Alausi, Ecuador sits at an altitude of over 7677 feet (2340 meters). It is the starting station of the Nariz del Diablo, or Devil's Nose train - so named after the near vertical mountain of the same name which blocked the route. Engineers designed a series of switchbacks which allowed the train to climb nearly 2700 feet at a gradient of 1-in-18 by going forwards then backwards up a second set of tracks. tracks.

AIMG 9897