ventilation process just like the Flathead & Cascade Tunnels.

[@tripoutposttrainadventures]

Yes there is a door on the east side of the tunnel that opens and closes. That’s also where the ventilation fans are located.

[@GeorgeJansen]

No 24 hour virtual cam here yet?

[@jamescotter5376]

Good video

[@unionpacificrailfan1943]

The only reason why it taken forever is because the tunnels over 6 feet long

[@christopherdibble5872]

The engineers don't wave from the trains anymore, not like they did back in 1954

[@iamspeedyo]

May I ask what the music is? I’d love to download it, to sleep to. It’s so relaxing.

[@wtrskr59]

The tunnel could be a ((safe-haven)) from a ((major winter snowstorm)).

[@jackfrost3254]

Or nuke attack

[@foellerd]

Can someone explain those lit up turnouts every so often. Like what are they for, what all is there, are they all the same, etc… Very hard to find video or literature explaining them in detail.

[@J3scribe]

I'm not sure why you thought it necessary to run the video in reverse. Looking out the back window is perfectly acceptable. I've been through this tunnel I didn't know it was lined with gypcrete. Pretty cool.

[@ellebystrainvideos2023.]

Splendid Scenery 🙂

[@christianfreedom-seeker934]

I remember riding a now-discontinued Amtrak train right thru this very tunnel back in the 1980's. The service was excellent, unlike now.

[@dennisyoung4631]

It must have been something, then. Rode the Coast Starlight last year, and was enthralled - though for probably some very different reasons than the usual. I had a Roomette, and largely stayed in it save to use the bathroom. No, not The Virus, but something akin to social phobia.

[@jackfrost3254]

Amtrak's California zephyr still runs through this tunnel

[@MrBnsftrain]

I find it odd that this tunnel's west end doesn't have all the doors and vents like the east end does. I'm also surprised that the Winter Park resort hasn't made a viewing platform to view trains entering and exiting the tunnel's west end

[@mgk920]

I got photos of Amtrak #3 emerging from the west portal from the Winter Park bunny hill many years ago

[@ickipoo]

I believe the doors are to allow them to force air through the tunnel. This is only done in one direction, so they only need the doors at one end.

[@mgk920]

@@ickipoo Yea, The ventilating equipment sucks clean air in through the West portal and blows the foul, dirty air out at the east portal. The doors at the east portal make it work. I've seen it in operation

[@Brian-StarGazer-77]

Where do the stairs lead too? That’s the real question

[@thewline887]

0:35 compare the size of those mountains to the tunnel portal

[@steffenrosmus9177]

Well, how would am old rr tunnel looks from inside? RIGHT, DAMN DARK AND DUSTY

[@andrewcrumb8027]

If I'm not mistaken, Winter Park used to be a ski resort.

[@jamesclark3397]

It still is a very nice ski resort.

[@Jack-pm1ve]

I couldn't go through that tunnel I was getting claustrophobic just watching it on KZbin

[@timcoyle50]

Every so often you can see some kind of niche on the left. Any idea what they are and for??

[@saintswillwin1013]

To give someone a place to get in the clear when a train comes.

[@billfeldman2127]

@@saintswillwin1013 I was surprised niches weren't placed closer together. Those are placed really far apart. No way a worker could get to it quickly with a train coming.

[@saintswillwin1013]

@@billfeldman2127 As dark as it is in the tunnel a worker would be able to see a headlight long before it got to him; also the railroads used track bulletins to protect MofW workers,

[@kirkzevola5004]

@TripOutpost Interesting can the tunnel door be seen or is the tunnel door located here at 2:03?

[@RR1976]

This had to of been taken from the rear car on an Amtrak but then the footage reversed.

[@65LB]

With the total lack of information I am GLAD I leaped far ahead. Even when there was light at the "end " of the tunnel one need s to leap ahead

[@LloydRMaes]

My uncle Fred worked on The moffat tunnel in 1927. He lost part of his middle finger in an accident.

[@cowboyvalley]

Some commentary of the tunnel would have been good. Maybe a history of when and how it was constructed, not 12 min of a guitar riff. And what's with the red flashing light? Did you film this in reverse? Kind of crazy

[@iamspeedyo]

I love the music. So relaxing. Maybe subtitled could have been added. I enjoyed it.

[@robertheinkel6225]

It was filmed from the rear of an Amtrak car, then shown in reverse. That explains the lack of sound and the red flashing light at the end of the train.

[@richard7crowley]

What are all those places that look like a hole in the side of the tunnel with light (sunlight?) coming through? I counted 20 of them..... 03:10; 04:46; 05:28; 06:15; 07:01; 07:52; 08:30; 09:15; 09:37; 10:02; 10:26; 10:50; 11:03; 11:38; 12:12; 12:36; 13:08; 14:06; 14:48; 15:20;

[@williamh.jarvis6795]

Very possibly, they could be "niches" in the tunnel walls, so that anyone inside will have a place to escape an approaching train. I do know that the Hoosac Tunnel, in northwestern Massachusetts (running east-west) have these such "niches" blasted out in its north face every 300 feet apart (with the exception of some 1200 feet from both its east and west portals). The Hoosac Tunnel used to be double tracked inside, now, single tracked so to gain extra height for today's more modern and taller railway equipment. (The Hoosac Tunnel is numbered every 100 feet, spray painted inside, with the first three digits, #251, aka, 25,100 feet, at its east portal, going down to zero at the west porral.)

[@bryansmithson2936]

Beautiful

[@GeorgeJansen]

Are the numbers in 1000 foot increments?

[@areizman]

Lots of rear end tunnel vids out there. Great idea to reverse it. Was wondering why no headlight illumination but a great vid nonetheless.

[@tripoutposttrainadventures]

Thank you

[@larryjanson4011]

the scariest part of all this is no steering wheel to hold onto. truck driver for 40+ years. but sad this i a reverse video. but still interesting. and why no man safety placements?

[@wtrskr59]

From what I understand, it takes ten minutes to get through the tunnel.

[@tripoutposttrainadventures]

10 to 15 about. Freight and AMTRAK go a little faster than the Rocky Mountaineer.

[@timbeach2409]

Play it the right way, no headlight and flashing red only means it's backwards.

[@SIDNEYNDONGMALONDA]

Bonsoir est il possible d'avoir un lien ou un manuel pour la maintenance des locomotives sd40 car je viens de debuter dans le domaine des locomotives sd40

[@ВикторМоров-б4ы]

Душевно, музыка и тоннель Маффат

[@annedrew1125]

Love this

[@campagnollo]

This video made me a bit claustrophobic, and I'm someone who enjoys spelunking.

[@ByWire-yk8eh]

I thought the Rocky Mountaineer went from Vancouver to Calgary, and the California Zephyr (SF to Chicago) went through the Moffat Tunnel. I've been on both trains, but what do I know?

[@tripoutposttrainadventures]

This is a line they just opened up in Colorado.

[@WhitfieldProductionsTV]

video is in reverse, this is trailend of the car. tailend passed a pure stop signal, so told me right off the bat it was running the video in reverse.

[@bryansmith1920]

Why compared to Scandinavian Rail-tunnels are US/Canada so ancient ???

[@pacificwarrior7679]

Camera on the rear of the train, video is in reverse

[@nkystevep7007]

Has any derailments happened in the tunnel, just wondering how they would rerail

[@coloradomallcrawlers]

Yes

[@animal16365]

I wonder if they use jointed rail inside the tunnel??

[@richard7crowley]

Track rails in the tunnel, originally jointed, were replaced in the 1930s with continuous welded rail, one of the earliest such installations in North America. This decision was prompted by the corrosive effect of coal smoke and steam condensate, captive within the tunnel, on the joints. (One Rail Instead of Many". Trains. March 1942. via Wikipedia)

[@NurseSara-yr8uc]

Omg I’m so claustrophobic I would die 😫

[@allthingsharbor]

I know ! It is terrifying !

[@DanMeyer80]

13:38 light at the end of the tunnel

[@Jmp5nb]

Does anyone know the function of the well lit cubby spaces at intervals in the tunnel?

[@tripoutposttrainadventures]

For oxygen, every 10 minutes at a walking pace.

[@Jmp5nb]

@@tripoutposttrainadventures Thanks!

[@johnedwards785]

My first thought was has any train passing through the tunnel ran into any animals that may be in the tunnel?

[@victorharris802]

That's the most longest tunnel, I've have seen. The C.D. tunnel.

[@elleryparsons5766]

What would Be An Awsome Halloween. Special go through At Night with thee most Scariest things Amagineable.

[@woods840]

Obviously this is playing in reverse, but is the speed still 1 to 1?

[@JoeyTIchy]

Was this on board Amtrak, UP, or BNSF?

[@brutemegahunk3895]

Colonoscopy?

[@peterblack3665]

No matter which way it’s going if there was a accident there is zero room for anything to get down the tunnel on the sides......