Lookout Mountain played an important part in the American Civil
War, as it was where the Union forces suffered one of their
greatest defeats. So, by the late 19th century,
Lookout Mountain had become a popular attraction for tourists, but
it took a long time to ascend - horse drawn buggies were the
quickest option, and they took about four hours.
With the advent of railways, the idea of a mountain railway was
proposed to reduce the time taken to reach the top. A direct route
was planned and then built on; this ran for a mile from St Elmo to
the summit. The Lookout Mountain Incline
Railway was opened in November 1895, and has been a firm
favourite with locals and tourists ever since. In 1911 the steam
locomotives were replaced with diesel engines, but apart from that
very little has changed on the line since its opening.
Due to the tremendous scenery it passes, the railway is
sometimes referred to as "America's most amazing mile". The line is
also loved by railway enthusiasts as in places it reaches an
incline of 72.7% - making it one of the steepest passenger railways
in the world.
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