New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-11
4 COG ROAD.
ONE OF THE OLDEST RAILWAYS IN THE
WORLD.
THE ASCENT or ISIS FEET IN LESS THAN NINE
MII.Es-How 1T Is opERATEp-A
PASSENGERS EXPERIENCE

THE ASCENT OF ISIS FEET IN LESS THAN NINE
MIIEs-How 1T Is opERATEp-A
PASSENGERS EXPERIENCE.
From The Kansas City Star.
Probably the most iItsrest,Eg biz Of railway con,
Manto" to the summit Of Pixies Peak There
few roads like this in the world and no o'n:r one
granite BOWLER field which marks the summit Of
os S@ tie n nne Ts OF eSs
meS Of Colorado From the ' summit 70 ia
commodous railway ear and climb up tortuous
en- and upward TO see what had seemed grea. peaks
yey thousands Of miles Of great State is a sen'a-
f Bu, sT All travellers
go up to the summit in this way are favored with
FL and Ewing e 'ae tR
facts. The discovery Of the peak by Major Feb
ysmber - i:Os the first S" ascent Of the peak BY
M Ne sory II e 4asd it, dc y and
cult construction, table of eeyations-all these
ao na 10 this Rs found Sas In this rls pISsc 4 c
building railroad TO Pixies Peak summit took form
graded for a line which was intended to reach the
summit By crcuitous route, thirty miles In length
g p u son6 y &aniS Af Fnanc isf DIM
killed the project. The present railway was con;
eeived in 1855; One year later grading hegan. and
Ths IF s s ross say T TS
0es G on
qa af f as 9fs s esv 81 The sss is
sssg feet, Without loss Of time or distance the
until the station at the summit is reached there is
no Level The maximum grade climbed is Is per
per cent or siis feet 70 psr the ssH mile en-" 'e average
Everybody in Kansas City is familiar with the
rhSR % spS i w fsoa and
raway s'Sepe'' part OF FNe' reaS over the coz
The original equipment of the road was four en-.
same minus an engine. the one that was demolished
engine and a COACH RE later S has seatns
paey CT nifty persons and the seats 50 arranged
Thsy Look 50 fSnny don't hey! remarked the
make me- Snk Of engines with
hump in their backs. Look how the water.,ank tips
How can they keep water in that thing! And to
think that that little engine is going to push US up
| mile and half nearer the stare
Tho brakeman a listener to the young woman's
remarks. That engine isn't big" said he, hut id
run away with it as easya5o horsepower you
s as aeay dSR Ss Ssr eyes
The engines are Of the four.synder %audain com,
I, per cent grade the water Is on level The steam
pressure carried in the boiler T pounds Essn EN-
through which the power is applied to the rack lad
der Thee cog are TO me fen S OF e f ior
corrugated surfaces upon which the powerful steam
also lifted with the lie Chatter water brake. and are
utilized on the downward Journey as air cSmpressSoss
the car In ascending and precedes i in DESCENDING
thus giving perfect control over the car which IS
BRAKEMAN W always seated on one sSrm ready
case OF emergency The accident last Angus, was
lag rods OF the engine broke and the machine was
sad. Of en ss as they
Faster and faster the engine moved. There is only
place hc Sssc c ayns e
just below Where the accident occurred and this
why ihe rhn men oeo On dashed on down the
| mountain jumped the track and buried Itself In
| rayine The brakeman the eOaeh platform was
| prompt. He applied the pInion brakes and stopped
the car s.,,as.
ali essneers. The roadbcd is rom hieen 10 twenty
feet wide and packed hard In scores Oh PAGES rS Inv
four shor bridges are OF iron and rest on sold
TO w xs daS or from s Effect Of
widely aryn smpsratnrs S ,o ancsSri io are Tm as
According 10 the grade. The rails are Of ordinary
standard gauge, Their office Is 70 carry the wslgaI
exertei on what is called the rack ladder in the
Of the racE ro The sei LADDER o and 81
inches apart and with teeth staggered that Is one
tooth opposite the opening between Two 'ss.a' mus
are each eighty inches long and vary /, weigh; from
weniy-oae to thlrty-one ana ons,halt pounds per
They were made the highest grade q Bsssemrr
steel aud the teeth were cut from solid pieces by
There must be a tremendous and tear on
nd osn iad you n esass Re &c
| Those racks have been here since the road was
hn Rs se aa"S td a Mo as ns' ad ey
much worn They only cost $500 set, that's all:
n M :ltd A fss brsss%s5 Tesssveiy as he
itf fs moi Inc Ma q tremendous r q
and tho train was moving u5 son-of-a-Gun" Hi.
How "i maay IN the YEAR is the road
erated?" asked the passenger:
"'Bout five; but the best of the season is crowded
How deep does the fail the top of the
The train had passed the halfway, house and
through He'll; Gate into RuStSn and A,nen pars ~
long. Now, in he valley here We have less snow.
usually lhan down be:ow; rs shut IN, 70. see and
IN winter '9s,s is prastiisaily 10 snow here ''
Oh probably 80 Or 20 degrees below but you
5R s. Sy sssss Of you is odd rs s. IL.
par YSq be Y yor Of vo mile
ssns' Gs'1' a, ' some sy week
small bunch the track here and we stopped
the train 70 et kodak fend take shot"
A. the he train rain moved around the next curve the
were higher, but row its great altitude could be
appIeclat'u. Inc Train Hosea osei Ihouet a. 70
around the southern side Of the mountain 10 the
summit. Fr9m inspiration ,, Point . grand view Of
line 1i57s fesp was passed. Prom thence on around
track except rocks and powders and few MOSES
| and lichens.
| From Windy Point gets tine first western
| view Looking southwest you can see Victor,
Creede and Bull HILL The summit is not far dis
tant.
| On the platform with the brakeman and the pas-
| senger was man who lived on the peak. With
| him was a shepherd dog Bob. When Windy Point
was reached Bob who born the peak. gave
a yep and jumped to the ground. 1t was p per
cent grade but IL was for a m )ment only that Bob
| was left behind Getting under way he got ahead
OF the train and. yelp!ng at every bound. he made
| for home" Occasionally he would run back and
meet the train and sometimes II seemed As though
| he would be crushed to death. but he always