The Cog Railway Up Mt. Washington

Introduction

As a resident New Englander, I often spent my summers in the woods of Vermont and New Hampshire. I have so many fond memories of exploring the area and local towns like North Conway. One of my favorite summers included watching an impressive Fourth of July fireworks display on the town’s green lawn. I regularly visited family in the area, but I had never ridden The Cog Railway to the top of Mt. Washington- until this year.

rocky mountain landscape
The views on Mt. Washington extend for miles!

Mt. Washington is the highest peak in all of the Northeast- over 6,000 feet (1.82 km) in the air. It is also known as having the worst weather in America. The fastest wind ever recorded in the United States was here on Mt. Washington’s peak at 231 miles per hour (342.79 km/h). The lowest temperature recorded at the peak of the mountain was -47º F (-43.8889 Cº).

On a calm day, you can take a drive, hike, or The Cog Railway to the top and enjoy the views. On a very clear day, you can see 130 miles in each direction. You can actually see the surrounding states and even Quebec! My mother-in-law had always wanted to ride The Cog Railway. So, we all drove up to visit at the end of August this year.

What is The Cog Railway?

pink train car sits in the tracks with the words Mt. Washington on the side at the cog railway
Platform A is the first car on the ride up, and the fastest.

If you don’t know, there is a railway that takes passengers up to the top of the mountain. About a 3-hour excursion, you take a locomotive to the summit, and after an hour it takes you back down. 

Each way, you are greeted with the gorgeous sight of the surrounding White Forest Area and nearby mountains. You will pass hikers that have taken on the arduous task of climbing to the top with a full backpack. On your tour, a well-informed guide sits at the front of the car and narrates some history about the mountain and railway itself.

The Locomotives on The Cog Railway

There are 2 types of locomotives that you can take up to the top. For over 130 years, steam-powered engines were used to bring passengers to the top, but they were difficult to maintain and often needed lots of repairs. Hey, climbing over 6,000 feet multiple times a day is no walk in the park! 

Biodiesel engines were introduced in 2008, and make up most of the train cars you can ride today. The top speed of one of these fancy biodiesel locomotives is a whopping 5 miles an hour, down the mountain- while you ascend around 3 miles an hour. Overall, you get to take in the beauty of this area, and the slower speeds mean you just get to enjoy it longer!

Our Experience 

Going Up Mt. Washington

landscape of mountains, blue sky, and train track going up a mountain at the cog railway
The view from the second story of the base station!

We arrived at the Base Station an hour early so we could find our spot and use the restrooms. There was ample parking at the station, and we had no trouble figuring out where to go. The station itself is quite nice. It’s a two-story building with plenty of restrooms, a gift shop, a ticket office, a snack bar, and a free museum. There are no restrooms on the actual train, so definitely use them before you board.

We were seated in Platform A, on the two-seater side. This is the right side of the car, while the three-seater side is on the left. I’d recommend trying to do the three-seater side when booking, as the views up and down the mountain are more vast than the right side, which has moments of greatness but is mostly the immediate side of the mountain.

steep train track
Our car allowed us to take some awesome photos of the unobstructed railway!

As we set off, our tour guide told us how The Cog Railway was built, and why. The story is quite interesting, especially as you ascend the same mountain that founder Sylvester Marsh was inspired by over 160 years ago. We were allowed to stand by the front of the car (we were the first locomotive up the mountain), and take some unobstructed pictures and videos of the railroad and the surrounding area. It took us about an hour to get to the top, where we were free to explore for another hour before our return train.

About the Summit

mountain valley landscape
The views atop Mt. Washington are like nothing else!

The summit of Mt. Washington is somehow even more beautiful than the ride up to it. The summit has lots to explore, including the Sherman Adams Visitor Center. On top of the building is a lookout deck, great for admiring the view or taking some neat pictures. Inside, you will find an interactive weather exhibit, “Extreme Mount Washington”, restrooms, another gift shop, a cafeteria, and a post office!

building made of rocks with the words tip-top house on it
The Tip-Top House was built in 1858, over 150 years ago, and still stands at Mt. Washington’s peak today!

Outside is another small gift shop that sits above the summit’s parking lot. There is another museum there as well, the Tip-Top House, the same place that housed troubled hikers since 1858! It still stands today and is believed to be the oldest mountain-top hotel still in existence. You also can’t forget to visit the famous Mt. Washington sign, and get photographic proof that you were at the highest point in the Northeast!

Our Experience at the Summit

The first thing we did after getting off the train was head to the gift shop over the parking lot. My mother-in-law wanted to buy a Mt. Washington bumper sticker! We walked down the adjacent flight of stairs into the parking lot to look over the edge to see what we could. The sky was pretty cloudy for us, but we were lucky- there was a steady wind, which blew clouds out of the way long enough for a picture before the next one rolled in.

sign in rocks that says Mt. Washington state park and Mt Washington Summit. 6 ,288ft, 1.917 m
The famous summit sign! A line quickly forms for photos, so try and do this first!

We headed to the rooftop and saw the neat hiking trails that are carved into the mountainside for miles. We took our pictures and excitedly stood in line for our obligatory Mt. Washington sign photo. There was a good amount of people waiting, and it seemed customary to ask the person behind you to snap your picture for you! 

Unfortunately, the Tip-Top House was closed for repairs during our visit. Instead, we wandered down again to another lookout point with fewer clouds to enjoy the view. Then, we grabbed a quick snack at the cafeteria inside and walked around the other gift shop. Before we knew it, we heard the warning whistle from the train to let us know it would be there for us soon!

About the Trip Down

mountain landscape of new hampshire white forest
In the end, you will get some stunning views of the landscape no matter where you sit!

The Cog blows its whistle coming up the hill so you know that it’s almost there. The chairs inside the cars are cool because the back of them flip over, so you have a forward-facing view going down. However, the seats do not change, so you will be sitting on the same side as you were on the way up. This is another reason why I would recommend sitting on the three-person side, as you get the best view going up and down the mountain.

gear cut out with the words Mount Washington Railway in the middle at the cog railway
The railway melds past innovation with current technology.

Our Ride Down the Mountain 

This time, we had a different guide who spoke more about the landscape and the area itself. She talked about the history of the actual locomotives, how they were built, and their evolution from the first prototype to today. 

This particular guide was very interesting because her family had been heavily involved in the railroad for many generations. She told us how years ago, many railroad workers would competitively ride down small carts known as the Devil’s Shingle. The record time for such a ride from the top of the mountain was less than 3 minutes at speeds over 60 miles per hour! However, the activity was swiftly banned, as it was quite dangerous (obviously!). Our tour guide said her grandfather was among the men that rode the Devil’s Shingles for fun. She said that according to her family’s legend, he ruined a nice new pair of shoes in the process!

Finally, we arrived at the bottom in about 40 or so minutes and went on our merry way. We tipped our tour guide (bring some cash), took some pictures, and enjoyed the rest of the day in the beautiful area! Overall, I really enjoyed this excursion and the history of the mountain and railway. 

Altogether, I would definitely recommend this activity if you are ever up in the White Mountain area!

FAQs

Where are the best seats on The Cog Railway?

In my personal opinion, the best seats are on the three-seater side (seats on the CDE side). The even better seats are in the front row (row 1), which have an extra window in the front. If you’d like to get that unobstructed view, try and choose Platform A, as it is the first car to go up the mountain. If you want to get neat pictures of the locomotives in front of you ascending, you can ride on Platform B or C.

How much does the railroad up Mt. Washington Cost?

A ride on The Cog Railway is not inexpensive. Prices range from $72-$99, depending on the time you go and the type of locomotive you choose. The average price for a trip on the biodiesel engines is about $86 for adults. I think it’s worth a try at least once!

How early should I arrive at the Base Station?

You should plan to get to the Base Station about an hour before your scheduled time. Boarding begins 15 mins before the trains leave! Make sure you have time to use the restroom and grab a snack so you can enjoy your trip!

How do you buy tickets to The Cog Railway?

You can buy tickets in person or online here. The biodiesel cars are faster and less expensive.

Does the railway on Mt. Washington run all year long?

Yes- but it doesn’t reach the top during off season. As you can imagine, the weather is extremely brutal at the top of the mountain, especially during the cold New England winters. The official end of the summer services is Columbus Day weekend (Oct 10th) and reopens around May 28th. The railway will go as high as 4,000 ft during the winter to a small service station for hot beverages, fire pits, and nice views. You can read more about their winter services here.

Is it suitable for children?

While children are welcome, I’m personally not sure if it’s the most engaging activity- you ride in a small cart going very slow while a tour guide narrates the history. As you can imagine, some of the children on our tour did not find that to be very interesting after a short while! However, if you think you can still keep them entertained on the tour, then by all means!

I hope you enjoyed my blog on The Cog up Mt. Washington! Let me know if you have ever been to Mt. Washington and what your thoughts are!

*Note- opinions in this post have NOT been sponsored and are a true reflection of my personal experience!*

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