The Crookedest Railway in the World
In August 1896 a 7-mile railway was completed from Mill Valley after six months of work to reach the summit of Mt Tamalpais. Locals in 1896 took a steam train to the summit and then boarded a passenger car much like the replica you see today.
The Scenic Railway was called the “The Crookedest Railway in the World”, twisting down 281 turns (in 7 miles) through numerous switchbacks and paralleling itself five times. The tracks had an average 5% downgrade and the gravity cars held 30 people. A ‘Gravity Man’ operated a set of strong double brakes to maintain a steady 10-15 mph speed downhill. Steam powered trains then pushed several cars back up to the summit.
The railway was the Disneyland of its time, attracting many famous people such as Sir Author Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, and other nobility and visiting dignitaries. Thomas Edison shot the first motion picture in Marin County of the railway. By 1929, interest has waned, and the tracks were pulled up.
The railway bed is now the 6.7-mile Old Railroad Grade hiking trail to the summit with an elevation gain of 2129 feet. Overall, Mount Tamalpais has over 100 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Mountain biking was invented on the slopes of Mount Tamalpais.
In August 1896 a 7-mile railway was completed from Mill Valley after six months of work to reach the summit of Mt Tamalpais. Locals in 1896 took a steam train to the summit and then boarded a passenger car much like the replica you see today.
The Scenic Railway was called the “The Crookedest Railway in the World”, twisting down 281 turns (in 7 miles) through numerous switchbacks and paralleling itself five times. The tracks had an average 5% downgrade and the gravity cars held 30 people. A ‘Gravity Man’ operated a set of strong double brakes to maintain a steady 10-15 mph speed downhill. Steam powered trains then pushed several cars back up to the summit.
The railway was the Disneyland of its time, attracting many famous people such as Sir Author Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, and other nobility and visiting dignitaries. Thomas Edison shot the first motion picture in Marin County of the railway. By 1929, interest has waned, and the tracks were pulled up.
The railway bed is now the 6.7-mile Old Railroad Grade hiking trail to the summit with an elevation gain of 2129 feet. Overall, Mount Tamalpais has over 100 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Mountain biking was invented on the slopes of Mount Tamalpais.
In August 1896 a 7-mile railway was completed from Mill Valley after six months of work to reach the summit of Mt Tamalpais. Locals in 1896 took a steam train to the summit and then boarded a passenger car much like the replica you see today.
The Scenic Railway was called the “The Crookedest Railway in the World”, twisting down 281 turns (in 7 miles) through numerous switchbacks and paralleling itself five times. The tracks had an average 5% downgrade and the gravity cars held 30 people. A ‘Gravity Man’ operated a set of strong double brakes to maintain a steady 10-15 mph speed downhill. Steam powered trains then pushed several cars back up to the summit.
The railway was the Disneyland of its time, attracting many famous people such as Sir Author Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, and other nobility and visiting dignitaries. Thomas Edison shot the first motion picture in Marin County of the railway. By 1929, interest has waned, and the tracks were pulled up.
The railway bed is now the 6.7-mile Old Railroad Grade hiking trail to the summit with an elevation gain of 2129 feet. Overall, Mount Tamalpais has over 100 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Mountain biking was invented on the slopes of Mount Tamalpais.
In August 1896 a 7-mile railway was completed from Mill Valley after six months of work to reach the summit of Mt Tamalpais. Locals in 1896 took a steam train to the summit and then boarded a passenger car much like the replica you see today.
The Scenic Railway was called the “The Crookedest Railway in the World”, twisting down 281 turns (in 7 miles) through numerous switchbacks and paralleling itself five times. The tracks had an average 5% downgrade and the gravity cars held 30 people. A ‘Gravity Man’ operated a set of strong double brakes to maintain a steady 10-15 mph speed downhill. Steam powered trains then pushed several cars back up to the summit.
The railway was the Disneyland of its time, attracting many famous people such as Sir Author Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, and other nobility and visiting dignitaries. Thomas Edison shot the first motion picture in Marin County of the railway. By 1929, interest has waned, and the tracks were pulled up.
The railway bed is now the 6.7-mile Old Railroad Grade hiking trail to the summit with an elevation gain of 2129 feet. Overall, Mount Tamalpais has over 100 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Mountain biking was invented on the slopes of Mount Tamalpais.
