Did something different this weekend, Rode the Rails. (Page 2/4)
Hank is Here OCT 13, 09:08 AM
I happened to see one of these "speeders" this past weekend at a trian museum. These look like a fun contraption, in that one person can lift/mount the speeder on the rails. The one I saw was powered by an Onan engine simliar to a motor home generator generator engine. The machine looked dead simple to operate, after looking it over for two minuets I bet I could have operated it with no prior knowledge or instruction.

I would venture to guess that this is actually a cheap hobby to get into after you purchase the speeder itself. It appears all you would need is light duty ( single axle) utility trailer form a box store and could tow these with a standard mid size SUV. I would doubt that there are beauty completion, so I would doubt there is much of a modification crowd for these ( and less opportunit y to spend money).
blackrams OCT 13, 10:58 AM

quote
Originally posted by Hank is Here:

I happened to see one of these "speeders" this past weekend at a trian museum. These look like a fun contraption, in that one person can lift/mount the speeder on the rails. The one I saw was powered by an Onan engine simliar to a motor home generator generator engine. The machine looked dead simple to operate, after looking it over for two minuets I bet I could have operated it with no prior knowledge or instruction.

I would venture to guess that this is actually a cheap hobby to get into after you purchase the speeder itself. It appears all you would need is light duty ( single axle) utility trailer form a box store and could tow these with a standard mid size SUV. I would doubt that there are beauty completion, so I would doubt there is much of a modification crowd for these ( and less opportunit y to spend money).



I would agree.

My only issue is, this is not a hobby one can simply decide to go take a ride on. When and where you can take your Speeder is limited to these organized runs unless you happen to have access to an abandoned track. Unlike our Fieros or my Valkyrie motorcycle adventures. Once you've got a running and reliable Speeder, the biggest costs that I can see is going to the runs. Fuel, food and hotel expenses would be most of the cost. But then, just as with Fiero and motorcycle group gatherings, a lot of the fun is in being with folks of similar interests. While I didn't see any parking lot tire kicking, there was no doubt some story telling/lying going on.

Rams

[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 10-13-2020).]

blackrams OCT 13, 11:05 AM
Having been asked a few questions (in this thread and by PM), I relayed those questions to my BIL. This is his response.

Ron - Feel free to forward this info on, we’re always looking for new members. A friend of mine is writing some “introduction to the hobby” information and I would be happy to get this and forward on to anyone who has interest.

Regarding the engine in my speeder – It is a Fairmont RK-B twin cylinder, 950cc, 15 HP at 2000 RPM, designed and produced by Fairmont in Minnesota, beginning in 1955. Two stoke with two speeds – flat out, and broke down. Fairmont made over 70K motorcars from 1911 – 1980’s, but only about 2000 or so had this particular two cylinder engine, which was intended for places with bigger hills or high winds. All three of my motorcars have this same engine. I like it but some hate it since they can be difficult to start and hard to manage once started. I included a couple of photos of one of my RKB engines & also one from when I was installing it (for the second time) in my narrow gage motorcar, you can see how large the engine is compared to the 36” wheelbase M19 motorcar.

Generally, from smaller to larger, Fairmont had motorcars that were as small as 32” wheelbase (M-9), up to 96” wheelbase for the largest (A-8) cars they made. Here is a link to the specifications –

http://home.pcisys.net/~gle...g/motorcartypes.html

Most two stroke powered motorcars had single cylinder engines that look like mine, but without the rear cylinder. These have 6-7 HP and are very common, there were 3 or 4 of these out of the cars on our ride the other day. The two stroke engines are made to run in either direction, simply by moving the timing lever. With its belt drive, you can reverse the car without the need for a transmission.

The other type of engine that Fairmont used was the two cylinder air cooled Onan engines, similar to the one in that RV generator that you had. These have 16-20 HP and came out sometime in the 1960’s. Fairmont sold motorcars with both the two and four stroke engines up until they ceased production in the early 1980’s. Since you can’t (easily) reverse a 4 stroke engine, the Onan powered cars have a two speed transmission plus reverse, and a chain drive to the rear axle. They use a shift levers and clutch, sometimes on the floor that your right foot engages, sometimes a hand clutch, sometimes both.

Many people have repowered the Onan engines, which are hard to find parts for (and Onan parts are getting expensive), with Honda, Briggs, Kohler, or Predator 2 cylinder engines, usually 16-24HP V-twins. This usually makes them more reliable and some companies produce adaptor kits.

The yellow Woodings car that followed us last weekend, had a single cylinder 16 HP Tecumseh engine with a variable pulley (snowmobile type) torque converter, tied to a transmission which allows you to reverse.

As far as prices go, the car in the video is what I bought at an Auction in St. Louis for $250. I used it as my “donor car” to make the orange narrow gage car pictured above. The “picnic table” M19 car was not running when I got it, but the engine was free (not locked up) and it had good wheels with hardly any wear. I put a good carburetor and a good ignition system on it, along with a battery, and it fired up on the first pull. That car had the single cylinder Fairmont RO-C two stroke engine, which I still have, and I may use at my tractor show displays if I can find a good way to skid it around. The engines are mostly aluminum (as are the vehicles) except for the crankshaft, flywheels, and a few other things.

$250 is about the minimum you’ll find a junk speeder for. On the opposite end, I’ve seen speeders sell for as much as $25,000 for larger cars that are really decked out with air ride suspension and air conditioning. Mine cost $3000, and the guy I bought it from paid $6K for it, all in $50 bills. A good running NARCOA ready 2 stroke car will cost around $2K-6K for a two stroke car, $3 - $10K for an Onan powered car. The Onan cars are heavier and many have turntables, which makes it easier to turn when you get to the end of your run. They are popular and sell quickly.

Here are the two popular websites for buying and selling motorcars, this is where I found my car in 2017. I drove to Idaho to pick it up, then turned around and drove to Albuquerque for the trailer.

https://www.narcoa.org/forsale/4sale_want.htm

http://www.railspeeders.com/wantads/wantads.asp

Should anyone wish for further information, I'll be happy to put you in contact with my BIL, Eric is a good guy and a whiz at restoring just about anything. You should see his mancave. Several Porsches, a Jaguar or three, a Range Rover, an antique Mercedes convertible, a 1940 something Indy type race car he found somewhere in Indonesia and all kinds of other stuff.

Rams

[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 10-13-2020).]

maryjane OCT 13, 01:01 PM
I'm not one of those "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" types on land, so I'd want one with torpedo safe wheels.

How long before Ron gets a speeder frame and engine and puts a Fiero/Pantera body kit on it? hewas going down the rails doing 90 miles an hour when the chain on his speeder car broke. ..
(You could almost make one out of an old garden tractor... )

My father once told me that it was pretty common for people with one of the early narrow width Ford cars, to let most of the air out of the tires at a crossing and just go driving down the tracks instead of the endless succession of muddy ruts and pot holes that passed for roads way back when.
blackrams OCT 13, 03:44 PM

quote
Originally posted by maryjane:

I'm not one of those "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" types on land, so I'd want one with torpedo safe wheels.

How long before Ron gets a speeder frame and engine and puts a Fiero/Pantera body kit on it? hewas going down the rails doing 90 miles an hour when the chain on his speeder car broke. ..
(You could almost make one out of an old garden tractor... )

My father once told me that it was pretty common for people with one of the early narrow width Ford cars, to let most of the air out of the tires at a crossing and just go driving down the tracks instead of the endless succession of muddy ruts and pot holes that passed for roads way back when.



Won't be doing any Speeder conversions this life time. Maybe next.

In my younger (dumber) days, we used to deflate the tires on a couple of different cars our group had so we could get to a favorite fishing and skinny dipping hole. We pretty much knew the train schedule on that line. But, one never knows for sure.

Rams
MidEngineManiac OCT 13, 04:36 PM
Looks like fun. Around here the rail crews use regular pick-up trucks with drop down train coaster wheels, if that makes any sense. They just drive on thge track, drop these wheels down and off they go. Power still comes from the truck wheels, the drop-downs just keep it centered on the track.
LitebulbwithaFiero OCT 13, 07:09 PM
blackrams OCT 13, 08:03 PM

quote
Originally posted by MidEngineManiac:

Looks like fun. Around here the rail crews use regular pick-up trucks with drop down train coaster wheels, if that makes any sense. They just drive on thge track, drop these wheels down and off they go. Power still comes from the truck wheels, the drop-downs just keep it centered on the track.




All of the cars shown (I was told) are old retired rail property. I doubt there are any left in use. We had a rail equipped truck in front of us and another following the last Speeder.

Rams
Boondawg OCT 13, 10:12 PM
Dear Sir,
In my opinion, this is the best thread of 2020!
Well done!

Really really great stuff!
More, more, more!
Viva La exploration!

Thank you!
Boondawg
blackrams OCT 13, 11:04 PM

quote
Originally posted by Boondawg:

Dear Sir,
In my opinion, this is the best thread of 2020!
Well done!

Really really great stuff!
More, more, more!
Viva La exploration!

Thank you!
Boondawg



Thank you for your comments, just wanting to share the adventure. I learned a few things and had a good time.

BTW, that 2 stroke horizontal engine fires when both cylinders are Top Dead Center (at the same time). I still don't understand that concept but my BIL has rebuilt three of them and they do PUTT PUTT right along.

Rams