Waiting for the train to Pike's Peak in Manitou Springs.
Above and below pix taken en route to the top.
Back in the day, maintenance crews would spend the entire summer in this building, and walk up and down the track doing their thing; elevation 12,129'.
We made it!
Mr Pike, however, did not.
He and 3 others tried to climb it in November, 1806, but the snow was too deep and his expedition was unprepared for winter travel.
Pike's Peak inspired Katherine Lee Bates to pen America the Beautiful.
The rock wall behind Trish is all that remains of the original weather station/lodge built in the late 1800s. The cog train track was built in 1891.
The train is Swiss built, runs on cogs,
A plaque honoring Mr Pike.
Our rail car.
The driver/engineer (left) has 2 powerful diesel engines and 3 independent sets of brakes at his command, keeps in close touch with the engineers of the other cars ascending and descending to coordinate timing. It's all single track except for 3 places where the cars can pull off into a side track to allow bypass.
PS: I'm fully aware that in common usage, it's called Pikes Peak rather than Pike's Peak, as used above. Call me a rebel, a purist, a butt-head, a picky little shit, whatever. It should be Pike's.
