Manitou and Pike's Peak Cog Railway

Manitou and Pike's Peak Cog Railway. . With a summit elevation of 14,110 ft above sea level, the Manitou and Pike's Peak Railway is the highest railway in North America and the world's highest cog railway. This line was the third and last cog railroad to be built in the United States after a construction period of 13 months. The first passenger train ascended Pike's Peak on June 30, 1891. The idea for building a cog railway up Pike's Peak is accredited to Major John Hulbert of Manitou., Funding for the building of the line was provided by Zalmond Simmons, head of the Simmons Mattress company. The railway has been in continuous opera along the same route since 1891. Steam engines were the only motive power on the line until 1938. By 1958, the last of the steam locomotives had been retired from passenger service having been replaced by the first generation of diesel-electric trains. Locomotive #2, on display here, was built in 1893., Cog or "rack railways" are designed to allow trains to climb at much steeper angles than standard railroads. In order to climb the maximum 25% grades of the Manitou and Pike's Peak Railway, the Abt rack system is employed. This rack and pinion gear drive for trains was invented by Dr. Roman Abt of Switzerland in 1882. Shown below is a section of rack rail and a cog gear from the pike's peak railway. In actual use there are two gears and two racks positioned side by side as can be seen under locomotive #2 on display here.