UPFRONT/GO
Pedaling the Rails
Enjoy a day on the tracks without the train
YOU CAN ENJOY a scenic rail trip without climbing aboard a train car. Instead, you’ll be in the open air, using your legs for power. “Rail biking gives you a way to get out into nature that you’d probably not experience otherwise,” says Edward LaScala, chief operating officer for Revolution Rail Co., which offers tours in four states. How it works:
YOU USE SPECIAL VEHICLES
Riders sit in small, open cars that seat either two or four people. They’re propelled via pedaling, although many rail bikes incorporate an electric motor too.
DON’T WORRY, IT’S SAFE
Many companies run their excursions on tracks that have been decommissioned for train use. In some cases, where the railroads are still active, excursions are scheduled when no trains are coming through the area. “It’s just like any scheduled event; you stick to the times and you don’t run into each other,” says Mary Joy Lu, CEO and owner of Rail Explorers, which operates rail-bike tours in six states.
YOU WON’T RIDE ALONE
Guides accompany riders and administer safety checks and provide instructions.
IT NEED NOT BE INTENSE
These are leisurely rides, typically under 10 mph, with round trips ranging from one to four hours. You may take in mountain views; pass through farmland, forests or fields; or ride by water and across bridges. Rail bikes have semi-recumbent seating, meaning you lean back, with the pedals in front of you. Robert Nichols, co-owner of Joseph Branch Railriders in Oregon, says it’s easier on your joints than riding a bike. Also, riding on steel tracks creates little friction. —Michele Herrmann