Pedal

I ride a bicycle on most days, and I’ve earned frequent-rider status on Amtrak. But even with all this experience around trains and bikes, when I took my first ride on a railbike in the Central Valley, it felt a little weird. This wasn't like any bike or train ride I’d experienced. For one thing, you don't steer — the rails guide you — and you’re much lower and closer to the track than when you’re sitting in a train, looking out the window. I was quickly sold on the sensation and the views, activity and novelty.

My ride in rural Yolo County took me out into the weather, away from roadside clutter. With no engine noise, I could hear birds, the wind, the clickety-clack of the wheels — whatever was happening around me.

Riding a railbike on the River Fox Train line near Sacramento in Yolo County, Calif.

It was as fun as a good bike ride into new territory, made better by the lack of the usual road hazards.

Human-powered railcars began as 19th century work vehicles for railroad employees, but today you can ride updated versions at two locations not far from the Bay Area: the River Fox Train line I rode near Sacramento, which has railbikes, and at Handcar Tours in Marina near Monterey, which has handcars.

Five men operating a handcar along the New River near Stonecliff, W.Va., circa 1885.

The railbikes are pedal-powered platforms on wheels, assisted by electric motors, with seats for two people sitting side by side. The handcars are entirely people-powered platforms that seat up to four people who face each other over the pump handles. Riders row back and forth, using both feet and arms for power. "It's about a 60/40 split, between arms and legs," said Handcar Tours co-owner Todd Clark. River Fox is currently operating and Handcar Tours plans to open Nov. 12, after successfully testing its tours during summer 2021.

Riding a railbike on the River Fox Train line near Sacramento in Yolo County, Calif.

River Fox charges $109 per rail bike, or $129 on weekends, and Handcar Tours will charge $200 for a handcar — as low as about $50 to $65 per rider. Trips last approximately an hour on River Fox, and an hour and a half on Handcar Tours. So what's it like to power your own railcar down the tracks?

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I joined a group ride on River Fox on a dry, cool Saturday in February 2021. We met at the boarding area near the Sacramento River, got our instructions, climbed onto our railbikes and headed south past fields and trees. Sometimes we rode at field level, sometimes on an embankment or across small bridges. Riding a railbike resembles riding on a rail-to-trail pathway, except the tracks are still there and the bike has four wheels. Our group included about 10 railbikes, with employees acting as guides at either end. After 5 miles, we took a break while a guide turned our cars, and then we rode back.

Melodie Hilton, who recently joined River Fox Train as director of marketing, rode a railbike for her first time on the Skunk Train railroad in Fort Bragg up on the North Coast. Mendocino Railway owns both the Skunk and the River Fox trains. The Fort Bragg route leaves downtown past a cemetery, then follows Pudding Creek into the redwoods.

A safety briefing before departure from Handcar Tours in Marina, Calif.

A trip on these tracks offer unique vistas. "It's not an access point that you would otherwise have an opportunity to enjoy," Hilton said.

"It's not a bike path or a road, it's a railroad right of way, usually through some beautiful country. The Yolo countryside is lovely. And you don't have to worry about balance or falling into potholes. You can create a wonderful outdoor biking experience without having to recover for three days afterwards." Handcar Tours’ 6-mile loop route starts and ends in Marina, just up the bay shore from Monterey. On tracks that parallel Highway 1 part of the way, you enter the Fort Ord Dunes State Park followed by views of the ocean. "When you get on a machine on the tracks, you’re in tune with the track, the outdoors, the environment around you. You feel every click, every joint," Handcar Tours’ Clark said. "And you’re actively moving your vehicle, rather than just sitting there. It's an active experience."

This guidance varies. River Fox says its railbike riders can be any age 1 or older (16 if you’re riding solo), with a maximum total weight per bike of 600 pounds. "This trip is suited for riders of most fitness levels," its website says. "Rides require a moderate amount of physical exertion. Drivers must be able to pedal consistently throughout the ride." On my trip, I pedaled and used the motor. It felt like a mild to moderate workout.

A ride on the handcars during the high point of the route with a view of Monterey Bay from Handcar Tours in Marina, Calif.

Handcar Tours says each of its riders must be in shape, under 300 pounds, and at least 11 years old, with a minimum of one adult per handcar. The website's FAQ is a bit more blunt: "If you cannot hike or ride a bicycle for six miles, then this experience will be difficult for you." Handcar Tours plans to add eight railbikes, with electric motor assists, in 2023. They’ll have one railbike this year to run with their handcars. "The railbike will be for most everyone as long as they can spin the pedals," Clark said. "The electric feature only works if the pedals are spinning."

A man using a railbike on a disused railway line in Colorado Springs in July 1976.

River Fox uses railbikes built by the Skunk Train, and Handcar Tours uses machines built by another part of its parent company, the Museum of Handcar Technology, at its shop in Santa Clarita. "My son [Mason] designed the car based on an 1880s velocipede called a telegraph car, which was used for telegraph line repair and surveys," Clark said. Mason Clark has a degree in mechanical engineering from Cal Poly, and built his first handcar when he was 12. His interest in handcars inspired the family to enter this line of business.

Northern California could have more railcar rides if it had a greater number of suitable locations. Active railroads are out because of train traffic. Inactive lines must be intact and ideally away from road crossings, to minimize the risk of tangling with a car or truck. Santa Cruz County has potential, with its miles of unused tracks near the ocean between Davenport and the Watsonville area. "We talked with Santa Cruz, and it's difficult out there. There are lots of grade crossings around Santa Cruz, which creates risk," Clark said. "The Davenport end of the line is severely grown over, but it could be cleared at a tremendous expense that would only be possible with a multiyear operating agreement," he said. "It is a beautiful line."

A ride on the handcars during the high point of the route with a view of Monterey Bay from Handcar Tours in Marina, Calif.

Handcar Tours uses part of a former Southern Pacific railroad branch that once extended to Monterey and Pacific Grove. The tracks still exist north of Monterey but have been idle for more than 20 years, left in place for possible passenger train service to the Bay Area. That idea hasn't worked out, but Monterey-Salinas Transit still intends to use the right of way for a bus rapid-transit lane between Marina and Sand City. If the lane is built, Handcar Tours will have to leave. River Fox uses part of the former Sacramento Northern Railway Woodland branch, where it also runs passenger excursion trains. The line no longer has freight traffic.

The River Fox Train line not far from Sacramento in Yolo County, Calif.

As for taking a train to either location — it's not possible. The San Jose to Auburn Capitol Corridor service can get you to Sacramento or Davis, but that still leaves you miles from the River Fox Train. The closest train station to Marina is in Salinas, served by Amtrak's daily Coast Starlight. On the other hand, the Capitol Corridor runs many trains daily, all with space onboard for bikes. A hard-core rider could take a train to Davis or Sacramento and pedal from there. In other words: You ride both rail and bike to the railbikes. Bill Buchanan is a writer, editor and host of the radio program/podcast "Davisville" on KDRT-LP 95.7 FM in Davis.