If you are out boating on Lake Rabun, Burton, or Seed, in Rabun County you may see some small railroad tracks on the side of a steep hill. Well, they are not railroad tracks rather they are tracks for an incline elevator. These are often called trams and even funiculars. Actually funicular is not accurate as those are the type that generally has 2 cars that use each ones weight to lift or lower the other. An inclined elevator relies on the use of an electric motor and usually has just one tram or car.

Why would The Lake Team have a blog about them? The short answer is because they make a steep and difficult to walk lot easy as pie to travel up and down. Last we heard they are not making any more lakefront lots so we are finding these are a great tool for making a difficult lot much more friendly. With the simple touch of a button, you can go from the top of the lot to your boathouse and back without feeling like you ran a marathon.

Most of the trams on our lakes seat 4 people and are quite safe. They are perfect for getting all the necessary supplies and people from the house to the boathouse and back. They can be set up to have multiple stops along the way. There are a few companies that can do a turn-key installation. While they are not cheap they typically enhance the value of the property equal to or greater than the cost to install. Current pricing for a 100’ long incline elevator is close to $50,000 with each 10’ length thereafter costing $1,000 each. This does not include the clearing of trees or platforms necessary at each stop.

So if you have a very steep lot or are contemplating buying one you might want to consider an incline elevator. They can make lake life a whole lot easier.