Thorn Cycles Forum

Community => Non-Thorn Related => Topic started by: riptoff on July 04, 2009, 09:12:01 PM

Title: railbike
Post by: riptoff on July 04, 2009, 09:12:01 PM

Hi, has anyone made a bike to run on train tracks?
I have a book on the subject but would like to contact someone who has made one.

Title: Re: railbike
Post by: jimmer on July 05, 2009, 10:59:23 AM

Dear Riptof,

London underground use them for track inspections and works supervision (that which they do undertake).

Rail cycling does exist as a sport on abandoned railways. Charles Henry attained a record of 70km/h in his rail bike "Sapper" at Interlaken in 1999.

It is suggested that the world HPV record could be broken on a rail bike running on a special 200mm guage track. Bicycling Science by David Wilson has some more detail.

That said far better to get cycling and rail properly intergrated. As a useful step to which, I recommend signing the petition that Chadlington mentioned in the previous topic, assuming it is still live.

Yours, James

Title: Re: railbike
Post by: Fred A-M on July 05, 2009, 03:47:08 PM

I'll be going on one of these this summer in the Dordogne, France (see link) - after my week week's cycling stint in the Limousin.  Doubt if we'll be setting any records though!

http://www.veloraildefrance.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=38