Customer waiting area with large windows overlooking the service bays
The big ol' brown truck having a spa day!
There have been several Incline Railways that have traversed Lookout Mountain, but the first opened in 1887. It ran from the 38th Street area in St. Elmo to just below the Point. The second one opened November 16, 1895, and this is the Incline Railway we will ride today.
Originally the cars were powered by huge coal-burning steam engines. After 1911, electric power was used and it now uses two 100 horsepower motors that power the large drums at the top that operate the cable.
The cable is made by the company which supplied the cable for the Brooklyn Bridge
We parked at the base of the Incline Railway at the St Elmo station and after a short wait we boarded the railcar.
This railcar seating was at an extreme angle which made it a bit awkward to enter, but it soon became evident why it was at such an angle! The ride is about a mile and takes about 10 minutes each direction.
There are two cars that ride the same rail in opposite directions but in the middle there is a crossover set of tracks that allow them to pass each other.
Near the top at the Lookout Mountain station there is a 72.7% grade, making the Incline one of the steepest passenger railways in the world.
Near the top at the Lookout Mountain station there is a 72.7% grade, making the Incline one of the steepest passenger railways in the world.
Once at the top we passed through the gift shop and then walked down the street towards Point Park and the Battlefield area. The top of Lookout Mountain is very residential and we walked by many old, well-maintained houses. 
Soon we arrived at Point Park. There was apparently a school bus full of students that had arrived and were waiting to enter. Luckily we were able to bypass the students and use our National Park Pass to get us through the gate.
Inside the Lookout Mountain Battlefield area is a walking path that basically takes you in a loop. We passed several artillery positions that overlooked Chattanooga.
There were a series of battles in 1863 that secured Chattanooga for the Union Army. The City of Chattanooga had railways and riverboats, so it was significant for both armies. The Battle for Lookout Mountain occurred on November 24, 1863 and the Union soldiers drove the Confederates from their positions on Lookout Mountain. The next day the Battle for Missionary Ridge occurred, The Union Army soundly defeated the Confederates and Chattanooga became a Federal base from which Maj Gen Sherman would launch his Atlanta Campaign the next spring.
Soon we arrived at Point Park. There was apparently a school bus full of students that had arrived and were waiting to enter. Luckily we were able to bypass the students and use our National Park Pass to get us through the gate.
The gates of Point Park were built in 1904 and modeled
after the US Army Corps of Engineers Insignia.
Inside the Lookout Mountain Battlefield area is a walking path that basically takes you in a loop. We passed several artillery positions that overlooked Chattanooga.
A wonderful view from Lookout Mountain
There were a series of battles in 1863 that secured Chattanooga for the Union Army. The City of Chattanooga had railways and riverboats, so it was significant for both armies. The Battle for Lookout Mountain occurred on November 24, 1863 and the Union soldiers drove the Confederates from their positions on Lookout Mountain. The next day the Battle for Missionary Ridge occurred, The Union Army soundly defeated the Confederates and Chattanooga became a Federal base from which Maj Gen Sherman would launch his Atlanta Campaign the next spring.
We continued past the New York Peace Memorial, which was erected by the state of New York as a tribute to peace and reconciliation between Union and Confederate veterans after the war.
Half way around the walk there is a path to Roper's Rock and the Ochs Memorial Observatory. There we found displays on Civil War signaling, photography, and Moccasin Bend, which is visible below the point. 
We finished up our battlefield walk and then headed back to the Lookout Mountain station for our ride down the Incline Railway. We grabbed a cold drink at the gift shop but had to finish it before boarding for the ride down. 
At the bottom we enjoyed an ice cream treat before heading back to the campground.
Hard-tack - a staple for the soldiers
Displays inside the museum
At the bottom we enjoyed an ice cream treat before heading back to the campground.
Tomorrow morning we plan to head downtown to check out the Medal of Honor museum, the Chattanooga Choo Choo and a distillery. Tomorrow afternoon we plan to visit Ruby Falls.
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