The Mount Washington Cog Railway, the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway, opened for its 148th season bringing visitors from all over the world to the summit of the Northeast's highest peak this past Saturday, April 28.

(TRAVPR.COM) USA - May 1st, 2017 - Marshfield Station, NH- The Mount Washington Cog Railway, the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway, opened for its 148th season bringing visitors from all over the world to the summit of the Northeast's highest peak this past Saturday, April 28.

“In 2016 ridership on the Mount Washington Cog Railway jumped by some 11,600 passengers, the most in the railway’s long history,” said railway president, Wayne Presby.  “And, that was the 5^th record breaking year in a row for the Cog. Over the past seven years the Cog has seen passenger ridership increase by an average of 7,500 people per year.  Over the last three years ridership has increased, on average, by 9,000 people per year with last year’s increase of over 11,600 people being the largest in the railway’s history.”  

While railway personnel made their first trip to the summit in mid-March this year, the railway started taking passengers to the summit of Mt. Washington on Sunday, April 23^rd.   

As a special early opening, the railway played host to 150 members attending the Discover New England Conference (DNE) held at the Mount Washington Resort.  Discover New England is an organization of travel agents and tour operators who cater to guests coming from abroad.  The railway not only took DNE conference attendees to the summit but it was a prime sponsor of the event at the resort along with White Mountain Attractions Association and other New England organizations.

With this much activity taking place so early in the season, and despite hurricane force winds at the summit on Saturday this past weekend, the Railway set another monthly record, beating its previous April record which was set last year by over 71%.  In the years to come the railway plans to open for passenger service by the first weekend in April.

Tickets for Cog Railway excursions can now be purchased online at www.TheCog.com or by phone at 603.278.5404. The Cog is located at Marshfield Base Station on Base Road, Mount Washington, NH just 6 miles off route 302 near Bretton Woods, NH. For more information about discounts, upcoming events and the daily train schedule, visit thecog.com.

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