The first-in-the-world Cog Railway was the brainchild of New Hampshire businessman and inventor Sylvester Marsh, who nearly died in fierce weather while hiking to the summit. He vowed to design and build a safer method of reaching the summit for folks of all ages and abilities, and on July 3, 1869, his promise was fulfilled.

A geared “cog and rack” mechanism (not unlike the sprocket and chain on a bicycle) and a trestle-mounted track system enable the train to easily and safely negotiate the precipitous grade and rugged, rocky terrain.

We primarily operate a fleet of powerful biodiesel locomotives, each designed, built, and maintained by us on site. But with a nod to our steam heritage, the railway also continues to operate a pair of coal-fired steam engines in the summer and fall. Both feature unusual slanted boilers designed to compensate for the mountain grades, and both are well over a hundred years old!

You’ll ride on uniquely-designed bench seats that are comfortable even on the steepest portions of the trip. Coaches are heated in the winter, and like our diesel locomotives, they are also hand-built by us. Each is a testament to the craftsmanship of our master carpenters.

Knowledgable on-board Brakemen and women narrate the trip, providing details about the railway’s history and operation, and about the mountain’s unique weather and terrrain.

The three-hour round trip Includes a one-hour layover at the top, where you’ll find the Sherman Adams Visitor Center and its rooftop observation deck, the Tip Top House Museum (built in 1853) an interactive weather exhibit, a cafeteria, and two gift shops. You can even send a card to friends and family with a unique Mount Washington post mark from the summit Post Office!

In clear weather, you’ll be rewarded with magnificent views of 5 states, the Atlantic Ocean, and southern Quebec. Or perhaps you’ll experience an awe-inspiring “undercast”– neighboring mountain peaks poking up through a sea low-hanging fluffy white clouds. You may even get to experience firsthand why Mount Washington is renowned as the Home of the World’s Worst Weather!

From late October through early May, when the Mount Washington State Park visitor facilities at the summit are closed for the winter, trains run up to our newly expanded Waumbek Station at 4000’. Our primary cold-weather destination features elevated observation decks, warming huts, a blazing firepit, and complimentary hot refreshments. Fair-weather panoramic views from the southern Presidentials to northern Vermont are simply spectacular.

Inside you’ll find the Cog Railway Museum (admission is free), a gift shop stocked with Cog gear, and a convenience store/food court for last minute necessities and hot and cold snacks. A wraparound deck provides beautiful views of the railway and the mountain, especially at sunset.

Around the property, you’ll get a close peek at some vintage steam equipment, a one-of-a-kind piece of snow-clearing equipment (basically a retired jet engine mounted on train wheels), and Peppersass, The Cog’s original locomotive from 1866. Can you see why some of the early track crews thought its vertically-mounted boiler looked like a peppersauce bottle?

At 2700’, Marshfield is the highest year-round, full-service facility on the mountain. In the winter, you’ll also enjoy access to a state-wide network of snowmobile trails, trailheads for popular hiking routes, and backcountry skiing, snowshoeing and snowboarding alongside our tracks.

Marshfield Base Station is open 7 days a week all year long (closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas).