To the top of Mount Washington

[TrainNut]

I had the opportunity to ride The cog train ( <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://thecog.com/">http://thecog.com/</a><!-- m --> ) to the top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire this summer and thought I would share some pictures.
The steam engine...


I did not get there early enough to get pushed around by the steam engine though and so I got the diesel instead...


Sitting 2nd row at the station ready to depart...


Custom built fixed solar switch...

[TrainNut]

Heading up the mountain at a grade of 37.41% at the steepest point...


Above the tree line...


Approaching the clouds...


50 m.p.h. winds, 52 degrees and very low visibility... It was fantastic! Parked at the top.

[TrainNut]

Headed back down...


The connection between the cab and the coach... or rather the lack of a connection!


Closeup of the cogs

[ezdays]

Whoa, that is way too cool. A read break from the Arizona heat. Glad you could share these with us. I'd like to do that someday,... if it was only a bit closer to home.

[nachoman]

Great photos of a really unique railway. Thanks for sharing.

[cid]

"Mount Washington Cog Railway" on Wiki has a great article, interesting specs like the 37% grade, a ton of coal
and 100 gal of water per 3 mile trip, wrecks, etc.

This place was one of my childhood memories. I don't think I'm up for hiking up the mountain anymore,
but as a dumb teenager we once walked all the way down the tracks.

I see they have recently gone over to the dark side!! (diesel power )
I suppose a number of the visitors didn't appreciate getting gassed with the coal smoke.
I don't really blame them, but, still... It just ain't the same

Thanks for the memories!!

[MountainMan]

Excellent pics! I wish I could do that one.

Out here we have to content ourselves with the cog railway up Pikes Peak, which costs a small fortune.

[ngauger]

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing!!! Glad you had a good time too

[Ralph]

Great pics! Looks like a memorable trip!

[TrainNut]

This place was one of my childhood memories. I don't think I'm up for hiking up the mountain anymore,
but as a dumb teenager we once walked all the way down the tracks.

I was real intrigued by, I think they called 'em slideboards. Some sort of a one person sled that ran down the center cog rail. I think they said the record from top to bottom on a slider was 2 minutes and 45 seconds at speeds over 100 miles an hour.

[TrainNut]

Out here we have to content ourselves with the cog railway up Pikes Peak, which costs a small fortune.

This wasn't cheap either... upwards of 60 some dollars.

[TrainNut]

Great pics! Looks like a memorable trip!

It was but I've got quite a few more trips still to come. I've been working in the shipyard in Kittery, Maine and have been since fall of last year. I've got six trips left before the project is done. I hope to be able to ride the cog to the top in the winter in the snow!

[BR60103]

We went up Mt Washington the year we were married -- 39 years ago. It looks as if they have made major changes to the switches; when we were there all the bits to go into the siding had to be manually lifted over the mainline rails -- 9 parts in all. They also seem to have a double track stretch now.
We went up Pike's Peak last fall.