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The Moffat Tunnel was originally envisioned by David
Moffat as an alternative to the Rollins Pass route, but he passed from this
life before the construction began. The Tunnel was completed in 1927, then the
"Dotsero Cutoff" from Bond to Dotsero was completed in the 1930's, putting
Denver on a transcontinental rail line. Denver and Rio Grande Western
absorbed the Moffat Road soon after, and transcontinental trains began to
traverse the line, including the Scenic Limited, the Yampa Valley Mail to
Craig and also the California Zephyr. Amtrak's California Zephyr today
utilizes the Tunnel and David Moffat's trackage, linking Denver by rail to the
other cities it serves, Oakland, Reno, Salt Lake, Grand Junction and Glenwood
Springs to the west. The site of the tunnel is also very popular with hikers
and naturalists, but be aware that the weather can be rather violent at times,
even in summer. I still think the best way to experience the Moffat is to ride
a train, passing through all 30 tunnels between Denver and East Portal.
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