Railroad: Hecla Incline Railroad

Built → Hecla Incline Railroad → Abandoned

Chartered: 1868.

Built: 1868 from the Hecla Mining Company’s Lake Linden Mill, and up the hill to a connection with the H&TL railroad

Operated for 20 years.

Ownership: Hecla Mining Co.

Ended: 1888.

Reference: [MIS-2022-Sp]

Notes

The Hecla Incline Railroad was 7/8 of a mile in length and extended from the Hecla Mill up the hill to a connection with the Hecla & Torch Lake Railroad. It operated from 1868 to 1888 when it was replaced with "switchbacks" on the H&TL.

A large structure at the top of the incline, referred to as the drum or head house, contained two large sets of hoisting equipment. Five cars were taken up or down on the includes double track, moving at the same time in different directions. Grades of the incline were up to 30% and the elevation change was approximately 300 feet from the top of the mill. The incline served both the Hecla Mill and the Calumet Mill.

Time Line

1868. The incline railroad was built.

1888. The include railroad was discontinued in favor or switch backs. This minimized the transfer of cars from the locomotive to the incline road.