The Mount Washington Cog Railway is embarking on an electric future

The Mount Washington Cog Railway is embarking on an electric future. The company has teamed up with the University of New Hampshire to develop a battery-powered multi-purpose vehicle, marking a significant step towards electrifying its fleet of diesel locomotives.This privately funded quarter-million dollar project aims to have a prototype ready by 2025. The prototype multi-purpose vehicle will feature modular components akin to Lego blocks, allowing it to serve various functions such as an ambulance for mountain rescues, transporting building materials for track maintenance, or delivering materials and workers for track repairs. Ultimately, the goal is to adapt this system for locomotives weighing nearly 40,000 pounds, which pull 30,000-pound passenger cars.