Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-05-02
UP PIXIES PEAK.
An Interesting Cogwheel Railroad Route
to the Summit.

to the summit.
A visit to Manitou is sadly incomplete
unless one has ascended to the summit of
Pixies peak by the new Pixies peak and
Manitou cogwheel railroad. 1t is an ex-
perience never to be forgotten, and one
mot be missed for twice the cost" as is
commonly said. The road is but SO
miles in length, or to be exact, 46,992 feet
long. The average elevation overcome is
S44.S feet to the mile, an average grade OF
10 per cent. The maximum grade is %
per cent, or $50 feet rise in each 1,OOC
feet traversed. The maximum grade is 10
per cent. in radius of $3.50 feet. To climb
such grades engines of peculiar construc-
tion 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 L 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-
structed machinery. There are two OF
these rails, set 1% inches apart, weighing
from twenty-one to thirty-one pounds per
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 enormous
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 800 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 are
pushed up ahead Of the engine and de-
tached therefrom. They can be let down
grade Independently from the engine by
means Of cogwheel brakes. The seats are
set at the average angle Of the grade, at
which they are horizontal, while the floor
Of the car is inclined from 16 to 25 degs.
These cars carry from thirty to forty pas
sengers.
The trip up the mountain is superb. 1t
is constant change of scene Lovely
flowers, foaming cataracts, placid streams
and frowning crags thrill the beholder as
he proceeds to the regions of perpetual
snow. The somber pine and silver spruce
luxuriate in the shady canyons while the
aspen and willow thrive along the streams
until timber line is reached. From this
point up to the summit nothing but stones,
scanty blades Of hardy grasses and modest
f1owerets are to be seen. From the sum.
NIT an indescribable panorama spreads for
miles on all sides. Colorado City, Colorado
Springs, Fountain, Pueblo, Monument
and other towns are more or less discern
able to the naked eye, while Denver may be
plainly seen seventy-fve miles distant with
good fieldglass. The cost of the trip both
ways is but five dollars, or by rail up the
peak and carriage descending, six dollars.
Denver Republican.