Christmastime is often referred to as the season of miracles and that couldn’t be more true than it is this year! In March, it was announced that the iconic Pikes Peak Cog Railway was closing for the year with the possibility of it never opening again due to extensive (and expensive) maintenance work. Fortunately, this is not the case and the railroad will re-open again in 2021!
Beginning in the spring of 2019, the Pikes Peak Cog Railway will begin its nearly $100M renovation, which will consist of demolishing and re-building the tracks, as well as the summit building at the top of the mountain.
Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway Facebook
In addition to the tracks themselves and the estimated $50M summit house, the updated Railway will also offer some much needed extra parking, which has been a long-time issue for not only Pikes Peak, but Manitou as well.
Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway Facebook
First opened in 1891, the line for the Pikes Peak Cog Railway runs nearly nine miles and takes a whopping 3 hours to reach the summit.
Wikimedia Commons
Why does it take so long for the train to travel 9 miles? It is due to its namesake cogs, which align with a toothed rack rail to safely move the train up-and-down steep grades.
Flickr/Wally Gobetz
In addition to being one of the last railroads of its kind in the world, the Pikes Peak Cog Railway also boasts some of most jaw-dropping views you will ever see.
Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway Facebook
Trust us; blink and your 3 hour trip will be over!
Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway Facebook
Even though we have 2 long years to wait, we could not be any more excited for this announcement, which will continue to benefit both the Manitou Springs tourism industry and state as a whole.
Flickr/slashvee
