Completed in 1891, this is the highest cog railway in the world & the highest railroad of any kind in the United States, reaching almost the very top of Pikes Peak at 14,110 feet. It climbs 7,539 vertical feet in 9 short miles.
A cog railway has wheels that are great big gears, with monstrous teeth that fit into the cogs of the track. This allows the train to climb some impressively steep mountainsides.
Today's railway features modern Swiss-made engines & railcars, unlike the cruder open cars of yester-year.
The views are impressive and beautiful. Garden Of The Gods, Colorado Springs, and the snow-capped Rocky Mountains are all laid out from the summit in a sweeping 360-degree panorama.
Many people instead drive the Pikes Peak Highway to the top, and hiking or biking to the summit is popular...but for a stunning way to visit the mountain, nothing beats the Cog Railway.
