The Mount Washington Cog Railway is closed for two weeks as it replaces some track and upgrades its software.
The iconic railway to the summit of Mount Washington shut Monday, Oct. 28. for work at the Base Station. Winter operations to Waumbek Station resume on Saturday, Nov. 9, with a “new and much-improved ticketing system,” the operator said in a statement.
The railway turns around at Waumbek Station, a series of huts and platforms about halfway up the mountain, instead of the summit because the Mount Washington State Park indoor visitor center closed Oct. 20, as it does every winter. Despite the warm weather in the valleys, the summits of the White Mountains have already seen snow, ice and bitter cold weather.
The Railway’s Facebook page acknowledged some problems in the Whites and other parts of New Hampshire this fall due to huge crowds drawn by a spectacular leaf-peeping season. The overflow crowds on popular trails and parking areas, along with related problems such as trash, have led officials to discuss possible ways to limit usage in the future.