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Description
The Mt. Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railroad ran from 1896 until 1929, from downtown Mill Valley, California to almost the summit of Mt. Tamalpais, with a second line descending the west side of Mt. Tamalpais to Muir Woods beginning in 1907. Gravity cars, which held over 20 passengers, had no engines and were pushed up the mountain by a locomotive, then coasted down the eight-mile track to Mill Valley. Pictured in the center of the photo is the "gravity-man," whose job it was to apply the breaks as needed. There were never any gravity car accidents during the railroad's 33 years of operation.
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