TrainsTube: How does a cog work?

Comments TRN
1

Join the discussion on the following article:

TrainsTube: How does a cog work?

2

Is that grease on the cog rail or a fracture?

3

My sentiments exactly. Yeah that was the first thing I saw.

4

Ingenious and great example of rail engineering. I saw much of this sort of thing in Switzerland connecting to the Jungfrau mountain. By the way, on the initial photo, over the Trains logo there is what looks to be something on the surface that at first looked like a big crack! Of course it is not but what is it?

5

Yeah, is it a crack, lubricating goo, or a weld?

6

Any issues with the need for precision and the expansion/contraction of both cogs and rail/wheel alignment? At that altitude air temp., heating via direct sunlight, etc. MUST create some issues over the various seasons.

7

Doesn’t play on my IPad, why?

8

I have been a Trains Magazine reader for over fifty years, and find these videos very informative. Keep them coming!

9

What looks like a crack could be the end of one of the sections that are bolted down.

10

Very interesting. I did NOT know.
ya learn sumtim new every day
thanks

11

Had the opportunity to ride this up Pikes Peak on June 20th. Great to see what made this spectacular ride up 7,000 feet in elevation possible. Sure beats walking to the top.

12

better grab some jb weld for that crack

13

wonder who is checking the track for those cracks … SOMEONE must be aware…

14

For all those wondering what the goo is: The cog wheels engage the cog rail, so there would have to be some lubrication; otherwise it would be bare metal on bare metal. I would say that the goo is some kind of grease they use for that purpose.

15

ROBERT J LENZ from WISCONSIN
Doesn’t play on my IPad, why?

Short answer: no Flash app/add-in.

Long answer: Jobs hated Adobe, and wouldn’t allow a Flash app/add-in for iOS devices (according to Apple fanboys lore).

16

there is what looks to be something on the surface that at first looked like a big crack! Of course it is not but what is it?

Given that the rack didn’t flex as the cars ran over it, I would suspect that it’s grease. Probably not ice.

17

Very good.

18

That’s how the Abt system works…the strub system us half of the Abt system - a single open rack…Riggenbach is a closed rack (two side pieces running longitudinally with crosspieces for the cogwheel to engage, and the Loechner uses two horizontal wheels on a central double sided rack.

19

Made the trip two years ago…Was fascinated then and more so now…great engineering…