January 1924 saw continued Moffat Tunnel progress, winter challenges, and optimism as new equipment was expected to speed up construction efforts.
Moffat Tunnel Construction Happenings from 100 Years Ago
January 1924’s progress on the Moffat Tunnel followed a similar trajectory as December 1923. Progress at the West Portal was slow: about 12 feet per day was the average and the first crosscut had been started (but not yet timbered). More progress was made at the East Portal where the first crosscut between the pioneer bore to the railroad bore had been completed.
Taking a look at financials, expenses at this point in the project were:
• Camp and camp buildings: $276,880.80
• Machinery, plant and tunnel: $297,292.65
• Stores: $121,692.63
• Administration: $66,371.70
• Legal and bond expenses: $55,604.76
• Engineering: $71,054.62
• Power line: $66,000.00
Total: $954,897.16
These costs represent approximately 13% of the $6,935,000 available for the work, and there was good news too: actual spend in some cases came in under what had been estimated. For example, the cost of the camps and associated structures were budgeted at $486,000. There was additional optimism as much of the preliminary work was where many of the costs were centered—now virtually all money spent would go towards the actual construction of the tunnel itself, and many high-dollar purchases would have high salvage value following the conclusion of the project.
Further, the $66,000 line item for power, above, is “being repaid to the commission in power, on a monthly basis.” The team had been working with a temporary 13,000-volt power line, but a permanent 44,000-volt power line came online in January 1924.
At this point in the project, the current cost per foot was $36—the estimates were between $34 and $35 per foot.
The great momentum and lack of any disasters continued to fuel ambitious estimates: Chairman W. P. Robinson of the Moffat Tunnel commission predicted “a string of cars will be run thru the Moffat [T]unnel August 1, 1926.” Optimism was further buoyed by the arrival—any day now—of electric locomotives, shovel loaders, electric mucking machines, steel dump cars, and more. It was estimated that by February 1st, the work would progress 40% faster than it did in January.
Why was it more economical to keep pressing ahead on construction of the tunnel with mules while the major equipment was yet to arrive? Chairman Robinson responded to such a question, “We estimate every day… in building the tunnel will save the district $1,000. That is on the theory that when the tunnel is built it will pay the $1,000 a day interest on the bonds which is now coming out of the proceeds of the sale of the bonds. Even tho[ugh] construction costs have been a little higher… the ultimate effect will be a saving to the district.” (Under a bonus clause in the contract, if the tunnel was completed early, the contractors would receive $1,000 for each day under 42 months.)
The men, meanwhile, were working up strong appetites: the graveyard shift workers often ate 5 meals per day—the most meals of any shift. Their shift ran from 11pm through 7am. Stories have it that they slept till noon, at one of their meals at lunch, and returned to bed. Outside, winter conditions raged: thermometers dipped to a bone-chilling 12 to 15 degrees below zero many times in January 1924.
B. Travis Wright, MPS | Preserve Rollins Pass | January 31, 2024
The primary purpose of our work is to inform the public.
