Incline Railway

Travel Lookout Mountain in style aboard The Incline Railway.

The Incline Railway is a passenger railway that takes Lookout Mountain visitors for a steep ride through the hills of the famous North Georgian natural landmark. Breathtaking views of the Chattanooga Valley abound on board the trolley-like transportation system.

It's known as the steepest passenger railway in the world -- a full 72.7 percent incline. In operation since 1895, the original cars were made of wood and powered by huge coal-burning steam engines. Electric power was used after 1911 and it now uses two 100-horsepower motors. Attracting people from around the world for a legendary ride, the Incline is a National Historic site and Mechanical Engineering Landmark. 

The trips are 10 minutes in each direction and transport 42 passengers comfortably. The trolley-like cars offer roundtrip rides three times every hour from both the top and bottom stations. During the ride, you can see the wooden valley below in an expanse of trees and wildlife. The Incline is a short walking distance away from various points of Civil War interest. Battles for Chattanooga and Point Park are both must-see spots atop Lookout Mountain. 

Recent upgrades to the Incline include track repair and gift shop renovations. As of 2007, visitors can enter through the newly renovated upper station, reminiscent of an original train depot. 

Admission is $14 for adults, $7 for children ages 3-12 years old. Special group rates are available for groups. The Incline is open daily except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Certain discounts apply when paired with other Lookout Mountain attractions. 

Summer hours from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day are 8:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m., with the last round trip leaving at 8:50 p.m. and the last one-way trip leaving at 9:10 p.m. Spring and fall hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m., with the last round trip leaving at 5:20 p.m. and the last one-way trip leaving at 5:40 p.m. Winter hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The last round trip leaves at 5:20 p.m. and the last one-way trip leaves at 5:40 p.m.

- by Leah M. Caudle , Chattanooga Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Leah M. Caudle

Leah Caudle is a professional storyteller with experience in covering local, community and feature stories. While at newspapers such as The Tennessean in Nashville and The Lexington Herald-Leader in Lexington, Ky., Caudle also has experience in shooting and editing videos and photos to accompany stories. The Western Kentucky University graduate received degrees in print journalism and Spanish in 2007 and also has expertise in the areas of public relations, copy editing and proofreading.