"Iowans will soon be able to ride the rails on what are known as “railbikes,” which resemble steel-framed go-carts that you pedal on railroad tracks with a battery assist like electric bicycles.
"Mary Joy Lu is CEO of Rail Explorers which is launching service in Boone this month. Lu says railbike riders will start at the historic Boone Depot, pedaling across farmland into the Des Moines River valley."....
Radio Iowa web site July 6, 2022 - Unable to post a link to the story.
Sounds like an accident waiting to happen.
Victrola1"Mary Joy Lu is CEO of Rail Explorers which is launching service in Boone this month. Lu says railbike riders will start at the historic Boone Depot, pedaling across farmland into the Des Moines River valley."....
This looks like a lot of fun. I wish I was a little younger ...
York1 John
CSSHEGEWISCHSounds like an accident waiting to happen.
How? Why? They're four wheeled pedal vehicles. There's not exactly a lot that can go wrong.
NittanyLion CSSHEGEWISCH Sounds like an accident waiting to happen. How? Why? They're four wheeled pedal vehicles. There's not exactly a lot that can go wrong.
CSSHEGEWISCH Sounds like an accident waiting to happen.
Derailments
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
ISTR that the Adirondack Scenic had a railbike operator on some trackage, and perhaps in the 'off season' -- I don't recall reading about any significant accident. They'd be up at the top of a list of people to ask about the pros and cons, and what to watch and prepare for.
I'd be more concerned about putting 'bumper car' protection on front and rear pour decourager des autres than side protection against tipover... and yes, I'd use some kind of belts and perhaps rollover protection 'just in case', as some of those roadbeds can be steep, rocky, and deep. But that's probably overkill for the speeds and tipping moments these things develop.
This is one of the first best applications for 'electric bicycle' power, if you have the necessary disaster waivers from the clientele...
I've ridden Rail Explorer (RE) rail bikes multiple times on both the Adirondack Scenic (when they were there) and the Catskill Mountain. The bikes are solid, well built machines with appropriate safety features, including seat belts. There is a wire mesh "pan" below your feet so your feet cannot contact the ties or ballast. The crew overseeing each trip makes sure everyone is belted in before starting, and everyone gets an operational briefing on how to conduct themselves. Even if there was a derailment, the speeds were never fast enough where significant injury seemed likely. One RE crew member led the group and another trailed to make sure everyone stayed together.
The electric assist is very subtle. Best I can tell, there is a sensor on one of the pedal cranks, and it seems to combine that input with a speed sensor to determine when to apply the boost. If you keep the pedal crank going at a steady speed, it won't apply boost. Stop pedaling for a distance with a slowing speed and you can feel some power kick in. I've never ridden an electric bike, but I wonder if they borrowed technology from them or if it was something they developed on their own.
The best part of the Catskill trip was when we had to cross a very busy State Route 28. Everyone stopped short of the road, and all the bikes were coupled together into a single "train". The crossing protection (lights and gates) were activated, and then everyone pedaled across as a single unit. After crossing, everyone was uncoupled and were individual bikes once again.
Probably the easiest way to proportion electric boost on a vehicle of this type is to have a stiff Weller roller tensioner on the upper side of the drive chain, with a rotary encoder in the arm pivot or similar linkage. As increased torque comes on the pedal sprocket, boost is applied to hold the tension, hence applied sag, in the chain between limits. But if you come off the pedals the boost stops, and the pedals easily freewheel 'dumb' as needed if you were at speed (such as it is) and stopped pedaling. (Note that this arrangement also permits simple in-the-field adjustment of the boost so that the "elderly" and disabled can enjoy the ride...)
Pressure sensors in the pedal(s) or a strain-gage arrangement in the sprocket could be made to work, but they involve electrical contact through something rotating and difficult to seal against weather inexpensively. I have had too much experience with rotary encoder motor speed control on treadmills to use that as a motor-boost speed control on relatively tight headways...
What I observed looked to me like an optical sensor that was mounted so that it could detect the rotation of the pedal sprocket. I can't remember if there was a hole in the sprocket that would pass the sensor once per revolution, or if it sensed the passing of each sprocket tooth. There were definitely no visible sensors on the chain tensioners. The boost mechanism itself was in an actual black box below one of the seats. The only input I saw to it was from the pedal sensor.
The Adirondack is currently running railbikes of their own. They don't have power assist - it's all "you."
Derailments are extremely rare. If they do derail, it'll be on a switch, and there aren't many of those. The track they are running on is good for 40 MPH - no rocking and rolling.
Train movements and railbikes are carefuly kept separate. The Saranac Lake operation used "out of service" track with no train movements at all under normal circumstances. That's usually the case for all of these operations.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
adkrr64The crossing protection (lights and gates) were activated, and then everyone pedaled across as a single unit. After crossing, everyone was uncoupled and were individual bikes once again.
Wonder where that falls on the legality/liabilty side of things?
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
google rail bike
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
Starting to see more and more videos of people on railbikes on inactive/abandoned lines. Usually with the BS disclaimer of "premission was granted". Sure it was. And my aunt's the queen.
Only a matter of time before we see some moron take their DIY harbor freight bike out on Brightline.
This is why we can't have nice things.
Here's some links.
See Iowa's first rail bike attraction, Rail Explorers, in Boone (desmoinesregister.com)
Boone Scenic Valley Railroad in Iowa to offer 'rail bikes' this month (kcci.com)
What can go wrong? How about a 156' high single track bridge with no walkways.
Jeff
jeffhergert Here's some links. See Iowa's first rail bike attraction, Rail Explorers, in Boone (desmoinesregister.com) Boone Scenic Valley Railroad in Iowa to offer 'rail bikes' this month (kcci.com) What can go wrong? How about a 156' high single track bridge with no walkways. Jeff
I have never read anything about this, but I would assume they make customers sign releases if the customer does something stupid.
York1ut I would assume they make customers sign releases if the customer does something stupid.
Have one of these operations in New Hampshire near Concord NH
York1 I have never read anything about this, but I would assume they make customers sign releases if the customer does something stupid.
I believe they do.
When I taught CPR I told my students that anyone can sue anyone for anything. Their success, however, is not guaranteed.
When it comes down to it, I would suppose that the difference would be whether the patron brought it on themselves (say, jumped off a moving bike for no apparent reason) or it was the result of a failure on the part of the operator (ie, the bike broke).
No need for lengthy discussion - just my .
A ride on the Western Maryland Scenic is starting up.
Rail Bike Tours in Frostburg, MD | Tracks & Yaks (tracksandyaks.com)
mvlandswA ride on the Western Maryland Scenic is starting up. Rail Bike Tours in Frostburg, MD | Tracks & Yaks (tracksandyaks.com)
Notice they are running from Frostburg DOWNHILL.
BaltACDNotice they are running from Frostburg DOWNHILL.
We don't allow our riders that option. And the profile is far from flat. In fact, the last portion of their return trip is uphill... And their route includes the "Camel's Hump," which is at about 1% both ways up to the peak.
tree68 BaltACD Notice they are running from Frostburg DOWNHILL.
BaltACD Notice they are running from Frostburg DOWNHILL.
What is unusual about that? Try finding a canoe rental place that takes you downstream to start.
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