The last siding on the east side of the climb to the Moffat Tunnel lies just east of the eastern portal and is called East Portal. The siding is 5750 feet long, slightly longer than Tolland. One of the primary purposes of the siding is to queue trains waiting for the tunnel to ventilate. The 6.2 mile long Moffat Tunnel was built between 1924 and 1928 and also includes a second bore used to bring water from the western slope to the eastern slope. This water is fed into South Boulder Creek at the tunnel.
I was able to use a combination of satellite images of the East Portal complex, and a set of plans published in the 1980s to create a scale plan of the site and the different structures. Based on the space available (the area above North Yard) I did need to consolidate the structures a little bit, but the buildings are full size. As a signature element of the layout, I want this facility to be an accurate model of the real location.
I recently found a video of a drone at the Moffat Tunnel which also gives some additional views and details.
With such a long tunnel, ventilation is a necessary consideration, particularly with the summit inside the tunnel. Both east bound and west bound trains have to climb while in the tunnel, and as can be seen by how dirty engines got on the Moffat Line, a ventilation system had to be installed in the tunnel. The door opens when an east bound train gets within 1500 feet of the tunnel portal and closes after the train departs the tunnel. The tunnel doors also close about 40 seconds after a westbound train finishes entering the tunnel. The fans ventilate the tunnel for approximately 20-25 minutes after the portal closes. It takes a train approximately 9 minutes 30 seconds to traverse the tunnel. The doors seem to take 10-20 seconds to close. I plan to model the operation of the door.
The Tunnel is not the only thing at East Portal. There is a wye that used to lead to the line over Rollins pass, and a number of structures, including a two stall metal train shed. I am not exactly sure what the purpose of the train shed is, but suspect that it is used to store tunnel maintenance and snow equipment.
View at East Portal looking east. The train shed and a storage shed are to the left of the engine. Photo by Jim Carr.
I tried to capture most of these features in the track plan for East Portal. The siding is 111 inches long, a little longer than Tolland.
East Portal Track Plan.
In addition to the siding, I have included the wye, bringing the third leg of the wye out over the aisle for North Yard. This should work for most operators, as the benchwork should be approximately 77" above the floor, so most people will walk right under the wye. Given the elevation, I tried to keep the track accessible, and to the front of the benchwork. However, it will take a step stool to work East Portal. I've been able to include many of the structures, including the tunnel and the associated ventilation system. As the main line enters the tunnel, like the prototype, it begins to climb.
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