Re: Isle of Man

The Manx Electric comes to a rather unceremonious end short of a street crossing in Ramsey. Originally the town was served by both the Manx Northern (later the Isle of Man Railway) and the MER. However, the steam railway line was pulled up in 1974 after almost a decade of no service. The MER, on the other hand, still offers daily service during the summer months.



Back to Laxey and the Snaefell Mountain Railway... The SMR was built in 1895 to haul passengers to the top of Snaefell Mountain - the highest peak on the island, where you can see pretty much the whole darn place. Gauge incompatibilities (as well as the oddball Fell brake rail) make equipment interchange impossible, but passengers interchange between the two lines at Laxey in a shared yard. In the center of down, the Snaefell splits from a single track to double and makes a steep turn up the side of the valley.



The line is the last in the world (that I can find) to use the Fell Mountain Railroad System. It's not a cog, but rather a horizontal piece of bullhead rail mounted to the ties. It engages with guide wheels on the trucks and a hand-operated clasping brake for emergencies and holding the car on a steep grade.