Moffat, << MOF uht, >> Tunnel is one of the longest railroad tunnels in the world. It cuts through James Peak in Colorado for 6.23 miles (10.03 kilometers).
Moffat Tunnel has two separate bores (tubes). The largest, 24 by 16 feet (7 by 5 meters), is used for trains. The other bore, 8 by 8 feet (2.4 by 2.4 meters), carries water from the Fraser River to Denver. Engineers bored through rock from each side of the Continental Divide, at an elevation of 9,200 feet (2,800 meters). The tunnel shortened the distance between Salt Lake City and Denver by 176 miles (283 kilometers). By using the tunnel, trains avoid snowstorms, snowslides, and steep grades. The tunnel was named for David H. Moffat, American banker and railroad builder. It was leased to the Denver & Salt Lake Railroad.
