Today was one of those days at Spencer when you just pinch yourself to make sure it's all real.

I got there early to toss some bottled water in a cooler for sale later on the train, attended a safety meeting and then got our handpump car replica out of the roundhouse area. Eric Shock and Christian Skidmore ran it up to the front track near the picnic shelters while I did some other business. John Bechtel came along with a fork lift boom and some tie lifts and moved the car to an isolated section of 150 feet of track where our picnic shelters are located.

Meanwhile, 1925 got steamed up under the direction of Paul Hess, veteran engineer, and Vince LiBrizzi, fireman, under the lens of a major metro newspaper photographer's lens for an upcoming photo page on the museum. In the shop, N&W combine 1506 was the subject of work and E8 6900 got an inspection.

I was doing an experiment today to see if folks might like to ride the handpump car replica on a short stretch of track for a buck. The first fellow who came along was excited. And soon I had some business. Thanks to the advise of Kelly Anderson at the Strasburg about how they do their program, I was able to be on top of this and easily maneuvered the car, with our visitors help, up and down a stretch of 150 feet or so. The reaction? "Wow!" "This is cool!" "You didn't have this before!" I was humbled and gratified. Both kids and adults enjoyed it, it went off safely and they learned something about the hard work it took to maintain track back about 1914 (the year of the specifications to which the replica was built).

Meanwhile, 1925 got some last minute dyno and air pump governor work thanks to John Barnette's good steam abilities. The loco picked up our N&W "Bluebird" caboose and tucked it into the trainset for today's runs for some walk up caboose rides and for a chartered birthday party on board.

At the end of the day, I'd given about 40-something handpump car rides (plus a bunch of gratis ones for the birthday caboose folks as an extra perk (they are members of the museum so we're most grateful for their support).

At the end of the day John Bechtel and I put the handpump car away in the back shop, 1925 snuggled down for an evening's rest. The cause of railway preservation was moved forward some more. It's what I call a good day.

http://nctrans.org
Wrinnbo@aol.com

>Jim, good observation. I've seen similar reactions to pump cars @ Steamtown and at The Reading and Northern's 20th anniversary open house last year.

Exactly the thing for the "new consumer" that is looking for participatory, tactile experiences. Plus if you let them take a picture and they display it at home... Free advertising.

superheater@rrmail.com

Jim

from your description, I was taught by the former CMO of the Heber Valley Railroad, Mr. John E. Rimmasch, that that is what we would call "another grrrrrrrrreat day on the HVRR".--and we all know where that got him ...

I have been working on a handcar replica for a little over two years and should have it "up and running" in the next couple of months.

My question for you is how did you handle any potential liability with the handcar (ie falling off when getting on or falling on (their butt) when getting off, hitting their chin on the walking beam and loosing a tooth, sticking their fingers down in the moving mechanism, etc.)?

sorry for the "wet blanket" question.

sc 'doc' lewis


Heber Valley Railroad
utweyesguy@aol.com

Jim, you have stumbled upon the Holy Grail of rail-oriented attractions. I swear, nothing, but NOTHING--cab rides, blowing the horn or whistle, ringing a bell, you name it--compares in popular attraction to a pump-style handcar. Even at a buck a turn, it's cheap enough for anybody; it's something just about anyone can do (be prepared to hide the d**ned thing when certain lawsuit-happy wheelchair-riding railfans show up, however); and it's ultimately "interactive" fun.

Even more amazing is the continued success of the incredibly ancient kiddie hand cars at Knoebels Amusement Park in central Pennsylvania. They cater to a brilliant primal part of the kiddie and human psyche, in my opinion. (Note: explore the rest of the website for a live-steamer ride and a 1.75-mile train ride through the woods.)

MY problem with such an operation, of course, is that 1) you're going to wear out brake blocks keeping the car under control (I know--we just about had to do so when the W&W did handcar rides in the enginehouse at Marshallton in the 1980s); $1 a ride probably would cover about half of your liability insurance increase; and I'd have to put up a sign explaining "This ride costs $2.00--25 cents donation to the Museum and $1.75 to the insurance premiums made necessary by your fellow litigation-happy Americans, lawyers and jury pools." Which, of course, would detract seriously from the Museum's mission.

In sorting donated photographs at the Maryland Rail Heritage Library, I can tell you that for decades at Strasburg, the mandatory photograph was NOT the family or kids posing on the train steps or in front of the locomotive--it was the kid, kids, or family posed on Strasburg's chocked-for-display handcar, which for years moved all of six feet, then moved nowhere at all, and is probably well-hidden today.

Since you've already acknowledged that NCTM's handcar is a replica, I would suggest that SOMEBODY, SOMEWHERE see fit to design or re-design a pump handcar that would not attract lawsuits--perhaps handrails added to a slightly wider platform, lower gearing, and braking that would be easier for the car's supervisor to control than the traditional foot pedal.

Anyone?

Knoebels hand cars

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

Here's a little-known fact about Strasburg's pump hand car. It was obtained as loan back in the early 1960s from the Maryland & Pennsylvania RR by Bud Swearer, a former SRC employee. Swearer also purchased one of the M&P bobber cabooses for his own use and in 1972 it was relocated from Strasburg to New Oxford, Pa., when it was purchased by SRC VP Carroll "Check" Caldwell. I think the statue of limitations has run out on the car's long-time "loan" (probably a verbal agreement with officials) and I'm sure the "old" M&P would be proud of its "adaptive re-use" as one of the most ridden hand cars in the USA.

> Jim, you have stumbled upon the Holy Grail
> of rail-oriented attractions. I swear,
> nothing, but NOTHING--cab rides, blowing the
> horn or whistle, ringing a bell, you name
> it--compares in popular attraction to a
> pump-style handcar. Even at a buck a turn,
> it's cheap enough for anybody; it's
> something just about anyone can do (be
> prepared to hide the d**ned thing when
> certain lawsuit-happy wheelchair-riding
> railfans show up, however); and it's
> ultimately "interactive" fun.

> Even more amazing is the continued success
> of the incredibly ancient kiddie hand cars
> at Knoebels Amusement Park in central
> Pennsylvania. They cater to a brilliant
> primal part of the kiddie and human psyche,
> in my opinion. (Note: explore the rest of
> the website for a live-steamer ride and a
> 1.75-mile train ride through the woods.)

> MY problem with such an operation, of
> course, is that 1) you're going to wear out
> brake blocks keeping the car under control
> (I know--we just about had to do so when the
> W&W did handcar rides in the enginehouse
> at Marshallton in the 1980s); $1 a ride
> probably would cover about half of your
> liability insurance increase; and I'd have
> to put up a sign explaining "This ride
> costs $2.00--25 cents donation to the Museum
> and $1.75 to the insurance premiums made
> necessary by your fellow litigation-happy
> Americans, lawyers and jury pools."
> Which, of course, would detract seriously
> from the Museum's mission.

> In sorting donated photographs at the
> Maryland Rail Heritage Library, I can tell
> you that for decades at Strasburg, the
> mandatory photograph was NOT the family or
> kids posing on the train steps or in front
> of the locomotive--it was the kid, kids, or
> family posed on Strasburg's
> chocked-for-display handcar, which for years
> moved all of six feet, then moved nowhere at
> all, and is probably well-hidden today.

> Since you've already acknowledged that
> NCTM's handcar is a replica, I would suggest
> that SOMEBODY, SOMEWHERE see fit to design
> or re-design a pump handcar that would not
> attract lawsuits--perhaps handrails added to
> a slightly wider platform, lower gearing,
> and braking that would be easier for the
> car's supervisor to control than the
> traditional foot pedal.

> Anyone?

> Jim, you have stumbled upon the Holy Grail
> of rail-oriented attractions. I swear,
> nothing, but NOTHING--cab rides, blowing the
> horn or whistle, ringing a bell, you name
> it--compares in popular attraction to a
> pump-style handcar. Even at a buck a turn,
> it's cheap enough for anybody; it's
> something just about anyone can do (be
> prepared to hide the d**ned thing when
> certain lawsuit-happy wheelchair-riding
> railfans show up, however); and it's
> ultimately "interactive" fun.

> Even more amazing is the continued success
> of the incredibly ancient kiddie hand cars
> at Knoebels Amusement Park in central
> Pennsylvania. They cater to a brilliant
> primal part of the kiddie and human psyche,
> in my opinion. (Note: explore the rest of
> the website for a live-steamer ride and a
> 1.75-mile train ride through the woods.)

> MY problem with such an operation, of
> course, is that 1) you're going to wear out
> brake blocks keeping the car under control
> (I know--we just about had to do so when the
> W&W did handcar rides in the enginehouse
> at Marshallton in the 1980s); $1 a ride
> probably would cover about half of your
> liability insurance increase; and I'd have
> to put up a sign explaining "This ride
> costs $2.00--25 cents donation to the Museum
> and $1.75 to the insurance premiums made
> necessary by your fellow litigation-happy
> Americans, lawyers and jury pools."
> Which, of course, would detract seriously
> from the Museum's mission.

> In sorting donated photographs at the
> Maryland Rail Heritage Library, I can tell
> you that for decades at Strasburg, the
> mandatory photograph was NOT the family or
> kids posing on the train steps or in front
> of the locomotive--it was the kid, kids, or
> family posed on Strasburg's
> chocked-for-display handcar, which for years
> moved all of six feet, then moved nowhere at
> all, and is probably well-hidden today.

> Since you've already acknowledged that
> NCTM's handcar is a replica, I would suggest
> that SOMEBODY, SOMEWHERE see fit to design
> or re-design a pump handcar that would not
> attract lawsuits--perhaps handrails added to
> a slightly wider platform, lower gearing,
> and braking that would be easier for the
> car's supervisor to control than the
> traditional foot pedal.

> Anyone?

Engineers say that they can make anything fool proof if you'll tell them which fool is going to be using it.
My question is why instead of
this endless search for the fool proof design, why don't we press for legislation limiting this
nonsense before we run out of the country the few remaing jobs ?

rrfanjim@charter.net

Doc,

My outing Saturday with the car was experimental in nature to learn more about how people got on and off the car and how well they did or didn't do on it. I learned a lot.

To do this, I picked the straightest, flattest piece of track we have that is in an area close to picnic shelters and our main walkpath for good traffic and visiblity but. I also limited the course to probably 150 feet or less so that the pace remained at a walk. I would not recommend doing this on any grade or for any longer of a stretch where you could build up speed. I put some stops at the end of the course as insurnace just in case the brakes failed or someone got to pumping too hard and I never ran up to them. I also made sure to ride each trip in the braking position, did a safety lecture at the start and if folks tried to take their hands off the bar, i just brought us to a slow stop.

I also brought along a 30-foot cable and padlock to disable the car during breaks.
To do it on a regular basis will take a sign -- "You must be this high to ride the hand pump car" -- as little kids whose chins are bar height don't need to be on it and ones. I used it several times just as a prop for family photos.

Lastly, I think it will take an operator who is ok with dealing with the public while focused on working to keep them safe. It is another piece of railway history (and several folks recognized it for what it was right off the bat, while others recognized it from the movie, 'Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?') so it is another avenue of teaching. I asked two teenaged girls if they'd like to run the car for an hour, get off the tracks, work on the rails for a day and then pump the car back home--they were most happy to be moving a computer mouse at the end of the 5-minute ride. Jim



http://nctans.org
Wrinnbo@aol.com

Wasn't Nevada State RR Museum in Carson City sued a while back by someone who was injured participating in one of their handcar races? How did that turn out, if it has yet?

ryarger@rypn.org

The SPCRR has two handcars, a replica narrow gauge unit, and a former Yosemite Valley Standard gauge car. We not only give rides on our site ($1.00 donation suggested, we usually beat the suggested donation at the end of the day) but also have about 80Â’ of very light temporary track which can be set up for either 3Â’ or standard gauge, and take the car to off site events.

We have taken it to other museums, to local railroad depot history days, Cub Scout events and to GATS shows.

Our biggest problem is dealing with the crowds without wearing out our volunteers. We have given as many as 300 rides in a day. The result is lots of happy children, and more than a few sore backs among the volunteers.

There are few things around a railroad which say trains to as many people. This has been especially important at our site, since we use horses for locomotives, which while historically accurate, and very interesting, is not what they expect when they hear the word “train.”

The safety issues concern us as well, but we are careful, and spend lots of time looking and watching and discussing concerns, and after 14 years of offering rides have never had an significant incident or claim.


Carter Brothers Builders
hees@ix.netcom.com

Bob, I don't know anything about that, but I can tell you that having witnessed the aftermath of a handpump car accident about 15 years ago, I would not suggest that anyone race these things.


Wrinnbo@aol.com