Celebrating families is the theme this summer at the Mount Washington Cog Railway, which not only marks its 139th anniversary this year, but the 25th year of ownership by the Presby and Bedor families.  

The two local families purchased the unique attraction in 1983 and since then, have made numerous improvements to the world's first mountain climbing cog railroad. From restoration of the three miles of tracks, to construction of the new Marshfield Station at the base of Mount Washington, to development of an environmentally-friendly locomotive, the Presbys and Bedors have guided their work keeping true to the history and innovation of founder Sylvester Marsh.       

As the summer season gets underway, the Presbys and Bedors invite families who have enjoyed their rides on the Cog to look through their family albums and send in their best shot. Each week, one picture will be featured on www.thecog.com and all entries will be entered into a drawing for a 2009 White Mountains Family Fun Pass, which includes admission to all 16 White Mountain Attractions, as well as lodging at the Mount Washington Resort.  Passengers riding skyward will also get a special ticket to another New Hampshire attraction. In partnership with the New Hampshire Historical Society, a free ticket will be included with each Cog fare sold this summer to the society's Museum of New Hampshire History in Concord.        

The Mount Washington Cog Railway is a National Historic Engineering Landmark Its first locomotive, Old Peppersass, reached the summit of Mount Washington on July 3, 1869, making it the world's first mountain climbing railroad using a toothed cogwheel to engage the rack between the rails.  Old Peppersass is on display at the Marshfield Station and the Cog Railway Museum, which is full of memorabilia and the rich history of this pioneering railroad, is open. Admission is free to the museum.    

TIckets for Cog Railway excursions can now be purchased online at http://thecog.com/buy_tickets.php. Due to the popularity of the rides, advance reservations are strongly recommended.        

For more information and reservations, contact The Cog at 1-800-922-8825 or in New Hampshire at 603-278-5404.