Alpine Tunnel

Infobox_Bridge
bridge_name= Alpine Tunnel


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official_name= Alpine Tunnel
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carries= Rail lines
crosses= Continental Divide
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length= convert|540|m|0|abbr=on
width=
clearance=
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traffic=
open= 1882
closed= 1910
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Alpine Tunnel is a convert|1772|ft narrow gauge railroad tunnel located east of Pitkin, Colorado on the former Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad route from Denver to Gunnison.

Construction began in January of 1880 and was scheduled to last 6 months, but the railway was completed in July of 1882 by the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad. At an altitude of convert|11523|ft, it became the first tunnel constructed through the Continental Divide. It was abandoned in 1910 due to damage in the tunnel and it not being worth repairing with a lack of traffic as the line failed to get much further beyond Gunnison on the west side.

The east portal of the tunnel has collapsed and the west portal has been covered by landslides. The former railbed is now a hiking trail on the east side and a rough road over the former railbed on the west side leads to a restored railroad stationhouse.

External links

* [http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=2&S=12&Z=13&X=471&Y=5347&W=2&qs=%7cpitkin%7cco%7c Topographic Map]
* [http://colomar.com/ColoradoPlaces/alpine.html Western Portal of the Alpine Tunnel - Pitkin Area]