Lookout Mountain Incline Railway: Difference between revisions

	Lookout Mountain Incline Railway
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	A view down the 1-mile (1.6 km) length of the railway from the top of Lookout Mountain
Standort	3917 St. Elmo Avenue, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37409
Coordinates	35°0′28″N 85°20′8″W / 35.00778°N 85.33556°W
Built	November 16, 1895 (128 years ago)
Architect	Josephus "Jo" Conn Guild Sr.
NRHP reference No.	73001774
Added to NRHP	April 26, 1973

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Latest revision as of 15:16, 5 June 2023

The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway is a 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge^[2] inclined plane funicular railway leading to the top of Lookout Mountain from the historic St. Elmo neighborhood of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Passengers are transported from St. Elmo's Station at the base, to Point Park at the mountain summit, which overlooks the city and the Tennessee River. It is just a short drive to three of Chattanooga's main tourist attractions, Ruby Falls, Cavern Castle, and Rock City.^[3] The railway is approximately one mile (1.6 km) in length (single-track except for a short two-track passing loop at the midway point, allowing operation of two cars at one time). It has a maximum grade of 72.7%, making it one of the world's steepest passenger railways.^[4] It obtained Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark status in 1991. The cable system for the cars was made by the Otis Elevator Company.

History

The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway (Incline No. 2) was opened on November 16, 1895, by the Chattanooga Incline and Lula Lake Railway and functions as a major mode of transportation to the top of the mountain. It was the second of two inclines constructed on Lookout Mountain; the first was the Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain Railway (Incline No. 1), which operated from 1886 to 1895 and dismantled in 1900. Service was disrupted twice by fires that destroyed the powerhouse, upper station and cars stored there overnight (the first fire occurring on December 13, 1896, and the second on March 24, 1919). Both fires put the railway temporarily out of service, substitute service being provided by the Chattanooga Railway and Light Company's Lookout Mountain route. The railway was sold in the 1940s to Southern Coach Lines and is now operated by the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority, the area's public transit agency.

The Incline Railway is a well-known and beloved Chattanooga landmark; the railway has been depicted in numerous regional and national publications, including being on TV, most prominently on Larry the Cable Guy's Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy in February 2011.^[5] The railway is one of the main tourist attractions in the Chattanooga area, totaling over 100,000 visits annually.^[6] The top station features an observation deck and a gift shop.

References

^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
^ "Trams of the World 2017" (PDF). Blickpunkt Straßenbahn. January 24, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017.
^ Wohlfarth, J. (2007). See Rock City. Cincinnati Magazine, Vol. 41(Issue 1), P39-40, 2p.,
^ Directions and FAQ
^ Staff (February 16, 2011). "Incline Railway on the History Channel". Chattanoogan.com. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
^ "How Chattanooga made $1 billion last year from tourism". timesfreepress.com. 2015-05-13. Retrieved 2019-07-22.

External links

This United States rail–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This article about transportation in Tennessee is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[nris-1] "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.

[2] "Trams of the World 2017" (PDF). Blickpunkt Straßenbahn. January 24, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017.

[3] Wohlfarth, J. (2007). See Rock City. Cincinnati Magazine, Vol. 41(Issue 1), P39-40, 2p.,

[4] Directions and FAQ

[Incline_Railway_on_TV_with_Larry_the_Cable_Guy-5] Staff (February 16, 2011). "Incline Railway on the History Channel". Chattanoogan.com. Retrieved 26 March 2013.

[6] "How Chattanooga made $1 billion last year from tourism". timesfreepress.com. 2015-05-13. Retrieved 2019-07-22.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
  | caption = A view down the {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} length of the railway from the top of [[Lookout Mountain]]
  | location= 3917 St. Elmo Avenue, [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]] 37409
+ | coordinates = {{coord|35|0|28|N|85|20|8|W|display=inline,title}}
- | lat_degrees = 35
+| locmapin = Tennessee#USA
- | lat_minutes = 0
- | lat_seconds = 28
- | lat_direction = N
- | long_degrees = 85
- | long_minutes = 20
- | long_seconds = 8
- | long_direction = W
- | locmapin = Tennessee#USA
  | area =
  | built = {{start date and age|1895|11|16|p=yes}}
- | architect= [[Jo Conn Guild|Josephus "Jo" Conn Guild, Sr.]]
+ | architect= [[Jo Conn Guild|Josephus "Jo" Conn Guild Sr.]]
  | architecture=
  | added = April 26, 1973
@@ Line 21: / Line 14: @@
 }}
-The '''Lookout Mountain Incline Railway''' is a {{RailGauge|4ft8.5in|allk=on}}<ref>[http://www.tramway.com/bs/tramsderwelt2013.pdf Zeitschrift Blickpunkt Straßenbahn (Tram Focus Magazine) - Trams of the World 2013]</ref> [[inclined plane]] [[Funicular|railway]] located along the side of [[Lookout Mountain]] in the historic [[St. Elmo Historic District (Chattanooga, Tennessee)|St. Elmo neighborhood]] of [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]], in the [[United States]]. Passengers are transported from St. Elmo's Station at the base, to Point Park at the mountain summit, which overlooks the city and the [[Tennessee River]]. It is just a short drive to three of Chattanooga's main tourist attractions, [[Ruby Falls]], Cavern Castle, and [[Rock City (roadside attraction)|Rock City]] <ref>Wohlfarth, J. (2007). See Rock City. [[Cincinnati (magazine)|''Cincinnati'' Magazine]], Vol. 41(Issue 1), P39-40, 2p.,</ref> Both less than 10 minutes drive from the railways top station. The railway is approximately {{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}}  in length ([[single-track railway|single-track]] except for a short [[Double track|two-track]] stretch ([[passing loop]]) at the midway point, allowing operation of two cars at one time), and has a maximum [[Grade (slope)|grade]] of 72.7%. It is billed as one of the world's steepest passenger railways.<ref>http://www.ridetheincline.com/</ref> It obtained [[List of Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmarks|Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark]] status in 1991. The cable system for the cars was made by the [[Otis Elevator Company]].
+The '''Lookout Mountain Incline Railway''' is a {{RailGauge|4ft8.5in|allk=on}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=Trams of the World 2017|url=http://blickpunktstrab.net/wordpress2/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/tramsderwelt2017.pdf|publisher=Blickpunkt Straßenbahn|date=January 24, 2017|accessdate=February 16, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216202427/http://blickpunktstrab.net/wordpress2/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/tramsderwelt2017.pdf|archivedate=February 16, 2017}}</ref> [[inclined plane]] [[Funicular|funicular railway]] leading to the top of [[Lookout Mountain]] from the historic [[St. Elmo Historic District (Chattanooga, Tennessee)|St. Elmo neighborhood]] of [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]]. Passengers are transported from St. Elmo's Station at the base, to Point Park at the mountain summit, which overlooks the city and the [[Tennessee River]]. It is just a short drive to three of Chattanooga's main tourist attractions, [[Ruby Falls]], Cavern Castle, and [[Rock City (roadside attraction)|Rock City]].<ref>Wohlfarth, J. (2007). See Rock City. [[Cincinnati (magazine)|''Cincinnati'' Magazine]], Vol. 41(Issue 1), P39-40, 2p.,</ref> The railway is approximately {{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}} in length ([[single-track railway|single-track]] except for a short two-track [[passing loop]] at the midway point, allowing operation of two cars at one time). It has a maximum [[Grade (slope)|grade]] of 72.7%, making it one of the world's steepest passenger railways.<ref>[http://www.ridetheincline.com/take-a-ride/directions/ Directions and FAQ]</ref> It obtained [[List of Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmarks|Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark]] status in 1991. The cable system for the cars was made by the [[Otis Elevator Company]].
 ==History==
-The Incline Railway opened on November 16, 1895, and was the second of two inclines constructed on Lookout Mountain; the first was the [[Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain Railway]], which operated from 1886 to 1898. The railway is now operated by the [[Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority]], the area's public transit agency.
+The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway (Incline No. 2) was opened on November 16, 1895, by the Chattanooga Incline and Lula Lake Railway and functions as a major mode of transportation to the top of the mountain. It was the second of two inclines constructed on Lookout Mountain; the first was the [[Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain Railway]] (Incline No. 1), which operated from 1886 to 1895 and dismantled in 1900. Service was disrupted twice by fires that destroyed the powerhouse, upper station and cars stored there overnight (the first fire occurring on December 13, 1896, and the second on March 24, 1919). Both fires put the railway temporarily out of service, substitute service being provided by the Chattanooga Railway and Light Company's Lookout Mountain route. The railway was sold in the 1940s to Southern Coach Lines and is now operated by the [[Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority]], the area's public transit agency.
-The Incline Railway is a well-known and beloved Chattanooga landmark; the railway has been depicted in numerous regional and national publications, including being on TV, most prominently on [[Larry the Cable Guy]]'s ''[[Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy]]'' in February 2011.<ref name="Incline Railway on TV with Larry the Cable Guy">{{cite web|url=http://www.chattanoogan.com/2011/2/16/194775/Incline-Railway-on-the-History-Channel.aspx|title=Incline Railway on the History Channel |last=Staff|date=February 16, 2011|publisher=Chattanoogan.com|accessdate=26 March 2013}}</ref>
+The Incline Railway is a well-known and beloved Chattanooga landmark; the railway has been depicted in numerous regional and national publications, including being on TV, most prominently on [[Larry the Cable Guy]]'s ''[[Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy]]'' in February 2011.<ref name="Incline Railway on TV with Larry the Cable Guy">{{cite web |url= http://www.chattanoogan.com/2011/2/16/194775/Incline-Railway-on-the-History-Channel.aspx|title=Incline Railway on the History Channel |last=Staff|date=February 16, 2011|publisher=Chattanoogan.com|accessdate=26 March 2013}}</ref> The railway is one of the main tourist attractions in the Chattanooga area, totaling over 100,000 visits annually.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/story/2015/may/13/how-chattanooga-made-1-billion-last-year-tourism/304051/|title=How Chattanooga made $1 billion last year from tourism|date=2015-05-13|website=timesfreepress.com|access-date=2019-07-22}}</ref> The top station features an observation deck and a gift shop.
 [[File:Lookout_Mountain_Incline_Railway_2007.jpg|thumb|right|A foggy day on the railway. [[Chattanooga]] is barely visible in the background.]]
-== See also ==
+==See also==
 * [[List of funicular railways]]
 * [[Otis Elevating Railway]]
 ==References==
-{{reflist}}
+{{Reflist}}
 ==External links==
-{{commons category|Lookout Mountain Incline Railway}}
+{{Commons category|Lookout Mountain Incline Railway}}
-*[http://www.ridetheincline.com/ Lookout Mountain Incline Railway official web site]
+* [http://www.ridetheincline.com/ Lookout Mountain Incline Railway official web site]
+* [http://hawkinsrails.net/preservation/incline/incline.htm HawkinsRails' Lookout Mtn Incline Railway page]
+{{Chattanooga, Tennessee landmarks}}
 {{Registered Historic Places}}
+{{Authority control}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Lookout Mountain Incline Railway}}
@@ Line 51: / Line 47: @@
 [[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Tennessee]]
 [[Category:Railway inclines in the United States]]
-[[Category:Railway-related listings on the National Register of Historic Places]]
 [[Category:Standard gauge railways in the United States]]
-[[Category:Visitor attractions in Hamilton County, Tennessee]]
+[[Category:Tourist attractions in Hamilton County, Tennessee]]
 [[Category:1895 establishments in Tennessee]]
-[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Hamilton County, Tennessee]]
+[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Chattanooga, Tennessee]]
+[[Category:Cableways on the National Register of Historic Places]]
+[[Category:Rail infrastructure on the National Register of Historic Places in Tennessee]]

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