The Need for Speed
By Sandra Rhodes
Visitor & Member Services
Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau
Ca-chung, ca-chung, ca-chung … clang, clang, clang. The rhythmic sounds of a train pulling into station; the whoosh of a railcar speeding by.
Those were the welcomed reunion of sounds that echoed through the Kinzua Bridge State Park. This time, instead of steam locomotives pulling up to the Kinzua Viaduct, it was a line of railroad motorcars – called speeders - that rolled in as rail traffic at the Viaduct increased dramatically Sunday morning.
That was when members of the North American Railcar Operators Association continued the second part of a two-day excursion on the Knox & Kane Railroad.
“We get to ride railroads we wouldn’t be able to otherwise,” said organizer Gary Shrey of New Freedom. The group also came to the Kinzua Bridge State Park in the fall. “It is beautiful. I like this area.”
The group of 34 railcars took off from Kane at about 9 a.m. and arrived at the part before 11. On Saturday, they drove from Marienville to Kane. Participants were from all over North America, hailing from many states as well as Canada.
Railcars like these cost between $2,500 and $15,000, Shrey explained. They are then equipped radios so the operators can communicate between railcars. Safety features such as brake lights are also added. Each car has to be inspected and customized to the owner’s needs.
“They don’t make them anymore,” Shrey said, adding one of his cars has an AM/FM stereo in it.
The railcars were once used to inspect miles of track for defects, but have been phased out. They were nicknamed speeders because they were faster than the manually powered pump cars they replaced.
Shrey said the cars in his group usually go 15 to 25 mph, but the speed depends on the condition of the track.
Bruce Tracy from Locke, N.Y., has been involved with railroad motorcars for about 20 years, a hobby that was born out of his love for railroads, like many in the group.
“I bought one and didn’t know there was a club,” he said.
He also thought he would ever run out of time to cross the Kinzua Viaduct on a train.
“I am sorry I never rode the train across the bridge,” he said. “We always think we have time …
“Until last fall, I never thought I would ride on these tracks at all.”
The Kinzua Viaduct was destroyed by a tornado in 2003.
The fact that there’s no turnaround is no problem for the speeders. All the occupants have to do is lift the car from the rails with the aid of a jack and physically turn the railcar around.
The railcars spell family fun for the Rinker family, who came from Ohio and West Virginia. In all, the family has 12 railcars.
“We like to rebuild them,” Sudie Rinker, the grandmother of the group, said.
“We all go together,” said Rinker’s daughter-in-law, Dee Dee Rinker.
The trip to the Kinzua Viaduct happened to be the “run of the month” they were able to take. They were not disappointed.
“This worked out perfectly,” Dee Dee Rinker said of lunch at the park.
The trip is actually mutually beneficial for the speeder members as well as the park and visitors.
“I think it’s great,” said Holly Dzemyan, an environmental education specialist for the Department of Natural Resources. “It’s a great opportunity for the park to have speeders here and visitors to the park to learn about the speeders.”
Case in point was a Wyoming couple that spent the weekend in Lantz Corners when their truck broke down. They were two of several dozen people who came out to see the speeders first hand.
“We’ve never been to Pennsylvania,” said Mark and Renita Brackin. “We’ve never been here before. This is unexpected.”
(Photos by Sandra Rhodes)
Visitor & Member Services
Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau
Ca-chung, ca-chung, ca-chung … clang, clang, clang. The rhythmic sounds of a train pulling into station; the whoosh of a railcar speeding by.
Those were the welcomed reunion of sounds that echoed through the Kinzua Bridge State Park. This time, instead of steam locomotives pulling up to the Kinzua Viaduct, it was a line of railroad motorcars – called speeders - that rolled in as rail traffic at the Viaduct increased dramatically Sunday morning.
That was when members of the North American Railcar Operators Association continued the second part of a two-day excursion on the Knox & Kane Railroad.
“We get to ride railroads we wouldn’t be able to otherwise,” said organizer Gary Shrey of New Freedom. The group also came to the Kinzua Bridge State Park in the fall. “It is beautiful. I like this area.” The group of 34 railcars took off from Kane at about 9 a.m. and arrived at the part before 11. On Saturday, they drove from Marienville to Kane. Participants were from all over North America, hailing from many states as well as Canada.
Railcars like these cost between $2,500 and $15,000, Shrey explained. They are then equipped radios so the operators can communicate between railcars. Safety features such as brake lights are also added. Each car has to be inspected and customized to the owner’s needs.
“They don’t make them anymore,” Shrey said, adding one of his cars has an AM/FM stereo in it.
The railcars were once used to inspect miles of track for defects, but have been phased out. They were nicknamed speeders because they were faster than the manually powered pump cars they replaced.Shrey said the cars in his group usually go 15 to 25 mph, but the speed depends on the condition of the track.
Bruce Tracy from Locke, N.Y., has been involved with railroad motorcars for about 20 years, a hobby that was born out of his love for railroads, like many in the group.
“I bought one and didn’t know there was a club,” he said.
He also thought he would ever run out of time to cross the Kinzua Viaduct on a train.
“I am sorry I never rode the train across the bridge,” he said. “We always think we have time …
“Until last fall, I never thought I would ride on these tracks at all.”
The Kinzua Viaduct was destroyed by a tornado in 2003.
The fact that there’s no turnaround is no problem for the speeders. All the occupants have to do is lift the car from the rails with the aid of a jack and physically turn the railcar around.
The railcars spell family fun for the Rinker family, who came from Ohio and West Virginia. In all, the family has 12 railcars.
“We like to rebuild them,” Sudie Rinker, the grandmother of the group, said.
“We all go together,” said Rinker’s daughter-in-law, Dee Dee Rinker.
The trip to the Kinzua Viaduct happened to be the “run of the month” they were able to take. They were not disappointed.
“This worked out perfectly,” Dee Dee Rinker said of lunch at the park.
The trip is actually mutually beneficial for the speeder members as well as the park and visitors.
“I think it’s great,” said Holly Dzemyan, an environmental education specialist for the Department of Natural Resources. “It’s a great opportunity for the park to have speeders here and visitors to the park to learn about the speeders.”Case in point was a Wyoming couple that spent the weekend in Lantz Corners when their truck broke down. They were two of several dozen people who came out to see the speeders first hand.
“We’ve never been to Pennsylvania,” said Mark and Renita Brackin. “We’ve never been here before. This is unexpected.”
(Photos by Sandra Rhodes)
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