Chris Parker and I left the Holiday Inn Chattanooga Choo Choo and went to Walmart before making our way to the first of three attractions on Lookout Mountain. This railway is known as America's Most Amazing Mile and will take you up a 72.7 percent breathtaking grade near the top. I could not wait to ride this unique railway.
Lookout Mountain Incline Railroad HistoryThe first Incline up Lookout Mountain opened in 1887. It ran from the 38th Street area in St. Elmo to just below the Point. The second Incline, engineered by John Crass, opened November 16, 1895, and is the Incline that is still in operation today. The success of the second Incline was the primary reason that the first Incline closed in 1899.
Lookout Mountain has been a popular tourist destination in Tennessee and Georgia for centuries. Over the years, several businessmen have built hotels on the mountain to allow visitors to experience its attractions and breathtaking views. Opened in 1889, the Lookout Inn was located directly across from the incline at the top of Lookout Mountain. It would later be destroyed by a fire in 1908.
Originally the cars were made of wood and powered by huge coal-burning steam engines. Electric power was used after 1911, and it now uses two 100 horsepower motors that power the large drums that operate the cable. The cable is made by the company which supplied the cable for the Brooklyn Bridge. Since 1895 the Incline has carried millions of riders up and down the mountain in complete safety. On March 19, 1919, an accidental fire destroyed the upper station and one of the cars causing the Incline to close down for two years while they rebuilt, they also bought new cars at this time for the reopening. The new cars held thirty-two passengers and had heaters under the seats.
Built in 1928, the Lookout Mountain Hotel was known as "The Castle in the Clouds". Famed for its elegant furnishings including red velvet carpet, heavy gilt floor candelabras, overstuffed velvet loveseats and a spectacular ballroom, it was a popular summer resort into the 1940's and 1950's. In 1964, the hotel building became part of Covenant College.
The incline has had a few famous riders in its time in operation. Teddy Roosevelt rode the incline in 1905 while he was still President of the United States. Elizabeth Taylor also rode the Incline in the 1950’s. In 1974, Jo Conn Guild Sr. and Linn White, the original designers of today’s Incline, were given the honor of having their engineering marvel be designated as a National Historic Site by the United States of the Interior. Ninety-six years after the Incline’s inaugural journey, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers honored the Incline as its 100th National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in recognition of its innovative design, and the historically significant role that it has played in the development of Lookout Mountain and Chattanooga.
The Incline car came down into the station and was unloaded. Some quick maintenance was done before boarding for the next trip occurred.
I was first to board and took the last seat in the car so I could photograph the ride.
With everyone aboard, we left the Lower Station.
The Incline is fenced to keep the public off the tracks and cables.
We crossed the first trestle over Old Mountain Road, which passes underneath.
The grade then really started.
The cars climb a steep part before slackening off, only to continue the steep climb.
The car crossed another trestle, also over Old Mountain Road.
Approaching the trestle over the Guild Trail.
Travelling over Scenic Highway, Tennessee 148, via a trestle.
Ascending the grade, at which time I saw the downhill car approaching.
Our car was being passed by the downhill car.
We came to the switch at the uphill end of the passing track.
A bridge over Battlefield Wark and Bike Trail as we climbed higher.
We went under the road bridge as we went up the incline.
The car went by the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway Sign.
A former station no longer in use.
Now we reached the 72.7 percent grade up Lookout Mountain.
The cables rise above the structure.
Look at the grade ahead.
Impressive!
Summit station came into view.
We were almost there!
The Incline car had reached Summit station on Lookout Mountain. We detrained and went up to the viewing platform.
Railfanning from Lookout Mountain. Now the view, which was impressive.
What a view!
The Incline car climbed the grade to the Summit station.
I could look down to the Holiday Inn Chattanooga Choo Choo.
Also visible was Norfolk Southern's DeButt Yard in Chattanooga.
The pulley used to bring the cars up and down the Incline. We reboarded the car for the trip down.
I sat at the downhill end of the car.
We had a great look down before we started.
The car making its way through the cuts.
What a view as we proceeded down.
The car was dropping down through the trees.
We were passed by an uphill car.
The lower switch of the passing track.
More of our downhill trip.
The parking lot first came into view.
Next we came to the station area.
The Lower Station.
We reached the lower end of the tracks.
The Incline car was now at rest.
The next group of passengers.
The car then made its way the Lookout Mountain Incline with another load of passengers. Chris Parker and I next drove to Rock City, but that is another story. On the drive from Rock City to Ruby Falls, we crossed over Lookout Mountain Incline Railway tracks and I heard cables whirring so asked Chris to pull over and we waited.
First the downhill car came by.
Next the two cars passed and each operator swapped cars to return to their boarding locations.
The final pictures of the uphill car passing our location. It was great fun to ride the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway and is something everyone must do when visiting Chattanooga, Tennessee.
