Prior to 1891 the only way to reach the summit of Pike’s Peak was via mule, but in 1891 the first passenger train, operating on a cog system, which enables passenger cars to ascend steeper inclines than conventional railroads, reached the peak.

The model train goes up and down the track and lights up.

Building materials of the display are willow and shelf fungus.

Best to view in "Original" because other versions resized by Pbase are decidedly unsharp.

*****

After Tim spotted a great blue heron in an artificial lake on the National Mall the other day, we went down there on Wednesday armed with cameras to try to find him again. Not only did we find the heron, but also several cormorants and countless geese and ducks. It was pretty amazing to see the heron and cormorants on the mall as there aren’t any large fish in the water, but they seemed to make do with hunting tiny prey.

The struggle, posted earlier: