The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-10-20
UP PIXIES PEAK.
An Interesting Cogw' lei Railroad Route
to the S mmit.


An Interesting Cogw' lei Railroad Route
to the mmit.
A visit to Manitou sadly incomplete,
unless one has ascenaed to the summit of
Fixes peak by the new Pixies peak and
Manitou cogwheel railroad. 1t is an ex-
perience never to be forgotten, and one
not be missed for twice the COST" as is
commonly said. The road is but SO
miles in length, or to be exact, 1852 feet
long. The average elevation overcome is
S44.S feet to the mile, an average grade OF
10 per cent. The maximum grade is p
per cent, or $50 feet rise IN o., 1,00G
feet traversed. The maximum graae is 1G
per cent. in radius of $3.50 feet. To climb
such grades engines of peculiar construc.
ton are used. The boilers are set on the
trucks at an angle of 16 degs., so that in
climbing the average per cent. of the grade
brings the line of the boiler to the horizon.
tai.
There are four such locomotives in use
upon this Short line" They weigh TWEEN
ty-five tons. The drivers consist of six
cogwheels, which operate from the center
of the engine on the teethed rails under
meath. The wheels which run upon the
ordinary 7 rails are simply used to guide
the engine, and not for traction. The cog
rails are made from the best tempered
Bessemer steel, the teeth having been cut
from the solid piece by specially con
these rails, set IL inches apart, weighing
from twenty-one to thirty-one pounds pei
foot of length, the heaviest rails being
used on the steepest grades. Each rack
rail is eighty inches long, and SO placed
beside its companion as to break joints
The teeth are staggered" so as to give
the six cogwheel drivers of the locomotive
perfect bearing at all times
The utmost care was taken in grading
the roadbed and laying the track. To pre-
vent the moving or sliding of the track
which was quite possible, unless pre-
cautions were taken, owing to its enormou:
weight and the action of the heavy train
no fewer than 146 anchors have been firmly
set in the solid rock to sustain it, These
anchors are set at from 200 to GOO feet
apart, according to grade. The ties are
bound together by planks spiked longi
tud:nally where the grade is the heaviest
The cars are peculiar affairs, and ar,
pushed up ahead of the engine and de
tached therefrom. They can be let dow
grade Independently from the engine by
means of cogwheel brakes. The seats ar
set at the average angle of the grade, Al
which they are horizontal, while the foo
of the car is inclined from 16 to 25 dogs
These cars carry from thirty to forty pas
sengers.
The trip up the mountain is superb.
is constant change Of scene. Lovel!
flowers, foaming cataracts, placid streams
and frowning crags thrill the beholder a
he proceeds to the regions of perpetual
snow. The somber pine and silver spruo
luxuriate in the shady canyons, while tn
aspen and willow thrive along the stream
until timber line is reached. From tbi
point up to the summit nothing but stones
scanty blades of hardy grasses and modes
foHerets are to be seen. From the sum
NIT an indescribable panorama spreads TO
miles on all sides. Colorado City, COLORADO
Springs, Fountain, Pueblo, Monumen
and other towns are more or less discern
able to the naked eye, while Denver may b
plainly seen seventy-five miles distant witt
good fieldglass. The cost of the trip bot
ways is but five dollars, or by rail up tn
peak and carriage descending, six dollars
Denver Republican.