![\"\"](\"http:\/\/cowlesmountain.com\/Travels\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/PikesPeak202200013.jpg\")
<\/a>Boarding time arrived fairly quickly and we found our seats.\u00a0 We were in one of the older trains and the seats were two abreast and faced the two seat in front of you.\u00a0 My knees ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/cowlesmountain.com\/Travels\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/PikesPeak202200014.jpg\")
<\/a>were touching the seat in front of me.\u00a0 Yikes!\u00a0 Lucky for me a small child sat there. Some tall guys were across the aisle from us and their legs were straddling each other.\u00a0\u00a0 And then, we both lucked out even further as a woman gave up her seat a row in front of us to sit with friends elsewhere in the coach, and the folks in the seats facing us could move ahead to be with the rest of their family.\u00a0 Wow!!\u00a0 \u00a0If I ever ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/cowlesmountain.com\/Travels\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/PikesPeak202200015.jpg\")
<\/a>had to go again, I would buy all 4 seats for two of us.\u00a0\u00a0 The newer trains may have more room.\u00a0 Looked like it from a ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/cowlesmountain.com\/Travels\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/PikesPeak202200016.jpg\")
<\/a>distance.<\/p>\nThe engine was fairly loud and roared all the way up to the top; and coming down, seemed a bit louder.\u00a0\u00a0 It’s a single-lane track with occasional sidings to allow trains to pass each other.\u00a0 My thought is it’s normal to pass two trains on each way as they leave about 40 minutes apart.\u00a0\u00a0 It’s an extremely steep grade, so it makes sense they use a cog (gear) to keep moving at a safe speed.\u00a0 It’s probably even The ride is about 1 1\/2 hours each way with about 40 minutes at I had purchased two cans of oxygen at a local store prior to going there just in case.\u00a0 They are both still unopened.\u00a0 I had read about them always being out of them at the top.\u00a0 I didn’t see anyone else using them.\u00a0 Anyway, beautiful views in all directions while we were there.\u00a0 We had picked a perfect day, hardly any clouds in the sky.\u00a0\u00a0 I The trip up and back down were uneventful, until the boy in the seat ahead of us started throwing up out the window.\u00a0 Felt bad for him.\u00a0 When we drove back down through Manitou Springs, we noticed it had a pretty nice old downtown and we would come back and visit if we had time later in the week.<\/p>\n July 14th 2022<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We purchased reserved seats for the Cog Railway out of Manitou Springs to the top of Pikes Peak for a 9:20 am departure.\u00a0 We arrived early as everything we read said parking was scarce.\u00a0 And it really was; but as we got there around 8:20, an hour before, we had no issues.\u00a0 There was so … <\/p>\n<\/a>more important when going back down.<\/p>\n<\/a> the top.\u00a0 It’s windy and cold up there.\u00a0 It was close to 90 in Colorado Springs and probably 40 at the top.\u00a0\u00a0 It’s over 14,000 feet, and you will notice how thin the air is just moving around, and the stairs will have you huffing and puffing in a few steps!\u00a0 I guess one of the features of being up there is <\/a>you get to see kids throwing up.\u00a0 We got to see a couple.\u00a0 Not sure if the parents had them eating at the snack bar or it was just the lack of oxygen or possibly a<\/a> combination of both.\u00a0 That part is not mentioned in the brochure.<\/p>\n<\/a>Ours never came out of the backpack.\u00a0 They are in thin aluminum canisters that seem to be empty as they are so light.<\/p>\n<\/a>had forgotten you can also drive to the top.\u00a0 I was talking to a guy that had driven his Tesla up with his family.\u00a0\u00a0 I bet that regenerative braking was very helpful on the way back down!\u00a0 I heard there was a brake check on the way down where someone comes out and lets you know if you can go further or not based on your brakes.\u00a0 (temperature?) Not sure what happens if they determine your brakes are a problem.<\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n