There was another railroad that traversed Gilpin County
from the early years. This was David H. Moffat's Denver,
Northwestern and Pacific, later the Denver and Salt Lake, and finally
incorporated into the Rio Grande Western. But under all it's names
it was famously known as the Moffat Road.
Prior to 1902, the only way west from Denver was north
to Wyoming and the Union Pacific or south to Peublo and the Denver and
Rio Grande. Denver needed a road west and David Moffat decided he
would provide it. Construction of this standard gauge railroad
from Denver was started in April of 1903.
The route did not go up Clear Creak Canyon like the
Colorado and Southern but instead up South Boulder Canyon passing up
Central City and Black Hawk about 8 miles to the north. By 1905
the trackage had gotten to Gilpin County and to pass over the divide to
the west climbed up and over Rollins Pass (Corona Pass) to Hot Sulphur
Springs.
Originally, Moffat intended to go under Rollins Pass by
tunnel, but finances prevented it. The 6.2 mile Moffat
Tunnel was finally constructed in 1927, long after Moffat had died, and
the railroad had been reorganized due to bankruptcy into the Denver and
Salt Lake.
Below you will find some pictures of the line as it
passed through Gilpin County.


Rollinsville, 1905
Gilpin Historic Society |

Tolland and going up to Rollins Pass, 1922
Gilpin Historic Society |

Tolland and going up to Rollins Pass, 1926
Gilpin Historic Society
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Tolland and going up to Rollins Pass, 1926
Gilpin Historic Society |

Tolland Depot
Gilpin Historic Society |

Mallet Compound No 209
Gilpin Historic Society
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Tolland, 1922
Gilpin Historic Society |

Engine derailed in terrific storm at Tolland Crossing. Engineer Bill
killed and fireman Olie Bars badly scalded. Schoolhouse in
background. 1922
Gilpin Historic Society |
 Tolland and Giants Ladder
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Yankee Doodle Lake
Gilpin Historic Society |

Looking West from Rollinsville, 1926
Gilpin Historic Society |

Yankee Doodle Lake
Gilpin Historic Society |

East Portal, Moffat Tunnel, 1926
Gilpin Historic Society |

East Portal, Moffat Tunnel, 1926
Gilpin Historic Society |

East Portal, Moffat Tunnel, 1926
Gilpin Historic Society |
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 Building the Moffat Tunnel, 1926
Gilpin Historic Society |

East Portal, Moffat Tunnel
Gilpin Historic Society |
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