Originally Posted by SalsaShark

Fenlon Place Elevator. (Re)Built in 1893; claims to be the shortest, steepest railroad in the world. It is used to transport people (and their bikes, if you wish) up and down the steep river bluff of the Mighty Mississippi. Yes, it is as steep as it looks in the photos. I have never actually taken my bike up the elevator, usually opting to pedal up one of the steep nearby streets running parallel to the elevator. The cars counterbalance one another, with one moving up, while the othe travels down, splitting in the middle to avoid each other. I believe the cable cars are moved with an electric motor, as they dont require much effort to drive due to the counterbalanced design. There used to be a few of these in our town, with this being the only remaining example. It was supposed to open for the season on April 1, but unfortunately this has been delayed due to the current business restrictions in place.