THOMPSON & MESERVE'S PURCHASE â The Mt. Washington Cog Railway has invested about $5 million over the past five years in capital projects, with the bulk of these dollars paying for re-railing the whole route from the Marshfield Base Station to the Sherman Adams Building on the 6,288-foot summit with stiffer, stronger 100-pound rail and for constructing a brand-new modern fabrication and maintenance facility, explained Cog president Wayne Presby of Littleton during a tour Thursday.
The rerailing project is designed to provide a smoother ride, reduce long-term track and rolling stock maintenance costs and increase customer confidence in the line, he said. The rerailing car that features an internal knuckle-boom crane, lights and hydraulic-powered tools was custom-built for the project by Cog employees and should remain in service for decades to come, allowing track maintenance to be scheduled around the clock, if need be.