Go-Karts on the Rails!

I see Darwin Award candidates...

Rusty

Abandoned track

I would agree, if not abandoned, then out of service. The end of track with no bumpers/wheelstops, condition of the ties, rust on the railheads and foliage growing in gauge definetely suggests that in the highly unlikely chance of meeting a train it would be operating at 10 MPH or less on excepted class track.

 I don't know if there is anyone to get permission from to operate those vehicles on this line or not, so it may, or may not be "Trespassing", but certainly NOT a High-speed heavily used mainline.  If this section of track truly has been abandoned, then ownership may have reverted back to state or federal govt. or possibly(not likely) a private land-owner, and they may not be trespassing at all, or at least on "Railroad" property. it is entirely possible, that they HAVE done the research that you haven't Rusty. Looks like Fun, but I'm not on my way out the door to join them.

Doug

The poster states in his comments that it is abandoned rail.  Not much else, but for sure he won't be meeting any fast freights!

Wow!   this bumped up a memory.  Not sure what the statute of limitations is for RR trespassing but we did high railing many years ago on many of the branch lines in the Pa, Nj &De area.  Some of the best scenery available.  Adventures included running up along 15 to Elmira with lots of portages. Taking the highline along 80 in North Jersey.  Eastern shore traveling.  Media to West Chester line, Wilmington to Hockessin. Chadds Ford to the Susquehanna.  Crazy times. 

Would not do it again but sumptin' about the fat, dumb and happy youth factor can propel one to do most anything. 

At first we used Chrysler brake drums with the spring flange powered by a 10 hp B&S.  Then we imported stamped steel MOW wheels and were able to run much faster on actively maintained lines.  Schedules were easy to obtain.  The solid axles were convenient in setting off grade signals.  Kind of crazy to come across a line of waiting traffic while we were speeding by on a stretched out go cart.

We used a weed cutting bar on the front end. Four wheel drive with brakes.  Seemed like about 35 mph top speed.  The rig was carried under a tarp on a tricked out motorcycle trailer with flip down "rails" for quick loading/unloading.

The real amazement was bumping into dozens of high railers on many of the lines.  Some traveled in wagon train fashion.  My buddy's dad used to like going along sitting on a lawn chair with his favorite beverage.  Real Beverly Hill Billy style.

Only had a few run ins with the police.  Couple of them laughed it off, coupla tickets.  Most serious stop was with RR detectves thinking we were robbing boxcars.  That got a tad ugly.  These guys were spoiled with their abandoned RR.

Looked to be in pretty good shape for abandoned trackage.

Rusty

(!) Well, its the desert, lack of moisture makes for great preservation. Watch the whole video when they get beyond the bridge . . .

Yep, even at 3:18 into the video where the railcart FELL INTO the gauge of the track, that looked well maintained, and I see 4-6' bushes growing in gauge on Union Pacific's mainline all the time, yes sir, that looks to be in pretty good shape to me.

Doug

I believe that is/was the Eagle Mountain Railroad, and may not actually be officially "abandoned", it hasn't been used for decades. For what it's worth, that line is were the Touchstone movie TOUGH GUYS was filmed, back in 1986. 

OK, I'll admit I didn't watch the whole thing.

I don't support doing this kind of thing and once he broke out the beer, that was enough for me.

I still think they're candidates for Dr. Darwin.

Rusty

Rusty, I will agree with you about the beer. It is possible though that they had researched the status of those tracks, and possibly gotten permission, or determined there was no one to grant permission due to the status of the tracks, I will give the benefit of the doubt in this case, hey we may even see a Big boy in steam by 2019, anything is possible.

Doug

So basically two drunks trespassing and riding illegally on RR property.

Let's face it, none of us know all of the details to make any kind of judgement, especially making a judgemental statement about another person being a drunk.

This is how the do it in New Zealand

http://youtu.be/ZtGzAsSAxo0

I believe the line about "does this count as drinking and driving" makes its own statement.  That's where I stopped watching. 

I once lost a coworker to drink.  He wasn't driving, but fell down an embankment of a parking lot into an icy creek.  They found his body two weeks later downstream under the ice.  He was one of the "it'll never happen to me" kind of guys, but it was still upsetting.  Still is upsetting after 20 some odd years.

Rusty

Depending on the state, drinking while driving a go cart could be DWI/DUI.  In Texas, driving any sort of BOAT while drnking is DWI!  Even a bass boat in a river!  (TX and go carts, I don't know!)

Illegal and ignorant.  Embargoed rail line or not, it's trespassing and it's dangerous.

Besides, it looked boooooring.  What's the point?

This is the sort of thing that gives foamers a very bad image in the eyes of railroads and railroaders.

Andre

If you've never rail-rodded on a shortline or abandoned railway, you don't know how fun and adventurous it can be. Dangerous? I can think of more risky activities that are legalled sanctioned. Stupid? Could be, if you're not sure of the status of the line and don't have official permission. There are some track-car clubs that get official clearance to tour on shortlines.

In that video, I will say that the beer-swilling guy with a ring in his nose looks like a total dufus. Also, charging through big bushes growing between the rails is foolhardy with a lightweight rig.

The track cars in New Zealand were interesting, but their wheel treads seem too narrow for safety on less-than-perfect gauge.

Back in the 60's and 70's a somewhat popular activity for young males up in the Lake Superior region was trackin'.  The average American car of the period had axles that were the same width as railroad standard gauge and bias ply tires, especially wide ovals, would wrap right over the rail head.  One could travel along in Drive or 1st and climb right up on the car's roof and enjoy the scenery.  As long as you didn't speed up the only time you needed to hold the steering wheel was going over switches and the grade crossings.  There were inactive mining and logging branches to travel on.  Going over trestles was exciting.  Just had to stay off the active lines.  I heard of one group that didn't and was unpleasantly surprised by a mine run.  They were able to outrun it but fell off the rails and had a very bumpy trip to a (fortunately) nearby grade crossing. 

John

quote:

Besides, it looked boooooring.  What's the point?

I guess you'll have to ask the Motorcar enthusiast crowd that question.

I remember reading a (magazine?) story about a guy following the recently abandoned tracks of the Rio Grande Southern (in 1952?) on his big motorcycle, driving between the ties in some places, and in one place where the track was washed out underneath and he didn't see it because water covered the tops of the ties, a tie fell out from underneath him and he nearly dumped into a hole ... well that's the kind of true story from sometimes foolhardy railfans pursuing their hobby ...

Well, not to put down someone else's hobbies, compared to Stamp and/or Coin collecting, it looks a LOT more enjoyable to me. Different strokes for different folks.

Doug

Touring the McCloud Railroad 20 years ago in vintage track cars. It wasn't boring.

Aw come 'on guys... don't git yer panties in a wad 'cause I said it looked boring. 

The way it was being done in the OP video DOES look BORING to ME.  Riding back and forth on 1 mile of track in an arid and lackluster setting would be boring to MY TASTES.

The McCloud River, or say Kettle Canyon, Crawford Notch, or some other spectacular setting would be a different set of circumstances to ME in regards to my "boring" statement.

As for my statement they are ignorant.  Remember that word means to ignore.  There are inherent dangers when riding a makeshift motor car over unknown track. The gauge was either so bad on their motor car or the track they "fell in".  Going a bit faster and somebody gets thrown off/etc.  You CAN get hurt by ignoring the basics (track gauge and condition, compliance to gauge standards for your home-made motor car, etc, etc) and plunging onward anyway.  That is ignorant.

So, chill all... and enjoy the thread.

I now return to you to your regularly scheduled program.

The dufus guy in the video was a big turn-off ...

I almost quit watching because of that.