Steam still lives at The Cog. It's just not nearly as common as it once was. On the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend, New England was blessed with high pressure, clear, dry air and calm winds. It was a beautiful day to do Mount Washington and folks turned out in significant numbers to ride the trains. As a result, B-sections were added to about 2/3s of the trips. Even the line's 3 speedy diesels couldn't keep up with that schedule and Steamer Number 9's crew got a workout. Although she was the only steamer used, she made 4 trips the summit this day....3 more than planned. In this dramatic vertical, little "Waumbek" assaults the trestle over the Ammonoosuc River just east of the Marshfield Station platform. In years past, one could shoot this picture a little further upstream and get the entire train in the shot. Unfortunately, the construction of a pedestrian/equipment bridge has pretty much taken that view away. Still, this view is one I've wanted for my collection for a long time. Easily one of my top-ten memories of The Cog.
