Forums

[bnsftrnlvr]

Hi, long time reader, first time posting. I'm planning on being in denver for N-Scale conv. Anyone able to point me in right direction for maybe including a trip to moffat tunnel. I'm travelling with wife & 41/2 year old daugter that loves trains.I will have my own vehicle with me. Thanks for any help.

[ndbprr]

I can't help you with the east slope but the west slope entrance is right at the Winter Park ski area and very easily accesible. You will have to take I-70 to Berthoud Pass into Winter Park. It should take you about three hours from Denver.

[Anonymous]

Yes, the west portal is located in Winter Park and is nothing great but the east portal is really, really cool and is most def. worth looking at, plus it is really easy to get there. Just get a map of Colorado and look for Rollinsville, Co.

To get there take SR 58 to Golden, then SR 98 north, then west on SR 72, then south on 119. Once you get into town (a handful of buidlings), take the first road after you go under the tracks, it becomes a dirt road and goes on for several miles until you reach East Portal, CO (I wonder were they got that name). It's a public road you take in but even if it was a UP road everybody on the old Rio Grande are left over from SP and are very nice and fun to talk to.

At East Portal, there is a huge ventalation system that sucks flumes out of the tunnel. In fact, a minute or so after a train enters the tunnel, there are all sorts of bells and horns as the big door closes over the tunnel so they suck the air out! Its really cool.

There is a UP MoW depot there so there is somebody always around and most will talk to you and tell you when the next train is coming (which can be up to three hours).

Here's a mapquest to Rollinsville (like the baseball);
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype=address&country=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=home&formtype=address&popflag=0&latlongtype=&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&cat=&address=&city=rollinsville&state=co&zipcode=

hope that helps
-John Ireland

[bnsftrnlvr]

Thanks for the help. I was aware of the west portal being accssible but wasn't aware of the east side. it sounds like it might be more interesting. This dirt road shouldn't be a problem for a regular 4x4 truck since there is a MOW depot there.? I have a small layout at home and my daughter loves running her train around the hills on it just to see them come from nowere, I'm sure she would love to see trains come out of a real tunnel,(I know her dad would!)

THanks again for the help.
Brian

[espee3004]

Check out the Rollins Pass Road. This is the old Denver & Salt Lake right of way before the tunnel. Very interesting trip

Ralph Hougesen

[Anonymous]

Watch out though for any UP signs though. Cause I thought that they closed up a section before the tunnel.. IDK for sure. I saw it at the DRGW group on Yahoo.. But don't take my word for it yet. But just watch out though! But it's a good place!! I'm going back to visit my hometown Boulder, CO at the end of the month and plan on some railfanning up in the mountains!!  

[Anonymous]

hey, is the entire road up to the tunnel a UP road becuase I rememeber it being public up to the UP MoW hut, I also remember a lot of hikers and what not all around the tunnel with out anybody giving them any trouble

[Anonymous]

hey, is the entire road up to the tunnel a UP road becuase I rememeber it being public up to the UP MoW hut, I also remember a lot of hikers and what not all around the tunnel with out anybody giving them any trouble

I got something from the DRGW Yahoo groups:

<Re: [SG] [General] Moffat road...

As I recall it is not fenced but a whole bunch of no tresspassing
signs have been put up. There is now a trail that goes north of the
portal and around the back to connect to the trail that goes southwest
of east portal. I was going to check it out next time I take the Jeep
up to Yankee Doodle.

Laddie Hanus>