Moffat Tunnel Area – 9/24/2006

My wife and I spent a good part of the afternoon exploring some semi-back roads up in the mountains looking for some fall colors including the road to the Moffat Tunnel. We found some good colors and even saw a train exit the tunnel. Right after it completed its emergence, the big ventilation system came on to eliminate the fumes from the tunnel. The fumes from one train can be considerable.



The fans are really noisy and when they start; they sound like a jet airplane starting its engines. They run for about 20 minutes and then shutoff. They railroad dispatcher does not let another train through the tunnel until the ventilation is complete.

We had in mind the possibility of doing a little hike up the trail that goes behind the tunnel but it was way too snowy and muddy for that. However, I did go up the trail a little ways to one of the many "restrooms" that are available. Here I am returning.



One of the interesting things about this area is the old railroad route over Rollins Pass, also known as Corona Pass. This sign is at the beginning of this road.



And this is what the road looks like. We didn’t go up this time but I have been up there on my bicycle.