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Photo ID: 108735
Date Shot
Photo By
Friday, July 2, 2021 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Moffat Tunnel
Winter Park, CO
624
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak
On the west slope of the Continental Divide, the westbound California Zephyr emerges from the west portal of the Moffat Tunnel on its journey west, passing by the Winter Park Ski Resort. Of course, since it is the middle of summer, Winter Park transforms into a summer playground, particularly for mountain bikers. Paths used by skiers in the winter are used as off-road courses by bikers in the summer.
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Photo ID: 108691
Date Shot
Photo By
Thursday, June 10, 2021 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Moffat Tunnel
Gilpin County, CO
611
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific
The east end of the Moffat Tunnel is a rather fascinating complex. The tracks enter a man-made structure about 500 feet before they actually enter the mountain. This structure at East Portal is where the equipment to ventilate the tunnel is located. Gigantic fans are turned on and suck fresh air in from the west portal and blow out exhaust here at the east portal.

At one point in the past, the fans blew fresh air in from the east portal, blowing the exhaust out the west portal. However, the town of Winter Park was not thrilled with the exhaust being blow out and around the ski resort and town, so the fans were reversed. If you are ever near East Portal when the fans activate, you will definitely hear them.

Also visible in this shot is the Moffat Water Tunnel. A tunnel built parallel to the tracks, which brings water from the west slope to the front range, ultimately winding up in Gross Reservoir.
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Photo ID: 105985
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Moffat Tunnel (West Portal)
Winter Park, CO
1328
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific
EMD's testing special glides west down the grade alongside the Winter Park Ski Resort. A new building has been constructed off to the right, and construction continues inside the fenced area. Not sure what the new building's purpose will be.
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Photo ID: 105984
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Moffat Tunnel (West Portal)
Winter Park, CO
1346
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division
The first test run of the day has just about been completed for EMD's SD70ACe-T4s. The consist will pull down and on to the main at Winter Park where the crew will grab a bite to eat and prepare to go east. Then, they will take the train back through the tunnel and over to East Portal.
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Photo ID: 105983
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Moffat Tunnel (West Portal)
Winter Park, CO
1274
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific, Electro-Motive Division
EMD's testing special emerges from the west portal of the Moffat Tunnel into Winter Park. The signal on the left side of the frame is a repeater for the signal at the east switch of Winter Park. This repeater allows crews to see the condition of the east switch well in advance when still in the tunnel.
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Photo ID: 105982
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Moffat Tunnel (West Portal)
Winter Park, CO
1193
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific
A 400mm lens comes in extremely handy sometimes! Here is a look at an oncoming train as it approaches the west end of the 6.2 mile long Moffat Tunnel.
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Photo ID: 105981
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Moffat Tunnel (West Portal)
Winter Park, CO
1278
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific
If you position yourself just right, you can look straight down into the bore of the Moffat Tunnel from just outside the lodge at the Winter Park Ski Resort. The headlight for this train was visible when it was still three miles away! It is simply amazing that the tunnel was built nearly 100 years ago, in the 1920s.
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Photo ID: 105980
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Moffat Tunnel (West Portal)
Winter Park, CO
1613
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Electro-Motive Division
Even though there is no apparent exhaust, both these EMD prototypes are in Run 8 and pulling hard. From the outside, it looks like the Tier-4 emissions are working out for EMD. Upon reaching East Portal, the consist will wait for the tunnel to vent, and then make a return trip back west to Winter Park.
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Photo ID: 105979
Date Shot
Photo By
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Moffat Tunnel (West Portal)
Winter Park, CO
1459
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Union Pacific
Even though the EMD prototypes are not particularly visible in this shot, I still consider this the "shot of day"! EMD's testing special is creeping along at 12 MPH as it enters into the west portal of the Moffat Tunnel. The Winter Park ski resort has shut down for the season. The green pipe to the left is a water pipe that goes through the Moffat Water Tunnel (which parallels the train tunnel). It carries water to the Denver area from the west slope of the divide and was a key reason the train tunnel was built.
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Photo ID: 100684
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, April 9, 2006 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Moffat Tunnel (West Portal)
Winter Park, CO
2512
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak
The 2005-2006 winter skiing season will be coming to a close in the next few weeks. Passenger on the California Zephyr can observe some skiers getting in the last of the spring skiing.
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Photo ID: 100683
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, April 9, 2006 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Moffat Tunnel (West Portal)
Winter Park, CO
2939
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Amtrak
Running less than ten minutes late, Amtrak 5 comes out of the west portal of the Moffat Tunnel right around 10am.
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Photo ID: 100658
Date Shot
Photo By
Sunday, March 26, 2006 Kevin Morgan
Location
Times Viewed
Moffat Tunnel (West Portal)
Winter Park, CO
2359
(Add a Comment)
Subdivision
Railroad
Moffat Tunnel (UP) Ski Train
Passenger walk along car 4 toward the front of the train, looking for their respective cars. The train stops here at the base of Winter Park for up to 30 minutes (until 4:15pm) to load passengers.
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