New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington Cog Railway has received the first of two new boilers that will allow the mountain-climbing railroad to continue running steam for years to come. 

From 1869 until 2008, steam ruled the west slope of Mt. Washington. Constructed in the 1860s, the Mount Washington Cog Railway was the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railroad. However, in the late 2000s, diesel locomotives began to replace most steam locomotives. For a few years, only the first run of the day up the hill featured steam. In recent years, the railroad has offered a handful of trips to the summit behind steam, as well as a Mid Mountain Steam Special that travels about halfway up the hill. Presently, there are two steam engines on the active roster: Locomotive 2 Ammonoosuc, built in 1875, and 9 Waumbek, built in 1908. Both locomotives were constructed by the Manchester Locomotive Works, which later became part of the American Locomotive Company.

The new boilers are being built by Maine Locomotive & Machine Works in Alna, Maine. The first boiler is being used on locomotive 9, and officials said they hope to have the engine reassembled and in service this year.

—Justin Franz