The Manitou and Pikes Peak Incline Railroad, listening in. in Tales of the Jointed Track

We were called on Sunday morning for 430 am. A Coal Load, and again a routine run up hill. I caught this off the extra board, and I hadn’t been to Pueblo for about 2 months. We cut-off the helpers and head to Monument to meet two empties, which are en-route. One is just into the Academy, the next CTC siding about 6 to 7 miles south of Monument siding. Monument is the second smallest of meeting points. Monument is 6900 feet in the siding clearance point to clearance point. It will give you on the main about an extra 125 to 150 feet, if you cram ‘em in there. It winds like a snake at the south end.

We have a Houston Coal load, UFIX Bethgon hoppers, a J-SLE symbol on the Santa Fe or an AA0-50 for the BN. These have truck mounted brakes, vs the Rod and Lever Brake cylinder activated braking. Overall they are poor braker’s, but they have gotten better since the retro-fit. I still don’t trust them. I catch a good set off the top, and bring em in between switches at Monument.

It is late July early August, and the sun is up, and it is warming. It is close to 1100 am, and the clouds are gathering and looking threatening in and around Pikes Peak. The tourists have probably taken the early morning train up to the summit of 14,115-feet. It is 75 F and warming at Monument, CO, elevation 7300 feet roughly. It is not like that at the summit of Pikes Peak. Storms clouds are gathering at the summit, and it is rapidly cooling like it can.

I tell the brakeman, place your pack-set on 36-36, I am going to see whats going on the Manitou Incline. I don’t know the engine and / or car rosters, but I can follow the general gist of the conversation. The dispatcher is talking to a train coming back up to the summit. The Visitors Center is still locked up. Why?, I don’t know.

It’s kinda like railroad and tourist Drama VS Pike Peak. The clouds have dropped the temperature to 27 degrees. And there is sleet and cold rain hitting the summit. Plus there is wind as well. Above the fruited plain, and freezing yer ass off. No, tube tops, tank tops, t-shirts, and shorts, with no jacket isn’t gonna cut it.

We meet our two trains, and head south. I ask the brakeman to keep his pack-set on for a bit. We are on a clear at the north switch at the Academy siding. The incline comes in, “We have all of them, all three cars are packed. They were mighty glad to see us”. “Whats the temp and conditions now?” “At least 26, low clouds rain, and a 10 to 20 mph wind”. Life above 14000 feet when not prepared.