On this page
This mountain train coloring page tips the whole scene on a slant. A red car and a blue car climb a steep toothed track from the bottom left toward the top right. Passengers smile from the windows, and a small cog wheel turns under each car. Snowy peaks rise behind them. Down in the meadow you will find a chalet with flower boxes, a wooden fence and two spotted cows.
Most kids need about thirty minutes for it. Ages five to eleven will do well, and the diagonal line makes it feel more exciting than a flat scene. The big green slope fills in fast.
Alpine colors
Bold paint looks great against rock and snow. Red is a natural pick for the front car. Give the second car a sky blue body with white trim, or keep both the same if you want one matching train.
Use two greens on the hill, one for the meadow and a paler one for the high slope. The peaks can be lilac and pale blue, and the snow caps stay bare white. The chalet looks cozy with a red roof, cream walls and bright yellow flowers in the window boxes.
Save your gold or yellow for the toothed rack. It runs the length of the track, and it is the detail that makes this a real mountain railway.
Tips for this mountain train coloring page
- Turn the paper as you color the track. Your hand moves more easily along a straight line that way.
- Color the cows last. Their black patches are fun, and a little reward at the end.
- Use soft side strokes on the peaks, so they stay light.
- Fill the ties in one brown, then go over every other one to add some variety.
Would your child like more on the slope? Draw a hiker, a goat, or a little waterfall coming down the hill.
Think about the time of day, too. A morning scene uses soft yellow on the peaks. An evening scene uses orange and pink on the snow, with long purple shadows on the left side of each mountain.
How a train climbs a mountain
Smooth steel wheels slip on a steep rail. The answer is a rack and a cog. A toothed wheel under the train locks into a ladder of bars laid down the middle of the track, so each turn pulls the train up one more notch.
The first mountain climbing cog railway in the world is in New Hampshire. Sylvester Marsh dreamed it up in 1852, and it reached the top of Mount Washington in July 1869. It is about three miles long. The average slope is over 25 percent, and the steepest part is 37 percent, which is far more than you will find on a normal road. This page on the Mount Washington Cog Railway tells the rest of the story.
Hands on fun
Show how a cog works with a zipper. Pull it slowly and watch the teeth lock together. Kids get the idea right away, and then they can point at the gold rack in the drawing.
Next, try the ramp test. Prop a book at an angle and roll a toy car down. Add a sticky strip of tape on the slope and try again. Grip makes all the difference. Ask your child what would happen to the train without that rack.
For a writing prompt, have the cows talk. What do they say when the train goes by each morning? A short speech bubble in the sky is enough, and it often gets a giggle.
Keep climbing
This mountain train coloring page is one of our train coloring pages. See a tunnel under a peak on the train tunnel sheet, or visit a farm with the green tractor.
Questions
Why is the train tilted?
It is climbing a very steep hill. The whole track slants up from the left side of the page, so the cars lean with it.
What is the gold strip down the middle of the track?
That is the toothed rack. A cog wheel under each car grips those teeth, which stops the train from sliding back.
Is it good for a young child?
Yes, for ages five and up. The slope, the sky and the peaks are huge easy shapes. A grown up can help with the small windows.
