Sad News From N.H.: Passing of Joe Eggleston, Mt.Wash. CogRy

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Dec 12, 2022 9:11 pm

The sensationalistic news on the nightly newscasts tonight involved one of "our own."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/h ... r-AA15bf3f

Quote:

A hiker died Saturday after falling off the summit of a New Hampshire mountain while taking pictures with his wife, officials said.
The couple were at the top of Mount Willard around 10:30 a.m. when the unidentified man fell over the edge and down a steep cliff, NBC Boston reported.

The Mt. Washington Cog Railway later identified the victim as Joe "Eggy" Eggleston, one of their long-time steam engineers.

https://www.facebook.com/MountWashingto ... D1jrhPQSDl

Quote:

Good morning– we're still processing the terrible news over the weekend that we lost our friend and colleague, Joe "Eggy" Eggleston, to a tragic hiking accident. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife (and brakeman) Kelly and his friends and family.
Eggy, living gracefully with profound hearing loss since childhood, once said to us "where else could a deaf man fulfill his dream of running a steam locomotive?" His passion for The Cog was evident to anyone who ever shared a moment, or a shift, with him. Yesterday, Train Master Andy Villaine spoke for all of us when he wrote about the loss of this great man and true Cogger:
"Eggy’s warm smile and passion for what he did will always be remembered by those he touched. I’m honored to have shared a cab with him. His home will always be in these mountains he loved. Gone too soon, never forgotten. That whistle will forever echo off these peaks for you."
Rest in peace, Joe.

KevinM · **Posted:** Mon Dec 12, 2022 10:36 pm

This is incredibly sad news.... I've seen the reports on the New Hampshire TV stations and I'm still having trouble believing it.

The railroad preservation community has lost a long-time brother and just an incredibly nice human being. Anyone who has ever met Joe, or just seen him in the cab will remember him for his incredible smile. He wore it constantly and was the most incredible ambassador the Mt. Washington Cog Railway could have. I always looked forward to chatting with Joe. I've heard him say that all he ever wanted to do was be a steam locomotive engineer and it was the Mt. Washington Cog Railway that made it possible. As a child, Joe lost his hearing to spinal meningitis, but he never gave up on the dream. He joined the railway 30 years ago, working in the shops and eventually, into that right seat in the cab.

If you're a steam aficionado and you've visited The Cog, Joe was the face of the steam program and he always had time for fans like me. It didn't matter whether he was turning wrenches, or steam-cleaning the boiler, or up in the cab, high on the mountain, Joe was always wearing that big smile. He truly loved what he did and by all accounts, his colleagues truly loved him.

Life is just not fair. Evil dictators, who start devastating wars, will live to ripe old ages, but we have fine, gentle people like Joe taken from us far too soon. My next visit to The Cog just won't be the same. My sincere condolences to his wife and all of the coggers on the railway who knew him and worked with him.

Every time we hear that long, mournful whistle as one of the steamers attacks Cold Spring Hill, we will always think of Joe.

/Kevin Madore

R. Hahn · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 5:01 pm **Posts:** 199

I can't think of a person I've met who seemed to loved their job more than Eggy. That perfect combination of the exact right job for the exact right person. The Cog will not be the same without him.

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Roger