So much to see and do in Western Maine and New Hampshire we have to break out the trains.  We had heard about the Cog Railway and the Conway Scenic Railway but there is so much more rail history and trains to explore.

Mt. Washington Cog Railway is famous as the world’s first mountain climbing cog railway.  A cog railway is used to climb extreme grades, in this case up to 37%.   Mt. Washington is the highest peak east of the Mississippi at 6288 feet.  Its also famous for its severe weather.  The highest winds ever recorded occured here in 1934, 231 mph!  Currently the railway offers steam and biodiesel locomotives.  We rode the steam to the treeless top.

At the top on a nice day

Inside the beautiful coach heading down again

Conway Scenic Railway is another rail attraction in the White Mountain area of New Hampshire.  We were lucky to arrive for railfan weekend, a couple days of special exhibits, rides and memorabilia.  Our special excursion traveled 3.5 hours through the White Mountains to Whitefield NH and a celebrated diamond (a crossing of 2 lines creates a diamond symbol in the track).

GP 38 ex BM 252

Crawford Notch Depot

Classic trestle

EMD F7A #4266

Mt. Washington Hotel

North Conway Depot

Budd Co. RDC

GP35

North Conway Model Railroad Club

The Hobo Railroad is one of 2 railroads operated by the Plymouth and Lincoln Railroad in Lincoln New Hampshire.  The other is the Winnepesaukee Railroad in Meredith.  On the Hobo property is the lone surviving Yankee Flyer streamlined art deco diesel masterpiece.  Hopefully it will be restored someday.

Yankee Flyer

Hobo Junction Depot

Hobo RR S1 diesel

Clark’s Trading Post theme park is a family oriented fun place owned by the same folks who own the Hobo Railroad.  They have some very impressive rolling stock including a seldom seem Climax locomotive and a beautiful 2 truck Shay.

Climax pulling families around the theme park

Beautiful 2 truck Shay

New Hampshire has rail history scattered just about anywhere.  We found this beautiful restored depot in Gorham.

Beautifully restored Gorham NH Depot

New England is a great destination for railfans.  We used the Tourist Trains Guidebook published by Kalmbach as a guide.