Take a trip through the 6.2 mile Moffat Tunnel, Colorado 2021

[@rockymountainjazzfan1822]

This video was most likely photographed from the rear of the locomotive, with its rear headlight turned on to illuminate the scene. The train is eastbound, going from Winter Park (West Portal in railroad parlance) to East Portal. Typically, the tunnel is ventilated from East Portal by huge fans that literally suck the exhaust fumes out of the tunnel. Usually an eastbound train will traverse tunnel, then, after it exits East Portal, the portal door will shut and the fans will start, exhausting the bad air from the tunnel through ductwork located at East Portal. It can take up to 20-25 minutes to scour all of the exhaust out of the tunnel after a train passes through. In the days when manned mid-train and rear helper locomotives were used in the tunnel, the engine crews on the mid and rear helpers often had to wear gas masks due to the high exhaust level in the tunnel. Unlike what geologists believed before the tunnel was drilled, much of the tunnel was drilled through "rotten" decomposed granite, so much of the tunnel had to be concrete-lined due to the unstable rock. There is also another tunnel next to the railroad tunnel, constructed at the same time, that diverts water from the Western Slope of the Continental Divide to Denver on the eastern side of the Divide. Maintenance of Way people who I knew that worked in the tunnel said one of spookier aspects of the tunnel was that there were a number of mostly albino, blind mice that lived in the tunnel for multiple generations, living off of grain spilled from grain cars passing through the tunnel.

[@travelingtom923]

Exactly right.

[@jobbrown7847]

Fascinating! I used to fly fish as a kid near the eastern entrance, so it was really cool to see a glimpse of the Winter Park side. Thank you for all of the extra info!

[@bobstigall8206]

This is undoubtably the BEST ride thru's I've seen. I always thought that the walls were lined all the way through, but distinctly, you can see the roock walls which gives it that " eerie" like feel. Great Video !

[@travelingtom923]

The East end (Winter Park) had several miles of bad rock so that is mostly concrete lined. The West end has quite a bit of natural, unlined, rock.

[@TheAncientColossus]

Which part of the video was the tunnel unlined? The entire tunnel looked smooth to me.

[@Major_Tom98]

@@TheAncientColossusThe second half. Zoom in and you’ll see it.

[@TheAncientColossus]

​@@Major_Tom98 It's difficult to tell. What are the signs? Does it begin at 6:00 or earlier?

[@AlexanderSkinnerVids]

I believe at 8:45 or so, if you look up, is the chimney that was dug in order to allow steam engine exhaust to exit the tunnel. Might be wrong about it’s placement, but I’m AMAZED at the interior of this tunnel. All of the places with reinforced walls or instead the original rock faces… it’s incredible!

[@RyanHatterer-Ryanns999]

I think that might be where the roof fell in at one point you have a hole in the roof with a short section of steal supports then the hole again. but could be wrong.

[@wolfgangpfeilergartenbahnd6530]

Just great a drive through the famous Moffat Tunnel. A great idea.

[@walterfink9782]

I've seen both ends, but not in the actual tunnel. Now I have.

[@brandonreeves5979]

Awesome video! Thanks for ride along. 👍🏻🎥💯

[@travelingtom923]

You are welcome.

[@DanMeyer80]

Any chance we get a front end view? That would be sweet!

[@asayake1]

I love the Moffat tunnel! I have ridden through on an Amtrack but my perspective was nowhere near as cool as this. Thank you for sharing this!

[@travelingtom923]

You are welcome.

[@DanMeyer80]

Wonder if Rocky Mountaineer tells their passengers to stay in the car theyre in and not go through vestibule doors while in the tunnel, they told us that on Amtrak

[@geomodelrailroader]

@@DanMeyer80 they told me the same thing when I rode #844 there are several sharp curves between Gooding and Fuller and they can be pulled out of alinement the only time you go through them is when the train is stopped or you are on the straights.

[@steverudder3321]

Very interesting! I'm glad that this wasn't a slow freight.😁👍

[@suepeterson163]

I went on a Ski Train with my Sons of Norway back in 2000's with my late dad, it was on Sunday, we went up to Winter Park! We had fun!

[@bradmallory1316]

Love the sound of the turbo (s).

[@jamescotter5376]

That was a very good video thank you very much it was the best video I've ever seen of inside that tunnel keep them coming thank you very much that was very very good

[@travelingtom923]

Thank you.

[@eriklindgren1980]

Wonderful video. Thanks for sharing. -Erik

[@travelingtom923]

You are welcome.

[@davev3557]

Rode through the tunnel back when steam was pulling the train. Big surprise when after looking out the windows at total darkness in the tunnel, upon exiting there was a large blast of water to clean the coach windows.

[@rwsaleh]

I have riden through the tunnel many times freight hopping on different types of cars ( auto racks, condollas, box cars, etc) and it is quite an experience. Total Darkness unless you have a light source. Also I have ridden the CZ and RGZ through many times as well.

[@Major_Tom98]

How are the diesel fumes?

[@kipsome45]

Absolutely love this, given that I am obsessed with old tunnels. It started me thinking…what is the longest non-electrified tunnel currently operated? I’m thinking it may be the Rimutaka in NZ.

[@travelingtom923]

Not sure but in North America the Mount Mcdonald up in Canada is the longest. China has some very long tunnels.

[@wallygumboot7416]

Kaimai 8,879 metres, Rimutaka 8,798 and Otira 8,579 are the three longest in NZ

[@jmajette2]

Looking forward to traversing the Moffat Tunnel onboard Amtrak’s California Zephyr as a retirement trip in a couple of years! 😊

[@rossbryan6102]

THANKS TOM , VERY INTERESTING!! I HAVE RIDDEN AMTRAK THROUGH THERE SEVERAL TIMES BUT NOT WITH LIGHT!! LOOKS LIKE THEY WERE SMART ENOUGH TO NOT USE WOOD TUNNEL LINING!! KEEP THEM ROLLING BROTHERS!! 👍👍

[@travelingtom923]

You are welcome.

[@kennethmccann6402]

I've been driven thru this tunnel on Amtrak many times.

[@DomAZ]

That was great. Thanks for sharing.

[@travelingtom923]

You are welcome.

[@captaintrips2980]

I wonder if any passengers feel nervous or disoriented, maybe a little scared during this trip. It's a great video, I was reminded of Dave the astronaut's trip through time and space, only in reverse

[@travelingtom923]

We stopped in there once and one girl was getting pretty worked up. She said she felt like she was in a coffin.

[@TheAncientColossus]

​@@travelingtom923That girl has obviously never taken the New York City Subway System.

[@DanMeyer80]

Pitch black in there when I rode through on the Zephyr but this shows how tight it is in the tunnel. Imagine if somebody decided to go walk through it and a train starts coming, what would they do?

[@travelingtom923]

Would be a very tight fit that is for sure. There is escape portals every 1/4 more so if you have time to get to them. You may notice a white light on the bottom left every now and then. That is where the portals are.

[@DanMeyer80]

@@travelingtom923 True there are those refuge bays, as I saw one up close because my train slowed down to an almost stop, I saw the tool cabinet where they store extra knuckles and whatever else they have. Anyhow I find tunnels to be fascinating. Ive been through Cascade Tunnel Flathead Tunnel along with Moffat.

[@NM778TWOFIVE]

great video tom

[@travelingtom923]

Thank you.

[@KaryShort-wi7kv]

Soooooooooooo very influential ❤😂🎉😅😊! 9/12/24! 4:37pm! 6:48

[@TexasRailfan21-RailfanRyan]

I think it's only fair to say that the American Orient Express has been replaced by the Rocky Mountaineer if anyone knows whatever happened to the American Orient Express let me know

[@travelingtom923]

American Orient Express went under around 2008. All the equipment was sold off to various other railroads and museums. See link here for more info www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=45981

[@VojtovySumavskeVlakyCZ]

Nice video like and subscribed from Czech Republic 🙂👍👍👍👍

[@normsweet1710]

Ya reckon Mr Moffat had any idea how much this tunnel would help east to west trains on schedule ? 🤔

[@anthonyquillen5300]

Went thru the Moffatt tunnel several times both ways

[@coloradomallcrawlers]

Cool video, but as someone who has worked the entire line from Denver to Potash, that Rocky Mountaineer operation needs great improvement in terms of railroading. I blame their management, not the crews though. I am pulling for them though as more passenger trains are a good thing!

[@Bigbuddyandblue]

My favorite part 6:50

[@anthonyquillen5300]

I have been thru the Moffat tunnel on a passenger train to Debver

[@tracksideadventures]

Neat perspective

[@travelingtom923]

Thank you.

[@lancereagan3046]

That looks like the Rocky Mountaineer train.

[@johnrauner2515]

This is a passenger train because that's a power car directly behind the loco. Kind of obvious with that visible exhaust flapper popping up and down.

[@travelingtom923]

Yes that is the generator car of the Rocky Mountaineer train.

[@dgr8zod]

@@travelingtom923 Looked like a F7/F9 B unit to me. The diaphragm mount was a giveaway.

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

Loved it! Great video!

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

Awesome video!

[@willberestartingthischanne9984]

I Love Your Channel

[@travelingtom923]

Thank you.

[@caboosech]

Pretty damn cool video going through the moffat tunnel I've actually been to that tunnel watching trains a long time ago and it was always a really cool spot we have a tunnel up here in western Mass called the whose sack tunnel and it's 4.75 miles long almost a 5 mi Mark and I've been through that tunnel numerous attendance by train and high rail truck is in being invited by a train cruise and the maintenance away people and it's a pretty impressive tunnel we thought they've already had a tunnel collapse in the hoosack tunnel but it's still in operation to this day I did a video on the leaf paper special if they ran for 2 days from Albany to Deerfield and back I did the last run and there's video on my channel it's a caboose 1973 ch1

[@travelingtom923]

I would like to visit that tunnel one day.

[@MegsHappyLife]

Its spelled H O O S A C... Hoosac you mean...

[@topthrilldragster20]

I remember going through this in 1989

[@jackchen7003]

I did not know the Rocky Mointaineer went through Moffat tunnel too

[@tom7601]

Wasn’t the Moffat the reason for the creation of the “Tunnel Motors” i.e. SD40T-2, etc.?

[@travelingtom923]

Yes but also the 28 additional tunnels leading up to the Moffat from Denver. Locomotives put out a enormous amount of heat when traveling steep grades through tunnels.

[@PembrokeAcre]

The Tunnel Motors were build for the SP and D&RGW, both for the Rockies, but especially for the Sierra Nevadas (which is why the SP built their cab-forward steam locos - to put the engineer/fireman in front of the smokestack.

[@tom7601]

@@PembrokeAcre Thank you.

[@DanMeyer80]

Originally EMD designed the Tunnel Motors for Southern Pacific because of Donner Pass in California. Numerous tunnels and snowsheds caused the EMDs to overheat because the radiator grills would suck in hot exhaust because exhaust had nowhere to go. GEs on the other hand were already by design "tunnel motors" due to the radiator grills being lower to the ground where EMDs were up just below the roof of the hood.

[@becplumbing660]

Traveling Tom what is the typical speed a locomotive travels at when pulling a train

[@DanMeyer80]

Per Union Pacific timetable, maximum speed permitted through Moffat Tunnel is 40 mph

[@becplumbing660]

@@DanMeyer80 ok

[@rre9518]

great job. How did you manage to get a camera there?

[@paulmatulavich7321]

Leave it to Tom to show us things we've never seen. Are you filming through the upper level of the Vista dome?

[@travelingtom923]

No that was from the rear ward facing locomotive a SD70M.

[@resdupbug]

WOW! Not a good place to break down, I imagine fumes would be very problematic, even with the giant turbines used to suck the fumes out. Fantastic video, thank you for uploading it!

[@travelingtom923]

I have stopped in that tunnel twice. Once was for about 15 minutes because the tunnel door wouldn't open. Burning eyes, coughing, and soot everywhere when it was over.

[@resdupbug]

@@travelingtom923 I can only imagine how that would feel. I had an incident in a much shorter, but not as well vented, tunnel. There was a car crash in front of us and we were stuck there for almost an hour. I had crap coming out every time I blew my nose for days jaja! Thanks again for the awesome videos, I love this KZbin channel 👍

[@joankamp2319]

Cool

[@travelingtom923]

Hi Joan!

[@JohnnyCarroll-wi6tx]

with out a dought,one of the worlds longest tunnels.

[@ScapoloMichael]

Nowhere remotely near

[@davet.3587]

Awesome 👍

[@N4EJM]

When was this built? I lived about 10 miles from the Hoosac Tunnel in MA. It was completed in 1877

[@travelingtom923]

built between 1923-1928

[@scottysblog7317]

I went through Moffat tunnel on Amtrak

[@willberestartingthischanne9984]

Are You Still Uploading?

[@kolejtopasja9302]

I invite you to enjoy a beautiful recording on the channel, have a nice day and best regards from Poland😃🤝😉

[@markeushorst7437]

thats a long tunnel i went through the anton anderson memoral tunnel in whitter alaska

[@travelingtom923]

I have a video on that one kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXa9fIOYnt2JfqM

[@johndavies4892]

Why not electrify? bi mode trains could be built for non electrified sections of the route pending full electrification. It is obviously expensive but would pay for itself in the end and there would be no fume problems.

[@jacksonhemstead672]

It looks like your on a Amtrak. How.......?

[@travelingtom923]

No this was on the Rocky Mountaineer.

[@Jim-ic2of]

Dang !😊

[@solitude7223]

We need new video 😭

[@g-manonthego6678]

The tunnel looks like a you're going through a cave.

[@madmax2069]

Do I hear the sound of a two stroke ?

[@travelingtom923]

That is a two stroke.

[@madmax2069]

@@travelingtom923 I thought so, hard to mistake the sound of a two stroke.

[@Major_Tom98]

Yes an EMD 710 I believe.

[@martin-mi3cg]

So long and so narrow ! No side refuges ??

[@travelingtom923]

Yes there is 24 of them on the left hand side. They are really small though. Some you could only probably get 7-10 people in them. There three small bridges in the tunnel from voids in the mountain where water used to drain from a lake above. Probably the only railroad tunnel in the world with bridges inside.

[@gabrielchiodo285]

Why is it a big secret, Can someone make a video going forward

[@travelingtom923]

You are not allowed any electronic devices on the lead locomotive.

[@gabrielchiodo285]

Why what are they hiding

[@travelingtom923]

@@gabrielchiodo285 Electronic devices such as cell phones and cameras distract the engineer and could cause problems.

[@gabrielchiodo285]

@travelingtom923 thanks for the second reply.

[@Enjoyer.762]

Do MOW crews write jokes and insults to each other on the tunnel walls lol?

[@travelingtom923]

Have not seen anything yet. The walls are remarkably clean in most places.

[@Enjoyer.762]

@@travelingtom923 That's surpising.

[@morovictor8900]

Плохое проветривание тоннеля

[@GLICKMIRE]

The computer generated scenery makes the entire video suspect. I would like to see an actual cab view GoPro video taken looking forward from the lead engine.

[@HookerHeels]

The what? Buddy this is a camera ontop a train, what CGI 😂

[@GLICKMIRE]

@@HookerHeels I went back and matched it up with street level views from Google maps. I will have to admit that it does look genuine.

[@lordhumungus1386]

I can smell the coal