The Mount Washington Cog Railway track length is approximately 3.0 miles. And it takes about 65 minutes to ascend to the summit and 40 minutes to descend.
Jacob’s Ladder, which is located approximately 4,800 feet height is the steepest section of the Cog’s trestle. It is a 300-foot trestle with a 37% grade. This means that there is an elevation difference of 13 feet between passengers in the front and back of the coach. For every 100 feet, a passenger moves in a Cog coach, he or she is simultaneously ascending 37′ 4″ up the side of Mount Washington.
Meanwhile, each trip to the summit on the Cog uses about one ton of coal and around 1,000 gallons of water! The Cog still runs two steam locomotives along with the six biodiesel locomotives.
In the following weeks, we will explore this engineering marvel and see and feel what it is to be like on the highest peak, at 6,288 ft, in the northeastern United States.
Join me @shravanregretiyer and experience the East coast like never before.
Visit @regretiyerproductions and shravanregretiyer.com for more stories from the natural world.
Shravan Regret Iyer’s “This is America – All New”
SHRAVAN REGRET IYER 