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The Cog Railway Up Mount Washington is Now Running on Biodiesel
By Chris Jensen on Thursday, September 4, 2008.
For 139 years the steam engines that have chugged up and down Mount Washington have marked their passage with huge clouds of black smoke. But that’s changing. A biodiesel is on the rails. NHPR correspondent Chris Jensen has the story.
SOUND OF CROWD GETTING OFF THE TRAIN.
Brakeman: “Have a good evening.”
Woman: “I was here 50 years ago for my honeymoon.”
Brakeman: “Oh, my it has changed a little bit.”
Boy has it changed.
That group of visitors had just ridden up and down the mountain in a train pulled by a 600-horsepower diesel.
No surprise it is cleaner and faster than the old-tech steam engines used here since 1869.
But it took a lot of ingenuity and a little heresy to match the this diesel to this mountain railway.
The man who coordinated the project was Al Laprade of Jefferson. He is the chief engineer at the Mount Washington Cog Railway.
“Three years ago the owners came to me wanting to know if I could design a diesel locomotive and it sounded very challenging and I said ‘Of course we can’ not really knowing what we were going to face.”
A bio-diesel would be a history-breaking change.
Until about 1910 the steam engines burned wood.
Then coal. Lots of coal.
But bio-diesel would be cleaner.
The big, black clouds that anger some environmentalists would be gone.
A bio-diesel would also be faster. That would mean more time at the top for tourists.
The question was how to pull it off?
First, they bought a big, 12.5 liter six-cylinder John Deere diesel that of course meets federal air quality standards.
But then there was a daunting problem.
The cog’s rails are unique.
So, the challenge was how to get all that diesel power to the rails?
That meant Laprade’s cog gang – with some help from suppliers – would have to design, fabricate and assemble the cab and chassis in which the diesel would be placed.
“I couldn’t wait to get started. It is one of these once in a lifetime engineering projects that falls in your lap. Most people never have a chance. I have been at this now - mechanical engineering - for 42 years and it is the first time I’ve ever had a project of this magnitude and this unique.”
Laprade started with computer-aided design.
Then the metal pieces were created by Issacson Structural Steel and Alpine Machine Company in nearby Berlin.
It made it first run up the mountain in April.
The old steam engine takes between 45 and 70 minutes to get to the top.
It uses about one ton of coal and about 1,000 gallons of water.
According to Laprade, the bio-diesel makes it in 36 minutes and uses 18 gallons of fuel,.
And the sooty clouds are gone.
But it is not yet the end of the line for the steam engines. They have their fans. Vocal fans willing to, well, blow off steam.
“We have some people, people who really like steam engines in general, are disappointed, while others specially the ones who are much more environmentally aware applaud it. So, it is like a love hate relationship. Some people love this change going to bio-diesel and others hate it.”
Laprade said officials are waiting to see how the public reacts before deciding to do away with steam engines.
The bio-diesel has been running since May.
However it will have a formal, governmental coming out party Saturday at 11 a.m..
That’s when Gov. John Lynch is scheduled to cut the ribbon.
For NHPR News this is Chris Jensen
MORE SOUNDS OF PASSENGERS DISEMBARKING….
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The appearance of an internal combustion engine on Mt Washington is a sad day for the entire country, if not the world. It was one of the last places where one could experience something almost exactly as could be done 5-6 generations before. The sad thing is, external combustion steam engines, really don't put out as much proportional pollution as a diesel cycle. It is sad that the steam engines must go away due to a bunch of radical environmentalists.
How about we make them really happy, and just scrap the whole thing, if we are going to satisfy the vocal minority.
What I don't understand is that they actually converted a steam engine to burn biodiesel, and from what I've seen it put out almost no smoke; why couldn't they convert more of the steam engines instead of phasing out one of the last pieces of living history?
The comment "Laprade said officials are waiting to see how the public reacts before deciding to do away with steam engines" highlights a lack of regard the owners and the chief engineer apparently have for the history of the cog. It would be sad but somewhat understandable if economics lead to most trains being diesel powered. But the complete elimination of steam power would speak to a complete disregard of the cog's heritage.
I also find the remark "...specially the ones who are much more environmentally aware applaud it" insulting. Historic preservation and environmental sensitivity are not mutually exclusive. Too bad Mr. Laprade felt it necessary to insult people who care about the cog's history.
Although historic black smoke from coal is apparently a huge draw to the Cog, that is no reason to continue to pollute NH's pristine environment, when we've moved on. I can't WAIT to bring my whole family on the Biodiesel Cog, because the old one made me sick from fumes. We're going up this winter, when we have our Christmas together BECAUSE the Cog ride will be CLEAN and efficient.
I can personally add to my opinion of sadness especially where I have worked for the cog. I am amazed that this day actually came. I will defend Al Laprade though. He has worked for years for the Cog and nobody has a deeper appreciation for the Cog than does Mr. Laprade. He is also the person responsible for the new switches which greatly improve safety for crew and passengers alike. Evolution at the cog is sad...hopefully though we can keep the steam and can convert the steamers to burn biodiesel or something of the sort....
I am not a train nut but I want to see the heritage of this railroad preserved. I understand how people are concerned about budgets and the environment but the diesel engine should not be ridding on such an historic railway. There must be ways to retrofit the existing steam trains to burn diesel in their boilers. Although this will cost more to operate it will still allow future generation to experience the living breathing steam engines.