Once railcars became obsolete, they became expendable. Those that weren't sold for scrap became playthings for railroad enthusiasts and industrial history buffs.
ELKINS, W.Va. -- To railroad workers of yesteryear, they were a quick way to get from one stretch of track to another.
To people who ride them nowadays, they're mostly for fun.
"They" are railcars - four-wheeled buggies, powered by gasoline engines, with flanged metal wheels for running on rails. Some people call them "speeders." Others call them motorcars, track vehicles or putt-putts.
Formerly found on railroads big and small, they've mostly been replaced by electronic track defect detectors and so-called "hi-rail" vehicles - highway-legal pickup trucks equipped with retractable steel wheels.
Once the railcars became obsolete, they became expendable. Those that weren't sold for scrap became playthings for railroad enthusiasts and industrial history buffs.
Twenty-four of those enthusiasts converged on Elkins this week to give rides to participants in West Virginia's Operation Lifesaver Railroad Safety Camp.
The campers, who ranged in age from 9 to 17, rode in cars as small as two-seat "putt-putt" cars powered by two-cylinder engines to four-seat "A-class vehicles" powered by four- or six-cylinder automobile or tractor engines.
The cars came from across the region. Some were from West Virginia, but many hailed from as far away as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
"We [railcar owners] are a pretty close-knit community," said John Gonder of Ruffsdale, Pa., the trip's coordinator. "We negotiate with railroads and pay for track time. Most of the time, we get together and travel in groups."
All railcar clubs are affiliated with the North American Rail Car Operators Association, which provides group insurance for its members.
"We're pretty closely regulated," Gonder said. "Some railroads require trip coordinators to be certified in reading rail signals and other areas of rail safety. Our cars are inspected at least annually - sometimes semiannually - and each car has to be equipped with a tow bar, a fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit and signal flags."
Most railcar owners get exposed to the pastime when they take a ride at a rail show or get invited along on a trip.
That's how Mark North of Middletown, Del., got hooked. Three years ago, he and his young son took a ride at a show. "Almost immediately, I began looking for a car," North said.
ELKINS, W.Va. -- To railroad workers of yesteryear, they were a quick way to get from one stretch of track to another.
To people who ride them nowadays, they're mostly for fun.
"They" are railcars - four-wheeled buggies, powered by gasoline engines, with flanged metal wheels for running on rails. Some people call them "speeders." Others call them motorcars, track vehicles or putt-putts.
Formerly found on railroads big and small, they've mostly been replaced by electronic track defect detectors and so-called "hi-rail" vehicles - highway-legal pickup trucks equipped with retractable steel wheels.
Once the railcars became obsolete, they became expendable. Those that weren't sold for scrap became playthings for railroad enthusiasts and industrial history buffs.
Twenty-four of those enthusiasts converged on Elkins this week to give rides to participants in West Virginia's Operation Lifesaver Railroad Safety Camp.
The campers, who ranged in age from 9 to 17, rode in cars as small as two-seat "putt-putt" cars powered by two-cylinder engines to four-seat "A-class vehicles" powered by four- or six-cylinder automobile or tractor engines.
The cars came from across the region. Some were from West Virginia, but many hailed from as far away as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
"We [railcar owners] are a pretty close-knit community," said John Gonder of Ruffsdale, Pa., the trip's coordinator. "We negotiate with railroads and pay for track time. Most of the time, we get together and travel in groups."
All railcar clubs are affiliated with the North American Rail Car Operators Association, which provides group insurance for its members.
"We're pretty closely regulated," Gonder said. "Some railroads require trip coordinators to be certified in reading rail signals and other areas of rail safety. Our cars are inspected at least annually - sometimes semiannually - and each car has to be equipped with a tow bar, a fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit and signal flags."
Most railcar owners get exposed to the pastime when they take a ride at a rail show or get invited along on a trip.
That's how Mark North of Middletown, Del., got hooked. Three years ago, he and his young son took a ride at a show. "Almost immediately, I began looking for a car," North said.
He and some friends found several that had been scrapped by the Canadian National Railway. They restored the cars to running condition and repainted them in the signature orange track-vehicle color.
"There's a heavy do-it-yourself angle with these things," North explained. "Most of the parts for the engines can be purchased at auto-parts or tractor-supply stores. Some of the more obscure parts have to be purchases from specialty suppliers or custom-fabricated."
Junked railcars, when they can be found, fetch prices of $2,000 to $3,000.
Putting them into running condition can add significantly to the price tag.
Steve and Dee Dee Rinker of Moorefield haven't been in the game long, but they've accumulated an impressive fleet of cars.
"I think we're up to 10 or 11 now," Dee Dee said. "Most of them are junkers that we fixed up. You can end up putting quite a bit of money into them. If you go for a lot of creature comforts and a custom paint job, it's possible to spend $15,000 to $20,000 on a single car."
According to the NARCOA Web site, an average enthusiast travels 500 to 1,000 miles a year on railcar excursions. The Rinkers recently returned from an epic trip through Idaho and eastern Washington.
"It was an amazing trip, with a lot of tunnels and high trestles," Dee Dee said.
For owners like the Rinkers, railcars are a way to get outdoors and travel through scenic landscapes. For Ed Summers of East Liverpool, Ohio, the attraction begins and ends with the friends he makes.
"The best part is the people," he said. "There's a real sense of community, and people go out of their way to help others. There's a real feeling that we're all in this together.'"
For Sonny and Erma Hinkle of Shippensburg, Pa., the appeal begins and ends with the chug-chug of an engine and the click-clack of steel wheels passing over rail joints.
"I can't afford a steam locomotive, so this is the next best thing," Sonny said.
Reach John McCoy at johnmc...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1231.
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