The Moffat Tunnel is named after David Halliday Moffat, builder of the Denver Northwestern & Pacific Railway – “ The Moffat Road” 1904 to 1911.
Built from 1923 to 1928 to eliminate the very costly and dangerous “Hell Hill” that the Denver & Salt Lake Railroad went over at Rollins Pass elevation of 11,663 ft.
The tunnel is 6.2 miles long and was the longest tunnel in North America. It is now the third longest.
President Calvin Coolidge pushed the button in The White House that blew up the last of the rock to clear the tunnel.
The Moffat Tunnel was bored through James Peak mountain and is still used today for U.P. & B.N.S.F. freight and Amtrak trains.
The tunnel cost 23 million to build – in today dollars that is 357 million.
The “Moffat Railroad” is the Highest standard gauge railroad ever built in the United States.
Quick Links: QR Code Displays
Don’t feel like scanning each QR Code Display? Use the quick links below to jump to a different one:
• Blue Bear
• Hell Gate Bridge
• Denver & Salt Lake Derrick
• “The Moffat Road”
• #200 Mallet Locomotive