Homemade Railcar Hits Auto

From The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA:

Homemade railcar didn't have brakes

We had a rash of this sort of thing on UP rails north of Ventura about 10 years ago. Didn't last long, and I don't recall any collisions or injuries.

Thanks for that story. I mean thats just STUPID imagine if they ran into a freight. Some people.

Reading this topic reminds me of the speeder club that uses the rails around Santa Maria (though with the permission of the host railroad--not sure if it's UP or the SMVRR, and it's generally only once or a few times per year; I think they may travel around the country, too).

I'm thinking this homemade rail car thing was just pure redneck, though (whereas a speeder is a real vehicle)!

Long Train Runnin said:

Thanks for that story. I mean thats just STUPID imagine if they ran into a freight. Some people.

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The rail line is abandoned and about to be torn up.

However, that's not to say that some copy cat doesn't try it on an active freight line.

jackal said:

Reading this topic reminds me of the speeder club that uses the rails around Santa Maria (though with the permission of the host railroad--not sure if it's UP or the SMVRR, and it's generally only once or a few times per year; I think they may travel around the country, too).
I'm thinking this homemade rail car thing was just pure redneck, though (whereas a speeder is a real vehicle)!

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There ARE legit (i.e. law-abiding) speeder clubs, and their umbrella organization is the North American Railcar Operators Association.

Here's A Primer on the Motorcar Hobby (pdf).

WhoozOn1st said:

jackal said:

Reading this topic reminds me of the speeder club that uses the rails around Santa Maria (though with the permission of the host railroad--not sure if it's UP or the SMVRR, and it's generally only once or a few times per year; I think they may travel around the country, too).
I'm thinking this homemade rail car thing was just pure redneck, though (whereas a speeder is a real vehicle)!

Click to expand...

There ARE legit (i.e. law-abiding) speeder clubs, and their umbrella organization is the North American Railcar Operators Association.

Click to expand...

Of course, and I didn't mean to imply otherwise! As I said, the Santa Maria one that I read about a few years ago did their hobby with the permission of the host railroad.

Actually sounds kinda fun, though I'd still rather be on a train any day...

jackal said:

Of course, and I didn't mean to imply otherwise! As I said, the Santa Maria one that I read about a few years ago did their hobby with the permission of the host railroad.
Actually sounds kinda fun, though I'd still rather be on a train any day...

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I didn't mean to imply that you meant to imply that... Nevermind.

Sounds kinda fun to me, too, and think I might look into tagging along for a run.

Several times a group of speeder enthusiasts have used the rails in my town for their runs. One time they used the track that passes no more than 15 feet from my bedroom window, and I was able to film them on their run by my apartment. A little while later I decided to go for a drive and caught up with them again, this time about 20 miles down the road, at a junction where they switched from one rail line to another. This was also their lunch break so I sat down with some of them and learned about their particular club they belonged to. It was interesting. And, as it turned out, the particular rail line they were switching onto runs past my mother's back yard, about another 20 miles away. So, after they got underway, I raced them to my mom's house (and beat them with plenty of time to spare ) And as it turned out, the town where my mother lives was the endpoint of their run on that particular rail line and from there they reversed course and headed back to the junction where I caught up with them originally. So I was able to see and film them on four separate occasions. I realize I have to get out more when watching speeders go by (four different times!!) is a highlight for me :lol: but it was fun anyway.