A Railway to Reach Rare Heights—14,000 Feet—On its Last Legs

The future of the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, in operation on the steep slopes of Pikes Peak since 1891, is under study. Meanwhile, there will be no trips up the mountain.

1 minute read

March 15, 2018, 1:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Pikes Peak, Colorado

RRuntsch / Shutterstock

"After more than a century as one of the area’s premier tourist attractions, the Pikes Peak Cog Railway’s future is in doubt," report Wayne Heilman and Rich Laden.

The Pikes Peak Cog Railway "has shuttled generations of visitors on breathtaking, 8.9-mile trips to the summit of Pikes Peak and back, but after several months of maintenance, the railway's owners, The Broadmoor hotel, are planning to study its fate—not necessarily reopen. According to Heilman and Laden, "hotel officials have determined the railroad - including its aging infrastructure and equipment – 'has run its useful life.'"

The Cog Railway operates in "a special center 'rack' rail that allows the train to climb much steeper grades than traditional trains," according to the article. The Cog Railways is one of only two such systems in the country, the other is in New Hampshire, and 40 in the world.

Wednesday, March 14, 2018 in The Gazette

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