Excelsior Handcar

[c.o.]

Check this out!!! All yer gonna need is a fat wallet and some railroad track...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1914-...b3d40c23#v4-37

[exeric]

Wow! Just when you think you've seen it all.

[rwm]

there is a club for railroad handcars and small motorized railcars. they meet all over the us.lots of unused rail lines here.(no amtrak coming at you.)

[c.o.]

Funny you should mention that Rob... I can recall a couple stretches of abandoned railroad track I used to ride my dirtbike up and down when I was a kid... seeing this Excelsior got me to reminiscing. I hope nobody "restores" it...

Here's a great shot from New Zealand courtesy of Tommo!!!

[Chris Haynes]

To get it right I belive that handcars are hand powered. Units with gas power are called motorcars.

[Tommo]

In NZ we call them Jiggers and if they are powered they are Motorised Jiggers.
Most of the ones like the Excelsior pictured here were used on the Bush (Forest) railways to get the Felling Gangs to where they were working at the time. Probably 8 to 10 men and all the gear and tucker they needed for a days work.
As far as makes go, you name it and they were used, but just about without exception they were American motorcycles that were converted. Rumour has it that even a Militaire was used during the 1930's down on the West coast of the South Island.
Not really motorcycles but you started this Cory, I just hope it is of interest.

[c.o.]

It would seem that a Militaire would be suitable for such work. And sure this is about motorcycles.... It may not be in the traditional two wheeled sense but the motorcycle application cannot be denied. I find this stuff quite interesting. But maybe I'm just a tad off center...

This is how they built them in Texas........