Trains lay over at the summit for approximately one hour, plenty of time to explore the Sherman Adams Visitor Center and its rooftop observation deck, Extreme Mount Washington (an interactive weather exhibit), a cafeteria, and two gift shops. Conditions at the top can be quite a bit different than those at the base station, so bring a jacket! The summit is home to the Mount Washington Weather Observatory, one of the world’s most important weather laboratories. Passengers may also experience a taste of the “world’s worst weather”– it can snow on the summit even in summer. And with a nod to its steam heritage, the railway also continues to operate a pair of century-old, coal-fired steam engines.Īt the summit, clear weather provides spectacular panoramic views from Quebec to the Atlantic Ocean. With an average grade of 25% (some sections approach nearly 38%), it’s also the second steepest in the world! Motive power is provided by a fleet of powerful biodiesel locomotives, each custom designed, built and maintained on site. The Cog is the first mountain-climbing cog railway in the world, and the only one currently operating in North America. Located in the heart of the majestic White Mountains region of northern New Hampshire, Marshfield Base Station is just 6 miles east of another New Hampshire icon, the Omni Mount Washington Hotel. The 3rd, and final hotel on this location, the Fabyan House, burned on September 19, 1951.For more than 150 years, the Mount Washington Cog Railway has been thrilling passengers from all over the world with its dramatic ascent to the summit of the highest peak in the Northeast.

The second hotel, started as the Moosehorn Tavern by Ethan Allen Crawford in 1824, was operated by Horace Fabyan as the Mount Washington House from 1837 until April 19, 1853, when it burned down. The first hotel in this location was Rosebrook Place, built in 1803-1804, and burned in July, 1818. This was the third hotel on this location, known as 'Giant's Grave' and the site of an Indian curse. In anticipation of the two railroad's arrival, the Mount Washington Hotel company had built the Fabyan House here, which opened in August, 1873. After 1889, two railroad lines would continue side by side from Fabyan's to Twin Mountain, where they would part company, with the BC&M track heading east along the 'Wing Road' (now Route 3) towards Bethlehem, while the P&O track headed northward through Carroll and Whitefield to Dalton, NH, where the P&O crossed the Connecticut River to South Lunenburg, VT.įabyan's was also the site of a grand hotel of the same name. In 1889 the Maine Central Railroad extended its line from Fabyans. After reaching North Conway in 1871, the P&O had begun building the 'Notch Extension' in September, 1872. This was a most impressive feat of engineering for the time, but it took nearly 3 years for the P&O to accomplish. The BC&M had reached Fabyan's in 1874 by descending a fairly gently graded Crawford Notch from the north while ascending Crawford Notch steeply from the south, with an elevation gain of 1369' from North Conway, the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad (after August 20, 1888, the Mountain Division of the Maine Central Railroad) had reached Fabyan's on August 9, 1875. Those taking the late afternoon train to the summit would have to stay overnight at the Summit House hotel.įabyan's was a major railroad junction at the time, as it was the terminus of two major railroad lines. Those taking the morning train up would have a couple of hours to spend on the summit before taking the returning afternoon train. Apparently there were two trains a day in either direction - a morning and an afternoon train. The sign reads as follows: 'Train for Mt. The Cog railway can be seen ascending the mountain in the background.Ĭustomers aboard the Fabyan's-Marshfield open air coach in 1906.Ĭustomers aboard the Fabyan's-Marshfield open air coach in 1916.

Washington locomotive is poised to return down the branch railroad to Fabyan's on the right, the Cog Railway is ready to ascend to the mountaintop.Ī Kilburn stereoview of the Mount Washington locomotive. MARSHFIELD BASE STATION OF THE MOUNT WASHINGTON COG RAILWAYĪround 1880, on the left, the Mt.

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