Steam & Excursion > What fits through the Moffat?

What would fit through the Moffat? 844? 1014? I'm not any kind of expert, so please excuse a niave question.

Wouldn't it be nice seeing a steam special retrace the D&RGW route?

Wiki:
The Moffat railroad tunnel is 24 feet (7.3 m) high, 18 feet (5.5 m) wide, and 6.2 miles (10.0 km) long.

So, I would imagine most of UP's steam would fit. If 3985 and 844 fit in Tunnel 41 on the Donner line, also built in 1925, then I would think 4014 would make it



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/19 12:12 by CPRR.

There is a tight curvre in Byers Canyon that 844 won't handle



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/19 12:32 by WAF.

Did the Rio Grande run Challengers and the 2-8-8-2's through Moffat or did they stay on Tennessee Pass and Soldier Summit?

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/19 12:37 by Spoony81.

They were used as helpers late on that side of the mountain, be interested if they got there via the long
way ie Salida, TP, Byers/Bond/Winter Park.

Out

I heard that Steve Lee once said he would never take a steam engine through the Moffat Tunnel.

Missabe Yellowstone’s went through when they leased them.

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Copy19 Wrote:
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> I heard that Steve Lee once said he would never
> take a steam engine through the Moffat Tunnel.

Yeah, you'd need something like some SCBA tanks and masks like the Fire Department uses so you wouldn't get gassed.

D&RGW 2-8-8-2 engines ran the moffat and TP routes.  And, in the mid -early 1950's even ran to Alamosa.  There are photos of that.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Copy19 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I heard that Steve Lee once said he would never
> > take a steam engine through the Moffat Tunnel.
>
> Yeah, you'd need something like some SCBA tanks
> and masks like the Fire Department uses so you
> wouldn't get gassed.

All Moffat crews carry SCBA tanks and masks with them, there are also 21 refuges spaced out in the tunnel with extra tanks since the 6 mile long tunnel is too long to make it out on their own carry on tanks. They have to change tanks in the dark to make it out or to fix their broken down train. But a steam train would be a whole different beast to deal with having an open cab, but I would imagine they would just use the accompanyind deisel for power in the tunnel.

Its the approach to the Moffat Tunnel that would be the problem, lots of smaller tunnels with sharp curves. I am not sure but I would think the articulated steam engines would not make it through many of them.

HB

Meanwhile,  on the post just above, it's made clear that Missabe Yellowstones made it over the line, and 2-8-8-2's also ran the line.  No diesels back then.  How in the world did the steam crews survive such daily exposure to such working conditions?  Somehow, they found a way...

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Copy19 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I heard that Steve Lee once said he would never
> > take a steam engine through the Moffat Tunnel.
>
> Yeah, you'd need something like some SCBA tanks
> and masks like the Fire Department uses so you
> wouldn't get gassed.


Here's my fireman Terry Thompson all suited up as we're climbing the grade inside the Mullan Tunnel in 2002.

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I’m sure Hotwater or Bob will chime in with the story of the UP Steam crew having issues with the big tunnel on Donner back in the 90’s

Posted from iPhone