I truly don't understand how this tunnel does not have many more full length documentaries. I'm fascinated by it ever since discovering the Eastern portal while hiking. For what an incredible marvel it truly is, I feel like it's relatively unknown.
What a wonderful tunnel and history lesson. Nice to know the Amtrak Zephyr goes through it. I’m excited to have learned this information because my hubby and I are planning a trip on the Zephyr. Many thanks for posting this video.
I am a descendant of one of the men killed in an explosion is February 1925. Warren Weaver Wilson, of Coffee County, Alabama, was my maternal Grandfather. Of course, I never knew him. but I would like to place a plaque in his memory.He may have liked to have seen the finished tunnel.
I heard mention in another video about the tunnel. The train attendant said they had to line the lake above it so it would stop the water from leaking down into the tunnel.
From what I've read, this line never did connect to Salt Lake City until well after the Moffat Tunnel was finished, not until after the D&SL was acquired by the D&RGW which built the Dotsero Cutoff connecting this line to the D&RGW Tennessee Pass line finished in 1934.
Continuing, the line won’t to Orestod now known as Bond. After thinking this might have been the end D & S L spiked closed The tunnel was built by the Moffat Tunnel Commission, which required a “pioneer bore” which increased the cost. When the Denver Water Commission wanted to bring water from the Western Slope their tunnel was already there. Visit Winter Park and you can see the west portal of the water tunnel. When the Cascade Tunnel was put through, there was no pioneer bore, built by the railroad, it is longer than the Moffat Tunnel bored quicker and for a much lower cost. It’s amazing what happens when a government entity is involved. Was the pioneer bore conceived to facilitate the water commission? Good question.
The risk of breakdown and diesel inhalation at grossly taken for granted. I don’t trust the filtration system to clear that much smoke out fast enough for an entire passenger train.
CPR was the next record holder in 1988 and mount Macdonald is still is the longest railroad tunnel in the western hemisphere after the gotthard base tunnel took away the world title
Here is a video of the East tunnel entrance showing the complex of portal, ventilation and maintenance structures: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OEWXYcVK2yU.html
They were originally built as part of the East Portal town for tunnel construction workers. All but the 5 remaining houses were torn down after the tunnel was complete. The houses that are left were occupied by tunnel maintenance staff until the early 2000s, which is why they have modern fixtures.
Little good do Railroads today, no passenger trains to except verry few cities, and to those almost no public bus transport. What is a person to do that does not drive. Build back public transport so Americans can travel without cars as in My case have some other means to go to Phoenix, or Flagstaff to go anywhere. No long distance Public transit to small towns like where I live of 12,00, We must be only conntry bumkinx worth nothing.
