Telegram-herald., 1890-10-19
RAILS TO PIXIES PEAK
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years ago for ths per4osS q z4lAspors-
ing sos4Fasss An4 skAeEs - re Psua-cls
of Plks's Rezk. shers "a opportunity =
Gfer3ed fsr hebol1iaz soeaeFY u s1r-
passing srsndear ana aagnit~te- lt :.
according - ths Chleago Trlslne. tAe
niesE aosel railway Ia ne sorl4. aat
renders almost insisul1esaS - eoua-
paris3a. as fsuoas cogway a. Mount
Nzzhlngtoa anl tbs incline railway aP
he Eizi in Sy .zsslznd
It's exlrt .ongta IS 80, tss feet. or nine
miles. Tie altitude of IS initial st4-
tioa a. Msnitog IS $500 feet; A. the
suamit Il IS IA 200 fset above the level
of the sea. ths total Ascelt being $50
feet, or al average OF s46 feet per mile.
The maximum grade i IS p~r cent.
over e per cent Of tha lac having a
grade of "a. 70 e5 per eeEt- The line is
pretty crooked. even for an adhesion
road, aud has many sharp curves. though
NOT more than sone other roads Of
similar nature. or straight line there
are p. SIS feet and OF curved is. AT feet.
about - per cent OF the line being on
corners. The shSrpess curves are l6 de-
grees, OF which there are quite nam
Der. The culyerts are Of stone and tho
foundations are firmly secured and
further protected and sustained by
wide embankments. The rails are
Laid on red spruce and oak ties, s-inch
face, inches deep. 8 feet long, laid 90
inches centers. At intervals Of 200 70
coo or TOO feet, dependent upon the
grades. anchorages are made by straps
fastened 10 the ties and carried upgrade
% eye-bolts set In blocks OF masonry.
As the whole track 10 consolidated. not
only by the ordinary spiking, but by the
extra fastenings OF tho track-rail, il is
believed that these anchorsges will DO
amply sufficient 20 guard against the
movement OF any part down grade. The
track-rails are forty pounds per yard
three and half inches high. Between
those in the center ot the track are
placed two cog-rails made OF the finest
coca steel. special chair has been
manufactured for these rails at Abts
great foundry in Germany,
On the Mount Washington road and
on that up the Rigi the middle rail- Is
CONSTRUCTED upon the principle Of lad
der. This is cumbersome, prov ocative
CT great noise, and only allows a speed
OF two and three-fourths miles an hour.
The speed attainable on the Pixies
Peak road is seventeen miles an hour,
but tho maximum rate viii not be over
eight miles and the average not more
than five miles. One cog-rail would be
amply sufficient to do all the work, but
two are inserted - insure safety. The
cogs arc so fitted that the variation Of q
ffaeth part OF an inch in one OF them
would cause the whole rail TO be re-
iected.
The engines. three in number, each
weighing twen ty-lve tons, were built by
the Baldwin Company, Of Philadelphia.
and are of the latest and most improved
pattern. There are three wheels on
each side OF tho engines which sot as
guards and 10 sustain weight. There
arc three driving cog-wheels, two OF
which are in constant use, and the third
is reserved for engineers. The propell-
ing power is applied directly 10 q drum
above the two rear drivers. The front
drivers are moved by a walking beam
running from tho second driver. The
brake apparatus is especially strongly
built. On either side of tho cog-wheels
is corrugated surface which the heavy
steam break operates with tremendous
force. The engines are also fitted with
hand brakes, and an additional device
(the lie Chatclier brake) by which the
cylinders act as brakes. The tank holds
zoo gallons Of water and is filed four
times in each round trip. Ono engine
will push two cars weighing $4,000
pounds loaded.
Six passenger, two observation and
" fat cars form the equipment. Each
car has twenty-five seats with capacity
for carrying sixty persons per trip, and
is also supplied with two tension erakes
to be worked by hand. The cars are not
tilted, but the seats are SO arranged as
TO give the passenger level footing. A
unique feature OF the road is that the
engine instead of drawing pushes the
cars
From Manitou Station, near the up
per iron springs. the line runs up Englc-
man Canon and follows this gulch to
stream is a typical mountain brook, with
clear, sparkling waters that come down
| the mountain side broken into number
/ less little cascades and foaming rapids.
| There are two pretty falls in Ruston
creek. called respectively the Shelter
/ and the Ninnehaaa. 4 succession Of
small but beautiful parks is reached.
/ About two miles from Manitou, a. Art
/ ist Glen" splendid views are obtained
I Of the surrounding country. The Gar
den OF the Gods is plainly visible.
+ About half way up is tho Hallway
I House. delightful mountain resort, a.
! fording those who desire 10 spend a night
I In the mountains comfortable shelter.
/ Reaching tho headwaters Of Ruston
+ creek TIE road curves &c tho southwest
/ and Windy Point is attained. where an
I othor magliic view OF Manitou. the
Garden Of The Gods. Colorado Springs,
ard the vast plains beyond = secured.
Here the road begins % climb rapidly.
crosses 20 the west side OF the huge
mountain. and then takes bee-line 10
the summit.
The Height of Clouss.