MOUNT WASHINGTON COG TRAIN (NH)

Our Location:
Lafayette Place Campground in Franconia Notch State Park
Franconia, NH

Of all the ways to reach the summit of Mount Washington this has got to be our favorite. It's not the slowest way to get there, you could always hike the 3 miles to the top of the mountain.

The Mount Washington Cog Railway has been in use since 1869 and we were here just after they celebrated their 150th Anniversary on July 3rd. It's one of only two historic cog trains still in use in the United States, the other being the Pike's Peak Cog Railway in Colorado. You bet we are going to check that one out too when we get out west in a couple of years.

MOUNT WASHINGTON COG TRAIN

Yep, we are headed in the right direction, it won't be long now.
The Base Station for the Mount Washington Cog Railway.
View from the second floor balcony of the Base Station.
Some of the specialized equipment used to build the cog railway back in 1869.
Sure is a cloudy day up at the summit.
Well it's finally our turn to climb the mountain.
It's quite a slow 2.8 MPH rollercoaster ride up to the summit.
The switch track area for passing trains coming down and the water refill station for the steam engine.
Here comes the cars going back down.
The track is now in position for us to start climbing again.
That's Jacob's Ladder ahead, a steep 37.4% grade that we'll have to climb.
Hope no one else is coming down the tracks around that corner.
Now we've got our head in the clouds!
On the steam engines when coal doesn't make it into the burner it simply gets kicked over the side.
This is where the hiking trail crosses the cog rail.
We're nearing the summit now.
Pulling into the Summit Station.
Everyone is glad to arrive at the summit.
Pretty cloudy up here today, not like when we drove up two days ago.
Back at the Base Station we watch as the last train of the day prepares to leave.
Listening for the ALL ABOARD signal.
And the stream engine is off.
Sure takes a large head of steam to get up this mountain.

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