The Mount Washington Cog Railway is a really unique experience. The Railway I give five stars, but there is a catch to it and I'll explain. Mount Washington is the tallest peak in northeast America. That, in itself, is impressive. Building a railway that could climb a maximum 37.5% grade at the time of its inception over 150 years ago was considered impossible. But Sylvester Marsh accomplished it. Equally impressive. The railway is 3 miles (5km) long and stops just short of Mount Washington's summit of 6288 feet (1917m). The Brakeman (yes, they are responsible for braking the train if needed) take on the role of tour guide. On both my ascending and descending trips the brakeman were friendly, entertaining, and extremely knowledgeable. The train itself was comfortable and the views were stunning. I chose to ride on one of the biodiesel powered trains but there is a steam locomotive option for those that want the historic experience. There is a giftshop and small café at the bottom of the railway and what can best be described as a state park facility at the top. This train ride may be considered a bit pricey by some ($91.00 per adult, when I went). With that in mind I feel like there needs to be a clear understanding before embarking. If your desire is to learn some history, experience a cogwheel train and go to the highest peak in the northeastern United States with some incredible views, this is a win. However, if you are expecting something culturally enveloping or intellectually stimulating at the end of the journey, other than the tallest peak thing, well, best to hope it's not cloudy. On my trip, the weather was clear at the base of the mountain, however, by the time our train reached the summit, visibility was a few hundred feet at best. Not ideal. State Park facilities are often lacking in most areas of expectation for me. I have had enough experience with this to understand the rare exceptions people are willing to point to and, in my opinion, this isn't one of them. I have been on the Jungfrau Cog Railway, and then the summit of Jungfraujoch in Switzerland, it is a place of comfort with shops, restaurants, a post office and a year round high altitude astronomical observatory with tours. Mount Washington's summit could be that. In its defense, there is a cafeteria, a gift shop and a post office. I believe that in this instance the Journey is the adventure, the views are the adventure, and being at the summit is the adventure. I'm not saying it was disappointing, I got to the summit of Mount Washington and that was my intention. Understand your expectations before shelling out hundreds of dollars for a small family. Your experience may differ.