Mount Washington Cog Railway

A Railway to the Moon

Bretton Woods, NH – His dream began in 1852 when, after becoming lost near the summit of Mount Washington, Sylvester Marsh knew that there had to be a better way for people to reach the highest mountain peak in the Northeast. Upon his return home, he immediately started working on a plan to build the world’s first mountain climbing cog railway.

Marsh, a native of Campton, New Hampshire, had made his fortune in Chicago’s meat-packing industry and was considered by his contemporaries to be a creative and inventive thinker. However, upon first presenting his idea to members of the New Hampshire Legislature, they laughed at him and said that he “might as well build a railway to the moon.” Undaunted, Marsh began the task of building his mountain climbing railway, along with investors Herrick and Walter Aiken, a father and son team from Franklin, New Hampshire. The task was not an easy one, as equipment and materials had to be hauled by oxen for 25 miles to Bretton Woods, and then another 6 miles through thick forest to the base of Mount Washington. On July 3, 1869, ‘Old Peppersass’, now on display at the Base Station, became the first cog-driven engine to climb the 6,288-foot Mount Washington.

Today, in the spring, summer and fall, the Cog Railway continues to carry passengers on the 3 ½- hour round trip journey in coaches that are pushed up the mountain to the summit by coal-fired steam engines. (In the winter the train travels half way up the mountain in a __ hour, round trip.) Each trip to the summit consumes over one ton of coal, and requires over 1,000 gallons of water to send the 18-ton engine on its trek!

After a stop halfway up the mountain to take on water, passengers pass a series of switches that allow trains to pass each other on the tracks. Beyond the switches is Jacob’s Ladder, one of the steepest lengths of track in the world, with a grade of 37.4%. This means that there is a 13’ height difference between the heads of the passengers in the front and back ends of the coach!

As passengers ascend the mountain, various examples of natural beauty present themselves: rivers, ravines, wildlife, alpine flora and the endless vistas of surrounding mountain ranges and villages. On a clear day, you can see the Atlantic Ocean, Canada and all of the New England states. Other days, you may literally climb above the clouds.

Throughout its many years of operation, The Mountain Washington Cog Railway has seen changes of ownership and, like any business, ups and downs along the way. In 1983, its present owners, New Hampshire natives Joel Bedor and Wayne Presby, purchased the Cog Railway. When the two local businessmen took over, the Cog had only two engines operating, and the facility needed much work. “We had a dream that we could restore and upgrade the operation to bring the railway back to its original prominence without changing the truly unique Cog experience that attracts people to this engineering marvel,” says Presby. “We began by restoring several of the engines, upgrading the track, and building new passenger coaches – not only enclosed, but heated as well.”

The cog has no trouble accommodating its many visitors, as there are now between two and six trains available to take passengers up the mountain depending on demand. Along with many improvements that have been made over the past years, the Marshfield Base Station, now includes an interpretive museum restaurant and gift shop. At an elevation of 2,700 ft., the Base affords a magnificent view of the valley.

Whether you come for an hour or spend the whole day, a stop at this National Historic Engineering Landmark is well worth the visit. The Mount Washington Cog Railway looks much the same as it did at the turn of the century, and is one of the most interesting and historic attractions in the White Mountains and the world. Because of the demand, guests can now book online. For more information about this remarkable railway to the moon, please call 800-922-8825, 278-5404 in NH, or visit www.thecog.com.