Loading typescript external module without importing?

I am having a headache at the moment because I am writing a nodejs typescript app which is basically one big internal module (spread over lots of files and outputted as one).

Now the problem I have is that express.d.ts (found on definitely typed) is written so it can only be loaded as an external module: import express = require("express"); however then that means that I have to compile my application as a single file as the moment you put the import keyword in it treats it like your module is now external, which I do not want.

So is there any way for me to change this code:

/// <reference path="../../../typescript-descriptors/express/express.d.ts" />
import express = require('express');
var app = express();

app.get('/', (req: express.Request, res: express.Response) => {
    res.render('index');
});

so it does not require the import and I can just do var express = require("express"); and still get the type safety?

As I NEED to be able to split my TS logic over multiple files and using the import method does not allow this.