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For 130 years, visitors have traveled by unique train to the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado. Today, after more than three years of closure and $ 100 million in refurbishment, travelers embark on a breathtaking journey again.
With its own equipment for winding trekking in the Rocky Mountains, the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cograilway is one of the only two railroads in the United States to handle steep slopes of up to 25%.
The journey can be an hour’s journey to the summit, while glimpsing the natural beauty that inspired the song “America the Beautiful.”
The panoramic view is breathtaking in every sense. Visitors from all over the world travel to see them, including the Campbell family from Memphis, Missouri.
“When we went west and came to Colorado Springs, it was one of the destinations you had to see,” Lance Campbell told CBS News Nancy Chen.
The railroad can climb over 14,000 feet because a specific third wheel underneath the train is hooked.
“A gear rail is like any other rail, but it uses a central third rail to apply all traction and braking. In a typical rail, all traction and through the outer rails. I’ll brake, “said Assistant General Ted Johnston Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railroad Manager.
The rack railway was a groundbreaking system when it was built in 1891, as saloons dominated the local landscape. The nearby Broadmoor Hotel owns a railroad today.
Jack Damiori, President and Chief Executive Officer of Broadmoor, said:
Over the years, train technology has evolved with innovation in the 20th century. However, much of the railway infrastructure has been in place for over 125 years. In 2018, it was closed due to a total of over $ 100 million in refurbishment.
“When we did this project, we saw everything. The railroad tracks, trains, depot facilities we are in now, and we modified some of the old equipment,” Johnston said.
The track was replaced for the first time since it was laid. Recently, three new trains and snowplows ready to handle the harshest conditions have also been added.
With the modernization of train transportation, geared railroads and their parts have almost disappeared. Their rarity forced Colorado engineers to look abroad for help on the Stadler Rail in Switzerland, where trains cross the Alps.
Three years later, under any weather conditions, the railroad will resume all year round.
“The experience of going to the top of a 14,000-foot mountain by rail hasn’t changed. Yes, the car is new. The truck is new. But that awe-inspiring experience, it’s all the same,” says Johnston. I did.
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