It's official, y'all. The Pikes Peak Cog Railway will return, but we have to wait until May 2021 to experience it once again.

After the Pikes Peak Cog Railway faced the possibility of never returning, we're happy to announce that the historic railway will be chugging away once more! Though, it won't happen for three more years.

Back in October 2017, the railway shut down for what had originally started as a routine check but quickly became a replacement project of the entire rail system. And it's not a cheap endeavor either -- nearly $100 million, including a $50-million summit house, according to the railway's parent company, Oklahoma Publishing. Since these specific trains use a different type of cog (of which the railway is famous for), it will cost several millions of dollars and roughly two years to rebuild, refurbish, and buy new rail cars.

Since 1891, the Cog Railway has carried tourists up to the top of Pikes Peak, an 8.9-mile roundtrip trek that takes more than three hours. Its cog wheel (gear) and center rail system allows for the fleet of 12 rail cars to climb grades of 48 percent — much steeper than typical railroads.

"Keep in mind that track winds through otherwise undisturbed foresty land, with no road access. That means that all the materials used for the track will have to be taken up by train ... trains that already need to be replaced," said the Visit Pikes Peak website. "Couple that with the issues and hoops finding contractors willing and able to work at that elevation who have never had cog rail experience and you can imagine that they have quite a puzzle to solve."

For more information on the Cog Railway, go to the Visit Pikes Peak website.

What do you think? Are you excited that the Pikes Peak Cog Railway is back on track? Share your photos/videos of your past experiences on the railway in the comments below.

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