First mountain rack railway

The first mountain rack railway was the Mount Washington Cog Railway, built by Sylvester Marsh. It is located in Bretton Woods, Coȍs County, New Hampshire, USA. Fully opened on 3 July 1869, the Mount Washington Cog Railway was built to a gauge of 4 ft 8 in (1,422 mm), just under the "standard" railway track gauge of 4 ft 8.5 in (1,435 mm). It transported passengers from Marshfield station, elevation 2,700 ft (823 m) above sea level, a distance of 3 miles (4.8 km) up to the summit of Mount Washington. At 6,288 ft (1,917 m) it is the highest peak in New England, USA. The line still operates today and is today commonly known as the "Cog".

A strange "tradition" called "Mooning the Cog" has evolved around the railway, in which hikers bare their bottoms to passengers on the passing train. There are two interpretations of this curious 30-year tradition. One is that the "mooning" is an act of protest against the noise and pollution generated by the railway. Another is that this is a reference to the train's nickname "the Railway to the Moon".

The area has been recognized as the windiest place on earth, setting the Guinness World Records title for fastest surface wind speed – high altitude.