Railbike

[KH111]

Did a test run using only one bike on my railcart and it worked just fine. Plenty of weight and rigidity to the cart structure. Still surprised how well the rear wheel tracks the rail. Only problem was when I tried to run over a large amount of vegetation on the tracks it raised the right wheel up enough to cause a derailment towards that side. The fix for that was to just push the railcart thru the brushy area and manually keep it tracking. Made a lot of progress to my ultimate goal of reaching and crossing a trestle over a lake, about another half mile to go.

 

[Ishikawa]

I have been clearing the track for a month now. Mostly blackberry, scotch broom and other small trees. Don't need a chainsaw yet, a clipper do a good job so far.


I was getting tired of pushing the bike/cart to cross the roads, so I decided to clean the gaps between the rail and pavement. I made a scoop to dig out the dirt.


But the job is a little harder than I thought. The dirt mixed with gravel and rocks been packed for years by passing cars and trucks. Sometime a fist size rocks wedged in that I needed a pry bar to dislodge the rocks. Up to now I cleaned 3 intersections.


While I was doing the job, a guy (total stranger) stopped by and gave me a yellow vest. He was concerned about my safety. Nice guy. Now I start to look like a city road crew.


Few more intersections to clean to go to first destination, Green Lake.

 

[KH111]

You and I are kindred spirits. I have spent weeks clearing thorns and other bushes off the tracks just so I can make it to a trestle over a lake, maybe a mile in total. Last week I sprayed herbicide to try and keep the overgrowth under control till the next time I can make it back. The local residents are nice and wondering what I am doing as I stop and cut back the bushes. No one has offered me a vest yet though.

 

[Ishikawa]

You and I are kindred spirits. I have spent weeks clearing thorns and other bushes off the tracks just so I can make it to a trestle over a lake, maybe a mile in total. Last week I sprayed herbicide to try and keep the overgrowth under control till the next time I can make it back. The local residents are nice and wondering what I am doing as I stop and cut back the bushes. No one has offered me a vest yet though.

A lot of cutting and clearing but your good work will be answered soon enough, I am sure. Specially when you get to the destination, you will feel pretty good about it. That is priceless.

Over here, I made it to the lake. That is my first destination. I will post the pictures in few days.

 

[Ishikawa]

A trip from Long Lake to Green Lake

It's been cold and wet but finally weather gets nicer, so I made a trip.

Long Lake is where I have been testing my railbike. Bike trail runs along the track, easy to access and set up the bike.

Busy intersection, but because I cleaned the track, quick and easy to cross. Bike trail ends here.
After here access to the track is very limited.

Going over the street.

Under the highway.

Going through very narrow mysterious gorge. Temperature drops quite a bit here.

Green lake.

Bridge/trestle on the Lake.

 

[KH111]

Nice trip, looks like a beautiful ride. Your vegetation seems to be lower growing than what I am dealing with.

KH

 

[KH111]

I finally made it to my goal of crossing the trestle over Lake Summit in Tuxedo, NC. Lake Summit feeds a hyrdoelectric plant as well as the Green river, famous for the Narrows and whitewater kayaking. My forearms and hands are sore from chopping down vegetation but it feels good to make it across. There is still a lot more to clear on the tracks but by switching the bike from one side of the cart to the other I was able to get through the thickest brush. Once across the trestle I had fairly clear riding until I ran into more trees growing up through the tracks, so I turned around. Next step is a GoPro video of the ride.

 

[Chalo]

Maybe now you need to start designing a tree-eating buzz saw railbike to prepare your routes.

I have imagined something like that for pruning low hanging trees over the bike lanes.

But for real, it might be feasible to attach a motorized murderblade to your rig that you could turn on and advance by hand to clear at least the space between the rails. You'd be forgiven if that part used a two cycle stank motor.

 

[nicobie]

Beautiful countryside. I'm jealous.

 

[Ishikawa]

Nice trip, looks like a beautiful ride. Your vegetation seems to be lower growing than what I am dealing with.

KH

Lot of fun and interesting, like an expedition trip. I have never been here before because there is no road to get here. I got it easy I guess, there was no big tree like yours. Almost all were blackberry. They grow fast but easy to cut.

Now I made it to my first destination, there is another 200km track to go. Next destination is Nanoose Bay. But to go there, I need more battery or gas engine drive.

 

[Ishikawa]

I finally made it to my goal of crossing the trestle over Lake Summit in Tuxedo, NC. Lake Summit feeds a hyrdoelectric plant as well as the Green river, famous for the Narrows and whitewater kayaking. My forearms and hands are sore from chopping down vegetation but it feels good to make it across. There is still a lot more to clear on the tracks but by switching the bike from one side of the cart to the other I was able to get through the thickest brush. Once across the trestle I had fairly clear riding until I ran into more trees growing up through the tracks, so I turned around. Next step is a GoPro video of the ride.

Looks like you had a nice trip too. Congratulations. Nice reward after hard works. Looking forward to see more.

 

[Ishikawa]

Maybe now you need to start designing a tree-eating buzz saw railbike to prepare your routes.

I have imagined something like that for pruning low hanging trees over the bike lanes.

But for real, it might be feasible to attach a motorized murderblade to your rig that you could turn on and advance by hand to clear at least the space between the rails. You'd be forgiven if that part used a two cycle stank motor.

We should start E-S Monster Garage and invent like Mad Max rail track bush wacker. No no, I am too old and too lazy to do that. I just want to have a easy joy ride.

 

[A-DamW]

Now I made it to my first destination, there is another 200km track to go. Next destination is Nanoose Bay. But to go there, I need more battery or gas engine drive.

Your platform looks like a perfect spot to mount some solar panels for shade, oh and some electrons...

 

[Ishikawa]

Your platform looks like a perfect spot to mount some solar panels for shade, oh and some electrons...

A lot of people suggest that, but some issues here. One of them is cost, another is the mount. Because this bike/cart double as a trailer so I can tow it to go and from the track. I have to fold it otherwise it is too wide to go on the road. So, I will have to take the panel on and off every time I fold and unfold. Yet, another thing is, where the track is. I did not end the trip at the lake. I kept going on quite a bit more to see the condition of the track and I found the track is mostly in wooded area. Not much of direct sun light. It's not like in CA or AZ area track. Maybe if I can find a reasonable price portable panel, I can use it when I take a break at an open area that might work.

Anyway, I am thinking about to make a steam engine by modifying a small gas engine. There will be endless amount of fuel there.

 

[nicobie]

The steam engine sounds lit it would be fun.

 

[Ishikawa]

The steam engine sounds lit it would be fun.

Yeah, and that will be a solar energy if I use the wood from the forest.

 

[gromike]

I wouldn't bother. The steam engine might not be all that heavy, but then you need a boiler and the pumps and pipes, and maybe a condenser, or a large water tank.

 

[afzal]

Now Ide it to my first destination, there is another 200km track to go. Next destination is Nanoose Bay. But to go there, I need more battery or gas engine drive.

Wondering about the rail vs road mileage on this setup

 

[Ishikawa]

Wondering about the rail vs road mileage on this setup

Are you asking about the mileage I went on this rail bike? I don't keep the record of mileage but my typical ride is my place to the track 4km, 5-10km on the rail then the return trip. Sometime I get off the rail and visit my friend or go to the store then back on the rail to the starting point then back home. Something like that. Is this answered your question?

 

[afzal]

Are you asking about the mileage I went on this rail bike? I don't keep the record of mileage but my typical ride is my place to the track 4km, 5-10km on the rail then the return trip. Sometime I get off the rail and visit my friend or go to the store then back on the rail to the starting point then back home. Something like that. Is this answered your question?

I was curious about rail vs road (on a similar speed & terrain, say flat) power consumption (watt hour per mile), as friction coefficients change

If you don't already have it, don't bother to find those.

Determining the numbers probably will kill the fun, you seems to be having fun & me too reading your thread!

 

[Ishikawa]

I was curious about rail vs road (on a similar speed & terrain, say flat) power consumption (watt hour per mile), as friction coefficients change

If you don't already have it, don't bother to find those.

Determining the numbers probably will kill the fun, you seems to be having fun & me too reading your thread!

OK, now I understand what your question is.

From early on, I noticed the power consumption is better on the rail than on the street, because I had to watch Ah consumed due to the old battery pack. I did not want to be stranded far away from home. I did not record actual difference, but since you asked me. I will check the difference next time I go to the track. There is an ideal place to check it where the track runs side by side with the bike path. My rough estimate is 40 to 50% maybe.