Cog Train Up to Pikes Peak

[ryanek9freak]

Originally Posted by janelle144

I think I have decided to do the Royal Gorge train instead of the Pikes Peak train. My BIL has heart problems. A friend said her two sisters fainted when 100 people got off the cog train to go into the shop up there. The oxygen was used up. They were fine until the crowd came from the train.

The last time I went up I couldn't see anything since the clouds had moved in so why bother.

ARe you serious? No offense but that's rediculous. The air isn't non-existent at that altitude, and just someone opening and closing the door would let more air in.

I think it was all in their heads. As a matter of fact, I think altitude sickness is made up. I've never seen anyone get it, and even if you get a little light headed, all you need to do is rest for a few minutes and you'll be fine.

[otowi]

Altitude sickness is real and kills some people who try to climb Everest. I never got it as a kid, and I'm a 4th generation Colorado native. But as an adult, if I go up to 10,000 feet or higher and stay there for a few hours, I experience light-headedness and sometimes headaches.

But of course it is ridiculous about the air running out.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by ryanek9freak

ARe you serious? No offense but that's rediculous. The air isn't non-existent at that altitude, and just someone opening and closing the door would let more air in.

I think it was all in their heads. As a matter of fact, I think altitude sickness is made up. I've never seen anyone get it, and even if you get a little light headed, all you need to do is rest for a few minutes and you'll be fine.

I'm not sure exactly what Janelle meant by 'the oxygen got used up' but the elderly and infirm could have some real problems at that altitude, especially if they are visiting from someplace near sea level.

Altitude sickness is definitely NOT made up. Aside from the most serious, life-threatening conditions like High Altitude Pulmonary Edema [HAPE] (look it up), there are several other symptoms of hypoxia that different folks may display at altitude, especially if you get over 10k feet and are not used to it. True, acclimation (aka resting at altitude) helps curb most minor problems but for those that are especially fragile or non-resilient the headaches, nausea, dizziness and other symptoms could just be too much too handle. Not that they're likely to die or anything, but it could make for one uncomfortable trip, and those with serious cardiac or respiratory problems could be in some real danger there.

That's why they have plenty warning signs posted about it at that cog station.

[janelle144]

The air in the shop ran out----of course the air outside didn't run out. My gosh, LOL The girls must have been standing in tight quarters.We didn't go up Pikes Peak since my BIL's chest hurt sometimes at the elevation we were. He has had open heart surgery.

[fierce_flawless]

Talk to health workers as to the question of if altitude sickness is "real" or not!?

We felt horrible when we got to the top. Ate the doughnuts. WIshed for more time up top because JUST when we started to feel a bit better it was time to go. Felt horrible on the way down because the train was WAY too hot, overcompensating for the cold temps.

My 17 year old was sick the entire time we were in CO, coming from South Texas. It was very real to him!

[otowi]

I find as a Coloradoan I tend to get sick when I go to other places, as well, or as soon as I get back. What I notice is that it is the humidity that gets me in other places - the air feels and smells 'thick' and 'dirty' as if it is full of 'mold' and I can never get a clean breath of air in some of those places!

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by janelle144

The air in the shop ran out----of course the air outside didn't run out. My gosh, LOL The girls must have been standing in tight quarters.We didn't go up Pikes Peak since my BIL's chest hurt sometimes at the elevation we were. He has had open heart surgery.

FYI, the "air in the shop" did not "run out". Your friends suffered from altitude sickness and/or other health concerns. Unless there was a vaccum sucking all of the air out of the building it is impossible for it to "run out". It's not like they were locked up in a vault w/ no air flow. They were not. The shops doors are CONSTANTLY being opened and closed which allows air IN. Again, your friends simply suffered from OTHER things that were only compounded due to the high altitude. Has nothing to do w/ the air running out. Geez, a good friend of mine passed out the other night at a birthday party. Turns out he had only eaten a banana all day and when he got to the party even w/ the a/c on 65 degrees it was just too much for him and he completely passed out. People do this ALL OF THE TIME and he wasn't on a mountain top (in Dallas). Your friends may not have eaten much and along w/ everything else like being in a crowded area and a high altitude it contributed to it. You can NOT blame the shop or Pikes Peak for them passing out.