We continued the climb up Mount Washington.
Almost to the tree line.
These were the last of the trees as we kept climbing.
We are now above tree line on Mount Washington.
We have made the climb to the 900 plank support.
We kept climbing higher.
Trail marker along our route to the summit.
The 1,001st plank along the tracks.
The steamer kept pushing up towards the summit as we climb higher.
Another trail marker.
The train takes us ever higher!
A new switch at the 1,100 plank just below the summit.
The summit of this railroad is just over the rise.
The train has reached the summit platform at 6,263 feet.
We neared the end of track at the Summit of Mt Washington. I had made it! The first order of business was to take a picture of the train here.
It was in the clouds and looked rather eerie on this late morning. Robin and I now had a further 25 feet of elevation to hike to the true summit of Mount Washington.
Here is the United States Geological survey marker on the true summit.
Chris Guenzler and Robin Bowers at the summit of Mount Washington, 6,288 feet.
The Mount Washington Summit signpost.
Barry Christensen was also on this trip so I took his picture; his friend Robin White was also aboard. With the wind blowing me off the summit, it was now time to get out of the weather.
This sign says it all about our trip to the summit this morning.
I took another picture of our train that had brought us here.
The end of the track at the summit.
The passenger car at the summit.
The story of Lizzie Bourne.
The White Mountain Forest sign.
Our fireman is lubricating the steam engine and invited me out of the cold into the engine to get warm.
This steam engine is inspected by the State of Vermont Boiler Inspector.
View inside our steam engine's cab.
I was still cold until he opened up the firebox door and quickly became nice and warm.
It takes plenty of coal to get up and down the mountain. After talking with an NRHS friend who was also on this trip, it started raining so I returned to the train for the trip down the mountain to Base Station, taking the front seat behind the steam engine.
My train ticket for this trip today. We left the summit and started back down the mountain.
Our conductor controlled the braking by turning these two wheels on the car.
At Waumbek siding we met an uphill bio-diesel train.
The steam engine right ahead of me. The views improved as we came lower down the mountain.
It is never too late for good views coming down the mountain.
My lupin friends meant we were back to Base Station and had returned to where we started. A special thank you to Becky and the entire Mount Washington Cog Railway for having us here today.
Looking back up the mountain. I went inside, met Becky and thanked her for such a unique trip then Robin and I headed to the car but stopped for two last pictures.
Goodbye Mount Washington Cog Railway. Until later my new friend!
Robin and I left there two very happy railfans, driving back to US Highway 302 but made one stop.
The Maine Central Fabyans station built in 1902.
When we turned onto New Hampshire 113 East we said goodbye to these two in Twin Mountain. We took that to US 2 and in Gorham stopped to pick up some lunch before our next stop of the day.
The Grand Trunk Railway Gorham station built in 1902. The Grand Trunk Railway, which later became known as the Canadian National and more recently, the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad, opened the area to tourist trade which is now the principal industry of the community. At first, Gorham, midway between Montreal and Portland, was a major rail yard and repair center, but gradually the significance of Gorham to the GTR diminished, as did the importance of the railroads to the country. In 1973, the station was saved from destruction by the Gorham Historical Society. The architecturally unique building, contains displays on area and railroad history. The GHS continually works to expand museum exhibits about the railroads, tourism, the forest products industry and its residents.
Grand Trunk wedge snowplow 55446 built by Russell in 1951.
The train display in Gorham.
New England Gas & Coke Company 0-6-0 4 built by Baldwin in 1911. In 1941, it was sold to the Edaville Corporation in Wakefield, Massachusetts and was then moved to North Walpole, New Hampshire. It became part of the F. Nelson Blount collection in 1966, later the Steamtown Foundation. In 1986, it was sold to the Gorham Historical Society and is now on display liveried as Grand Trunk Western 7531 on Railroad Street opposite Gorham Common.
Motor Car ST2 and wig wag crossing signal.
North Stratford Railroad box car 474 built by the railroad in 1957.
Central Vermont outside braced box car 41027 built in 1929.
Central Vermont outside braced box car 41146 built in 1929.
Central Vermont outside braced box car 40089 built by American Car and Foundry in 1924.
Pennsylvania Railroad caboose 477954 built by the railroad in 1942 and painted as Grand Trunk 75965.
Boston & Maine F7A 4265 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1949.
The display train.
A unique scene here.
Another view of the wig ag crossing signal.
We departed Gorham and soon entered Maine on the way to Phillips.
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