By Leo Stender age 7

This summer my family and I went camping in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. While we visited, we took a trip on The Cog Railway to the summit of Mount Washington.

Mount Washington is the tallest peak in the northeast. The summit is 6,288 feet above sea level. It is also known for its extreme weather. Mount Washington holds the record for the strongest wind gust observed by man at 231 miles per hour!

The Cog Railway is really old! In 1858, Sylvester Marsh applied for a charter to built and operate a steam railway to the top of Mount Washington. Work started in 1866 along a ridge that runs from the base to the summit. The first train reached the summit on July 3, 1869. The Cog Railway has operated as a tourist attraction ever since.

Today guests can choose between riding to the summit in one of many biodiesel engines or one of two coal fired steam locomotives.

My family and I went on Ammonoosuc which is a green coal fired steam locomotive built in 1875! We started our adventure at the Marshfield Base Station (elevation 2,700 feet). Then, we boarded the train. The seats were slanted so when we started to go up the mountain we didn't fall off!

Specials gears called cogs helped the train climb the mountain. The engine's drive wheel has 19 cogs. As the wheel turns, the cogs mesh with the teeth along the central rail to draw the train up, or, turning the other way, to brake.

Once you get to the summit, you have an hour to explore! You can visit the Tip Top House, a hotel built in the 1800's or you can shop and eat at the Visitor Center (unless you are on the last train of the day). On a clear day, you can see 130 miles away. You can see Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Maine, Quebec, and even the Atlantic Ocean!

I had a great time riding The Cog Railway with my family!