The system was very effective during the harsh winter of 2013/14. In 2012, time was not available before winter set in for the work in Tunnel 16 to be completed, so construction was completed in August 2013. It will be used by the Denver & Salt Lake Railroad. The thickness of the system is minimized as much as possible because of the limited clearance available. Moffat, famed railroad builder, is scheduled for completion in August. The insulation system consists of a drainage mat hung on the tunnel lining, an insulation plank, and galvanized expanded metal to protect the insulation planks. The direct fixation system involves attaching the insulation system directly to the tunnel lining. In Tunnel 16, we designed a “direct fixation” insulation system because the available clearance was very limited. Construction was completed from September through November of 2012. Post-construction inspections have shown the system is working very well. 2 Miles 3 Kilometers of Descents 6 ski lines 1 Easy Trail Easy Trails 5 Intermediate Trails Intermediate Trails. Existing utilities in the tunnel, including a fiber optic cable and communication lines, were incorporated into the design and construction. Moffat Tunnel (mf´t), railroad tube, 24 ft (7.3 m) high, 18 ft (5.5 m) wide, and 6.4 mi (10.3 km) long, N central Colo., in the Continental Divide, NW of Denver. Drainage was installed on the field side of the icing shield, through the concrete footings and into the existing tunnel drainage system. The multilayered insulation system consists of two layers of thick drainage mats on the field side, installation planks, steel channel lagging, a sprayed waterproofing membrane, and a two-inch (50 mm) layer of fiber-reinforced microsilica shotcrete on the track side. The system is supported by steel sets placed on new concrete footings. There was adequate clearance in Moffat Tunnel to install a self-supporting insulation system. The icing shields had to fit between the clearance envelope and the existing tunnel lining, and be constructed under live track conditions, in two- to four-hour work windows. McMillen Jacobs Associates was hired to design separate passive icing shields for each tunnel, and both icing shields were designed and bid in 2012. The 6. By 2011, the insulation needed replacement again. Insulation in Tunnel 16 was initially installed near the east portal in the late 1980s by railroad personnel and had been replaced several times because of deterioration. Drip shields, but no insulation, had been previously installed in Moffat Tunnel in this area. A 70-foot-long (21 m) section of Moffat Tunnel experienced extensive icing during the winter of 2010/11. These tunnels are subject to heavy precipitation and cold for a significant part of the year, and both tunnels have a long history of icing issues. Pop out onto Highway 40, and either cross the highway or ride the shoulder west a bit to access the Fraser River Trail which leads to either the town of Winter Park (West) or the ski resort (East) for food and drink.Moffat Tunnel and Tunnel 16 are located on the old Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad in the mountains west of Denver, Colorado. You'll also notice a large number of timbers next to the grade near the summit, which are the remnants of a near continuous snow shed.Įnjoy the pleasant downhill on the West side of the continental divide, while stopping occasionally to enjoy the view and to inspect relics of the railroad. If you stick to the railroad grade, near the summit is the trestle bridge, which is quite a thrilling crossing. But on a bike, there is a clear detour trail over the tunnel.Īt the summit, there are a few ways to go, but they all merge back together again before heading down the west side of the continental divide. On the east side of Yankee Doodle lake is the Boulder Wagon Trail, which is how 4WD vehicles avoid the Needle Eye tunnel (which is closed and barricaded). There is also a bore parallel to the Moffat Tunnel which pipes water from the west side of the divide to the east side, confusing the traditional definition of a continental divide as the division between 2 drainage basins.Īs you near treeline, you'll encounter the lovely Yankee Doodle Lake and Jenny Lake. Check out the Moffat tunnel, which made the original narrow gauge railroad obsolete, before heading up the switchbacks leading up to the continental divide. This part of the road is suitable for all cars and crowded, so many people drive this section and park at the Moffat Tunnel. Head up the smooth dirt East Portal road from Rollinsville.
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