The path is 1.02 miles from bottom to top, starting elevation is 6,574 feet and elevation at the top is 8,585 feet or an increase in elevation of 2,011 feet. The steepest grade along the path is 68% and the average grade for the entire path is 41%,that's 41 feet increase in elevation for every 100 feet you move forward!
This is the train we rode. It has two cars which are joined by a flexible boot so that both cars are open to each other where they are joined. There are also single cars in use on the line. The cars were made in Switzerland and use diesel engines to power hydraulic drive systems.
The train starts in Manitou Springs at an elevation of 6,570 feet and proceeds to the summit of Pikes Peak, an elevation of 14,115 feet, and a distance of about 8.5 miles which takes about an hour and forty minutes. The train stays at the summit for about 40 minutes then returns to Manitou Springs.
This is a picture of the cog wheel and gear rack that are used to drive the cars up and down the railway. The standard rails and wheels are used to carry the weight, but the cog wheels are what propel the cars.
Once we got above the treeline, the open pit gold mine in the distance became visible. This mining operation is a joint venture by AngloGold Ashanti an South African company and Golden Cycle Gold Corporation and they are extracting more than 300,000 ounces annually. Their cash cost to extract the gold is around $250 per ounce, today's closing price for gold was $1,776.40 per ounce. I guess they are doing OK!
Yes, that is snow on the ground. It was just above freezing and there was a pretty stiff breeze, but the sun was shining so everything was good!
