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2/23/2025
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Viewing Album:  A Cog Railway Descent from Mt. Washington, NH
 
By:David Larrabee
Dates:10/13/2006 - 10/13/2006
Album Info:October 13th 2006 was one of those Kodachrome days. The sky was very clear with practically no wind. We had just one day to tackle Mt. Washington and this was it. The train crew said there were only a few dozen dayt like this a year. We left North Conway at dawn and made it to the base station at 8:30, iust 1/2 hour before the 1st train of the day departed for the summit. There were 4 vacant seats and we happened to get one of the two best ones at the front of the car for the assent. This series of photos covers the descent from the summit which began about 10:30AM. All rains consist of a single locomotive and custom passenger coach. Trains run once an hour on the Cog line and they often double head. Ours didn't double head, but the 10AM and 11AM departures 'up bound' did. This series of photos shows our train on the summit, the train crew 'throwing the switch' flr the passing siding near the summit and our train passing 4 up-bound trains.
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Waiting to decend
Title:  Waiting to decend
Description:  Chocorua is about to roll back down the grade in reverse.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:58:57 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  149   Comments: 0
End of track
Title:  End of track
Description:  This is the end of the line. Several trains can line up here at the same time. The building in the photo has three heavy chains laying over it's roof. The winds have been clocked at over 200 MH here. It was about 15 degrees with a 5mph wind on this day. The towers have FM broadcast antennas onthem and the building contains radio transmitters for various radio services. The auto road was closed and the workers in the gift shop and restraunt had to use 4x4s with chains to get to work this day.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:58:58 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  173   Comments: 1
Waiting to decend
Title:  Waiting to decend
Description:  Each coach was a different color, ours, #9 was purple, named 'Mt. Washington.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:58:59 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  84   Comments: 0
Looking North
Title:  Looking North
Description:  The tanks hold fuel for the generators. The track is in the middle of the photo.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:00 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  106   Comments: 0
Leaving the summit
Title:  Leaving the summit
Description:  The brakeman is going to work. He has two break wheels. One for the front axel and one for the rear. The car is not connected to the locomotove. If it should get away the car can be stopped with either axel. Each pair of wheels has a large disc break on a common axel with a cog wheel. If he desires he could break and let the locomotive decend as a faster pace. HOWEVER it would get rather cold for us. The locomotive heats the coach. Despite the cold it was very comforatable.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:01 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  80   Comments: 0
Throwing a switch
Title:  Throwing a switch
Description:  There is only 1 of these old style switches left in the system. This series of photos shows the 6 or 8 components that must be changed to let the cog locomotive push us up into the passing siding for the next upbound train which is waiting for us to clear the line below.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:01 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  114   Comments: 1
Throwing a switch
Title:  Throwing a switch
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:02 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  99   Comments: 0
Throwing a switch
Title:  Throwing a switch
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:03 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  93   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:03 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  85   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:04 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  82   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:05 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  67   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:05 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  66   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:06 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  74   Comments: 0
Throwing the points
Title:  Throwing the points
Description:  We've all watched this part, throwing the points. The breakman on the left is laying down the last segement of cog for the run up into the passing siding. These guys worked quickly, but carefully. They had a sand pail and used it several times. They dressed in layers and took layers off as we decended. It was about 45 degrees at the base station.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:07 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  87   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:09 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  71   Comments: 0
Throwing a switch
Title:  Throwing a switch
Description:  Pouring antifreeze in the cog. On the way up we had two brakemen. Usually there is only one. We needed two so each one could hold a broom on the rail to clear the frost off the rail head. The white stuff is not snow, but frost. There was about 1/2 inch of it on the western face of the mountain we were climbing.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:10 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  90   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:11 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  68   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:11 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  72   Comments: 0
Backing into the passing siding
Title:  Backing into the passing siding
Description:  I'm in the left hand seat with the window open at what now is the rear of the car during the decent. We're backing into the passing siding. The speed was a consistant 2mph or so.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:12 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  74   Comments: 0
The arrival of the 10 o'clock express
Title:  The arrival of the 10 o'clock express
Description:  This is the 10am train. He's doing 2mph as well. These trains had just 1 speeds. Stop and 2mph.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:13 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  81   Comments: 0
10 o'clock upbound
Title:  10 o'clock upbound
Description:  The door at the front end of the coach could be opened for photos. We were told in on uncertain terms though to NEVER walk out on the platform. Opening the windows was acceptable. This train, as were all the ones we saw after the 9 am train, was filled to capacity.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:14 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  70   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:15 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  54   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:17 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  89   Comments: 0
Agiocochook pushing the 10am
Title:  Agiocochook pushing the 10am
Description:  These locos use 1000 gallons of water getting to the summing. The tender holds about 700 gallons so they top off about 1/3rd of the way up. In this photo you can see steam coming out of the bottom of both sides of each piston. On the decent these are air intakes and the pistons are used for breaking. The decending speed is controled by limiting the air departing the cylinders which exhausts up the 'Y' pipe behind the steam dome.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:18 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  137   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:19 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  74   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:19 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  70   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:20 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  119   Comments: 0
10 AM express upbound
Title:  10 AM express upbound
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:21 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  92   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:22 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  89   Comments: 1
10 am upbound
Title:  10 am upbound
Description:  He'll arrive on the Summit in about 15 minutes.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:22 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  81   Comments: 0
10 AM Extra
Title:  10 AM Extra
Description:  We can't leave yet. This is the 2nd section of the 10 AM train about 5 minutes behind the 1st section!
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:23 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  53   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:24 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  69   Comments: 0
10AM 2nd Section
Title:  10AM 2nd Section
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:25 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  56   Comments: 0
Kancamagus doing the duty
Title:  Kancamagus doing the duty
Description:  10AM 2nd section upbound.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:26 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  72   Comments: 0
Kancamagus
Title:  Kancamagus
Description:  The thrust from 4 pistons (8 chambers) was quite smooth. Our speed was appeared consistant in both directions.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:27 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  87   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:28 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  94   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:29 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  80   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:30 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  77   Comments: 0
10AM 2nd section heading for the summit
Title:  10AM 2nd section heading for the summit
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:31 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  76   Comments: 0
Approaching Half Way House 'down bound'
Title:  Approaching Half Way House 'down bound'
Description:  At 4500 feet we're decending. To the right is the 1st section of the 11 AM train approaching the water tank down in double track territory.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:32 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  142   Comments: 0
Decending
Title:  Decending
Description:  The 11 AM 1st section is getting closer to the water tank & we're about to move onto double track.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:34 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  66   Comments: 0
Down bound
Title:  Down bound
Description:  We're crossing the switch on to double track. the box on the post is for the train crew to throw the switch. It is motorized. On the other side of the car from the camera is a building with solar panels on the roof. There weren't very many cells, I don't know if they could charge enough batteries to make this switch run with out 'shore power' or not. The Cog RR web site has an excellent series of photos on the switch construction and double track project at: http://www.thecog.com/construction.php
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:35 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  75   Comments: 0
Approaching Waumbek Tank
Title:  Approaching Waumbek Tank
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:36 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  82   Comments: 0
Looking upbound
Title:  Looking upbound
Description:  The finger is mine. The camer is looking back up over double track. We're approaching Waumbek Tank at 3800 feet.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:38 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  63   Comments: 0
Approaching Waumbek Tank
Title:  Approaching Waumbek Tank
Description:  The 1st section of the 11 AM train is taking on water.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:41 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  69   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:43 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  65   Comments: 0
Untitled
Title:  Untitled
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:44 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  61   Comments: 0
1st Section 11 AM train
Title:  1st Section 11 AM train
Description:  Getting ready to depart. We're holding for the 2nd section to clear the main below us.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:45 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  73   Comments: 0
Pulling away from Waumbek Tank
Title:  Pulling away from Waumbek Tank
Description:  These locos put on quite a show at this temp as they got underway. The cinders, steam, & smell was really great.
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:45 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  62   Comments: 0
1st Section 11 AM train underway
Title:  1st Section 11 AM train underway
Description: 
Photo Date:  10/13/2006  Upload Date: 10/20/2006 9:59:46 PM
Location:  Mt. Washington, NH
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  Scenic,Winter,Steam,Passenger,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  91   Comments: 0

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