Narrow Gauge ran along the bluff from the Point, then went on the top to Natural Bridge
Narrow Gauge started at the Point Hotel
photo by Will Stokes
Work on the Narrow Gauge in 1886
Construction of a Narrow Gauge trestle
High trestle
Men inspect the Narrow Gauge
Going through deep cut
Coming around the bend
Arriving at the Sunset Park station
Snake Rock at the Garden of the Gods
Natural Bridge line
Lookout Mountain line
Incline No. 1 station at St. Elmo
Trestle at Shingle Road for Incline No. 1
photo by John Wilson
One of the walls built to buttress Incline No. 1
photo by John Wilson
Steep route for Incline No. 1
photo by John Wilson
Incline No. 1 reaches for the bluff
photo by John Wilson
Toward the top of Incline No. 1
photo by John Wilson
Point Hotel site
photo by John Wilson
The steps up Roper Rock with Umbrella Rock above
photo by John Wilson
Start of the Narrow Gauge
photo by John Wilson
Boulder along the Narrow Gauge was bolstered
photo by John Wilson
Railroad below the bluff
photo by John Wilson
Old rock wall by the Narrow Gauge
photo by John Wilson
Boulder support
photo by John Wilson
Narrow space for the tracks
photo by John Wilson
Narrow Gauge stayed close to the bluff, while hiking trail drops down
photo by John Wilson
Sewer line is about at height of former railroad trestle
photo by John Wilson
Sewer follows train route
photo by John Wilson
Showing the Narrow Gauge route
photo by John Wilson
Route by boulders is overgrown
photo by John Wilson
Showing the steep side below the track
photo by John Wilson
Steps led to a house above
photo by John Wilson
Narrow Gauge works its way to the top
photo by John Wilson
Broken bridge above the Narrow Gauge that is behind the Yessick house
photo by John Wilson
House above the Narrow Gauge
photo by John Wilson
Narrow Gauge passengers had spectacular view
photo by John Wilson
Overgrown section of the trail behind the West Brow home built by Dr. Joe Johnson and now occupied by the Jeff Tipps family
photo by John Wilson
Hotel was planned at Linden Way, but fine homes were later built instead
photo by John Wilson
Bridge was built over the Narrow Gauge at the entrance to the Duval home
photo by John Wilson
Approach to the Duval bridge
photo by John Wilson
Beyond the Duval bridge
photo by John Wilson
Route went at the edge of West Brow Road at the Walden residence
photo by John Wilson
Map of Sunset Park section
Raoul homeplace now called "The Trestle"
photo by John Wilson
Trestle deck behind the Raoul homeplace at 588 W. Brow Road
photo by John Wilson
Garden of the Gods at Sunset Park
photo by Wes Schultz
Garden of the Gods at Sunset Park
photo by Wes Schultz
Garden of the Gods at Sunset Park
photo by Wes Schultz
Garden of the Gods at Sunset Park
photo by Wes Schultz
Garden of the Gods at Sunset Park
photo by Wes Schultz
Garden of the Gods at Sunset Park
photo by Wes Schultz
Garden of the Gods at Sunset Park
photo by Wes Schultz
It crossed West Brow Road just past Prospect Way
photo by John Wilson
Crossing Laurel Lane
photo by John Wilson
Reaching Watauga Avenue
photo by John Wilson
Natural Bridge marker
photo by John Wilson
Old Man of the Mountain
photo by John Wilson
Natural Bridge
photo by John Wilson
There are few signs today of a two-mile railroad that hugged the western bluffs of Lookout Mountain from the Point to the top of the west brow of the mountain above Sunset Rock.
A later extension carried it on to Natural Bridge, where a hotel had been built and the Spiritualists held annual camp meetings.
It came to be called the Narrow Gauge, and the later train up the mountain from St. Elmo - with a wider gauge track - was the Broad Gauge.
The Narrow Gauge was constructed in time for an opening in 1887 about the time the Incline No. 1 began taking passengers directly up from St. Elmo to the Point Hotel. The hotel was built just below the Point because Harriet Whiteside charged visitors at the panoramic view at the top.
It was quite a feat to cling the train bed to the edge of the steep rock bluffs and then maneuver it to the top of the brow. Much of the bed was buttressed by tall stone walls, that are almost completely still intact. Other sections were built on wooden trestles across chasms.
Passengers could switch from the Incline at the hotel and take the Narrow Gauge on to the interesting boulders at "the Garden of the Gods" at Sunset Park. There was a depot there and another station was at the Natural Bridge. A hotel was on the drawing boards for a lot near the Sunset Park station.
The Narrow Gauge steam train, however, only operated for a few years. It could not compete with the Broad Gauge. And Incline #2 supplanted the first Incline, leaving the Narrow Gauge stranded. The Narrow Gauge was electrified and afterward operated with a "Dinkey" engine.
In the summer of 1894 the engine jumped the tracks and rolled 45 feet down the mountainside before fortunately being stopped by a tree. The two men aboard the engine were not injured, but badly shaken up. The bell from the heavily-damaged engine was donated to the mountain school.
The route of the Narrow Gauge crossed the current West Brow Road just beyond its junction with Prospect Way. It curved along a line just to the north of West Brow Road and crossed near the start of Laurel Lane. It continued on toward the Natural Bridge. A flower garden with a gazebo has been built along the old Narrow Gauge route near N. Watauga Avenue.
Mike and Amy Walden own the Sunset Park property and have cleared off the boulders at the "Garden of the Gods," many of which had fanciful names. These included Damon and Pythias, Noah's Ark, Basin Rock, Canopy Rock, Devil's Fire Place, the Siamese Twins, Snake Rock and the Judgment Seat.
The Narrow Gauge bed can be seen near West Brow Road at the Walden yard (originally the Lasley mansion). It is even more visible next door at the Duval residence where a quaint bridge has been built across the Narrow Gauge. It then crosses just below the Sunset Rock parking area.
One of the first mansions built above the Narrow Gauge was the Raoul home in 1913 that features a very long, tall deck that is supported by an elaborate railroad trestle framework. The current owners, David and Virginia Polley, call the residence "The Trestle."
The Lookout Mountain sewer line was built along the old Narrow Gauge route. Some of the sewer line is on supports - about the height of the Narrow Gauge trestles.
The Natural Bridge was once featured on post cards and was a popular tourist spot. It later was overgrown for many years, but the site has been cleared and converted to an attractive park.