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This topic has appeared in the trending rankings 1 time(s) in the past year. While it does not trend frequently, its appearance suggests a renewed or concentrated surge of public interest.
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Cog_railway entered the ranking for the first time today at position #. This is its highest position ever recorded.
This topic has appeared in the English Wikipedia rankings 1 time. It first appeared on 2026-05-18 and was most recently seen on 2026-05-18.
A rack railway is a steep grade railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with this rack rail. This allows the trains to operate on steep gradients of 100% or more, well above the 10% maximum for friction-based rail. The rack-and-pinion mechanism also provides more controlled braking and reduces the effects of snow or ice on the rails. Most rack railways are mountain railways, although a few are transit railways or tramways built to overcome a steep gradient in an urban environment.
The first cog railway was the Middleton Railway between Middleton and Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, where the first commercially successful steam locomotive, Salamanca, ran in 1812. This used a rack and pinion system designed and patented in 1811 by John Blenkinsop.
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