Presbyterian College > Academic Web Server > Jon Bell > Transit > (Cities | Types) > Chattanooga

Chattanooga, Tennessee:
Lookout Mountain Incline

Description

The Lookout Mountain Incline carries tourists to the Civil War battlefield and other attractions on top of Lookout Mountain, which overlooks Chattanooga from the south. Although there is a residential community around the upper station, the high tourist-oriented fare ($8.00 one way and $9.00 round trip) probably discourages use by commuters. The incline was built in 1895 to compete with an earlier incline (built in 1886) which later closed. Originally a private operation, it is now run by the Chattanooga Area Regional Transit Authority.

The Incline is a funicular, in which two cars are attached to opposite ends of a fixed-length cable. The cars counterbalance each other so that the engine in the upper station needs to supply only enough power to overcome friction and the different weight of passengers in the two cars. In the U.S., funiculars also operate in Pittsburgh PA, Johnstown PA, Los Angeles CA and Dubuque IA. For more information about funiculars around the world, see Michel Azéma's Funimag.

The incline is about 4800 feet long and rises 1450 feet, making it the longest funicular in the U.S. The grade varies along the incline, and reaches a maximum of 72.7% near the top. The trip takes about fifteen minutes each way. The upper half of the incline has two tracks which share a center rail. At the midpoint, they separate briefly to allow the cars to pass each other, then join into a single track for the lower half of the incline.

Pictures

These pictures were taken during a very brief visit in July 2001.

[picture] A car at the lower station. The current cars date from 1987.

[picture] A view of the entire length of the incline, looking down from the upper station.

[picture] A car approaches the upper station.

[picture] The interior of a car, as passengers board at the upper station.

[picture] Passengers wait on the stairs at the upper station, for their chance to board.

[picture] At the upper station, you can observe the machinery that drives the cable.

[picture] Interior of the upper station.

[picture] Exterior of the upper station, seen from across the street.

This page was last updated on 10 May 2007, and reviewed on 27 November 2007.

Presbyterian College > Academic Web Server > Jon Bell > Transit > (Cities | Types) > Chattanooga

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