Railbike

[Ishikawa]

Good thinking When I walk around on train tracks. Train tracks where trains go. I see no weeds, no plants, no nothing, like a desert. I often wonder how much weed killer it takes to kill everything on a few thousand miles of train tracks.

People who try to kill weeds with poison will die from poison. Weeds will come back. The weeds win.

Saw some dead weeds on a friends driveway. I ask how ya kill the weeds? She said salt and vinegar.

PLEASE STOP DESTROYING OUR PLANET.

So, how much salt and vinegar it takes to clear a few thousand miles of train track? If you use that much of salt and vinegar it will cause more harm than the herbicide. Salt never break down naturally. Stay in ground or leak out and contaminate rivers, lakes and ground water. Whereas modern day herbicide are made to break down in soil in short period of time, otherwise chemical company cannot make more money. It is not like Agent Orange dumped by million tons in Vietnam. Everything natural does not mean harmless. Also everything chemical does not mean no good either. A bottle of herbicide may be much harmless than a pound of salt.

 

[gromike]

At least you don't have a sprayer on your rail cart yet, though, you would need an army of volunteers to hack the vegetation for any length of line.
I had thought of running a railbike on in-service tracks, as the vegetation control and road crossing are taken care of for you. You would need to know the rules of the road, scheduling, have some sort of detection system, and a way to safely bail off the tracks.

 

[Ishikawa]

At least you don't have a sprayer on your rail cart yet, though, you would need an army of volunteers to hack the vegetation for any length of line.
I had thought of running a railbike on in-service tracks, as the vegetation control and road crossing are taken care of for you. You would need to know the rules of the road, scheduling, have some sort of detection system, and a way to safely bail off the tracks.

Please do not ride a railbike on the active line. ABSOLUTELY NOT. Repeat, ABSOLUTELY NOT. It is a federal offense and you will be prosecuted if you get caught.

Clearing the track is a part of fun and I consider that is a service to the community because there are people use the track as a quiet, less traveled walking trail or a short cut. I came across to some already when I rode my railbike.

 

[gromike]

Well, you certainly burst my bubble of the dream of riding on clean, well maintained rail.
Though, getting caught might be the least of worries. A big old locomotive would be terrifying.

 

[Ishikawa]

Well, you certainly burst my bubble of the dream of riding on clean, well maintained rail.
Though, getting caught might be the least of worries. A big old locomotive would be terrifying.

Sorry for bursting your bubble.

it's not a big locomotive you should worry, it's the Amtrak Dream Liner you should worry. It's huge and damn fast.

 

[Ishikawa]

July 1st was Canada Day, there were a lot of music and fire work at other cities and towns, not here. Nothing, no fire work no concert, nothing.
So, I went for ride on the rail, take advantage of such quiet day. That's what I thought.
But soon after I started, a deer stood on guard at the switch point.

She wont move, kept looking at me for over 5 minutes. I did not want disturb her but I have to go. So, I moved very slowly, inch by inch toward her, I managed to squeeze by her.

Few miles riding, I came across to an old lady walking her dogs on the track. I stopped and chat with the lady. After that she told me there is a fallen tree on the track.

I did not have a chain saw with me. I cut small branches with a clipper and pushed the tree to the side, squeezed by the tree.
Kept on going few more miles, passed the gorge and Green Lake. Then turned around, came back home.

I am surprised to see many people walking on the track that day. Enjoying a quiet day just like me.

I will have to go back with a chain saw to cut the tree soon.

 

[gromike]

I hope it's a battery powered chainsaw. Just to keep within the spirit of the endless-sphere .

 

[KH111]

Good thinking When I walk around on train tracks. Train tracks where trains go. I see no weeds, no plants, no nothing, like a desert. I often wonder how much weed killer it takes to kill everything on a few thousand miles of train tracks.

People who try to kill weeds with poison will die from poison. Weeds will come back. The weeds win.

Saw some dead weeds on a friends driveway. I ask how ya kill the weeds? She said salt and vinegar.

PLEASE STOP DESTROYING OUR PLANET.

I share your concerns about the planet but I also have a realistic approach about my place in it. I donate a significant amount to effective altruism charities, I buy carbon offsets to reduce global warming our consumption causes, my wife and I share driving a plug in hybrid car, our recreation is mostly biking and hiking, we are passionate recyclers, etc. I am not indifferent to herbicide effects on the environment but I am not going to lose sleep over 6 oz of Roundup in 4 gallons of water used one time over a narrow strip of an unused railbed. The Southern railroad would spray massive amounts back when they operated trains on the line 26 yrs ago and when the consortium of Conservation organizations buy the rights to the railroad right of way next year and builds the 31 mile Saluda Grade bike trail I guarantee the company hired to maintain the new trail will use herbicides to control the weeds.

KH

 

[KyleMann]

That would be great! Clearing brush by hand is back breaking work at my age.

KH

I just created an account so I could message you. I am trying to find plans to create some version of a railbike. I have no fabrication skills. Did you fabricate yours on your own or have someone in the WNC do it for you? I live in Flat Rock, right at the top of the Saluda grade. Any info is appreciated. I contacted a fabricator in Henderson County and sent him 2 youtube videos that showed how to build a railbike and he still asked me if I had plans. I figured he could watch the video and think "I can write this down and go and measure the BRS tracks that are everywhere in Henderson County" but apparently not.

 

[gromike]

I would start somewhere like this: Rail Bike Wheels | Premium wheels for your Railriders, Rail Bikes, and Carts .

 

[PaPaSteve]

Price of rail wheels is rather shocking !

Shop — Railriders.net ™

www.railriders.net

 

[Ishikawa]

Price of rail wheels is rather shocking !

Shop — Railriders.net ™

www.railriders.net

Well, that is the reason why I made my own wheels. The skate wheel cost only $5.00 ea, that is 5 bucks CDN about $3.50USD and cogs are free. But, riding on rail bike is priceless.

 

[OCD Garage]

Nice to see an update from you! Happy rail-cycling in Nanaimo...

 

[KH111]

I just created an account so I could message you. I am trying to find plans to create some version of a railbike. I have no fabrication skills. Did you fabricate yours on your own or have someone in the WNC do it for you? I live in Flat Rock, right at the top of the Saluda grade. Any info is appreciated. I contacted a fabricator in Henderson County and sent him 2 youtube videos that showed how to build a railbike and he still asked me if I had plans. I figured he could watch the video and think "I can write this down and go and measure the BRS tracks that are everywhere in Henderson County" but apparently not.

Sorry Kyle, I haven't visited this site in a while. I made it myself after seeing numerous youtube's on the subject. If you are interested I would sell you my rig and help you throught the setup for your own bikes. Let me know.

KH

 

[Delik]

I’ve finally moved beyond conceptual sketches and into actual model prototyping this week. The news about the Squamish–Whistler–Lillooet railway going up for sale really lit a fire under me — if the government ends up buying it, the same thing could happen with the Island Railway. That would be a real shame (though admittedly, it would be a boon for railbikers until the rails are pulled).

One of my big goals is to ride the full stretch from Victoria to Courtenay in a single trip, even if it takes multiple days. @Ishikawa — how badly overgrown are some of the sections at this point? I’ve seen people selling some awesome motorized rail carts on the island for exactly this purpose, so I figure at least parts of the line are still being ridden.

I was inspired by Cam Engineering’s designs, but I also really like the idea of being able to slow down, hop off, and just enjoy the ride at a relaxed pace. I’ll be converting a Larry vs. Harry cargo bike into a railbike, which should give me plenty of room for gear. My main goal is to make the setup as easy as possible to get on and off the tracks when needed.

You’re doing a great job keeping things moving out there. I scoped this line through Nanaimo in the spring and it really made me want to make a go of it. My plan is to head out in early spring, when the foliage has died back a bit, and see how far I can get. Either way, I’ll be appreciating the work you’re putting in.

 

[Ishikawa]

I’ve finally moved beyond conceptual sketches and into actual model prototyping this week. The news about the Squamish–Whistler–Lillooet railway going up for sale really lit a fire under me — if the government ends up buying it, the same thing could happen with the Island Railway. That would be a real shame (though admittedly, it would be a boon for railbikers until the rails are pulled).

One of my big goals is to ride the full stretch from Victoria to Courtenay in a single trip, even if it takes multiple days. @Ishikawa — how badly overgrown are some of the sections at this point? I’ve seen people selling some awesome motorized rail carts on the island for exactly this purpose, so I figure at least parts of the line are still being ridden.

I was inspired by Cam Engineering’s designs, but I also really like the idea of being able to slow down, hop off, and just enjoy the ride at a relaxed pace. I’ll be converting a Larry vs. Harry cargo bike into a railbike, which should give me plenty of room for gear. My main goal is to make the setup as easy as possible to get on and off the tracks when needed.

You’re doing a great job keeping things moving out there. I scoped this line through Nanaimo in the spring and it really made me want to make a go of it. My plan is to head out in early spring, when the foliage has died back a bit, and see how far I can get. Either way, I’ll be appreciating the work you’re putting in.

I am glad to see somebody planning the trip. It is important to have a capability to ride off the track as well as on the track.
Because some of the track is impassable, like Cowichan Lake trestle is closed, in Nanoose the track have been returned to the First Nation, down town Nanaimo area is still an active line, I heard they are running or planning a commuter train from Victoria to Langford not 100% sure. You have to ride the bike on the street to by pass the places. post

From my limited knowledge, some place is full of overgrown black berry and scotch brooms, some place is surprisingly clear. I carry a clipper and hand saw. Overgrown black berry is no fun but spring time is less problem as you said. Another thing is, we have a lot of rain in winter and early spring till April.

Please post your progress here if you don't mind and let me know when you head out my way.