Ride out of town on a rail ?

[spencer rifle]

How about this as a BOV:

Rails (if they don't have trains stalled on them) might be less watched. And if you need to get off, the nearest crossing will do. And those stalled trains might have useful supplies or fuel on them. Road bridges will likely be watched as pinch points, or destroyed. RR bridges might not attract as much unwanted attention.

 

[churchmouse]

How about this as a BOV:

Rails (if they don't have trains stalled on them) might be less watched. And if you need to get off, the nearest crossing will do. And those stalled trains might have useful supplies or fuel on them. Road bridges will likely be watched as pinch points, or destroyed. RR bridges might not attract as much unwanted attention.

Quit telling everyone my secret route. It will be a super hi-way if SHTF.....

 

[thoroughbred]

Not as easy as it would seem.

 

[parsimonious]

I don't know if you have ever seen one of these in real life before or not,
but I'm kinda guessing not. Rail inspector vehicles are extremely specialized.
They have a very narrow wheel base and extremely heavy duty axles.
They are not for off road, or off rail, purposes. They are built to ride on rails,
with temporary stints on standard road surfaces. If you could find one for
sale, replacement parts below the frame are likely hard to find.

I like the way you think, but, keep thinking.

 

[jeremy]

Just cause there are rails, doesn't mean you should use them. There are lot of abounded lines in this State that have beds that are not in good repair...

 

[Tactical Dave]

You would never catch me traveling down the middle of tracks.... Talk about being a target out in the open....

 

[churchmouse]

You would never catch me traveling down the middle of tracks.... Talk about being a target out in the open....

More to this then the rail truck. Think about it.

 

[Tactical Dave]

More to this then the rail truck. Think about it.

Agreed time infinity.

 

[DadOfFour]

It was a work of fiction, but I remember reading about an idea where a guy modified a bike with an outrigger to ride the rails. I'd think that the actual mechanics of it would be a bit hard to figure out given the width of a rail vs the width of a standard bike tire, but it's always stuck in the back of my head as something I should try to figure out, just to have another option in the bank....

 

[Tactical Dave]

Only one kind of person that travels in the open..... The dead kind....

 

[mikefraz]

More to this then the rail truck. Think about it.

Elaborate please.

 

[jeremy]

Only one kind of person that travels in the open..... The dead kind....

I would disagree with that...

One just has to understand the problems with open terrain, and the bonuses of it as well...

 

[Tactical Dave]

I would disagree with that...

One just has to understand the problems with open terrain, and the bonuses of it as well...

I agree there a bonuses to it also just not any in regardes to me taking a strole through it.

I'd rather walk through the thick stuff and have some concealment then take the easy way and know that I am a target for everyone and their brother.

 

[jeremy]

I agree there a bonuses to it also just not any in regardes to me taking a strole through it.

I'd rather walk through the thick stuff and have some concealment then take the easy way and know that I am a target for everyone and their brother.

I grew up here on the Prairie, there is just as much concealment here as in the thick stuff. Plus I have a feeling that if SHTF, there will be more people moving into the thick stuff than coming out here to the Flat Stuff...

 

[JB75]

What about switches that are locked rail road locks are not unbreakable but are fairly big and depending on the rail line a derailed train can carry nasty stuff such as chlorine.

 

[IndyBeerman]

Just got off the phone with a friend that is a retired ConRail employee, he said that there's nothing special with those trucks. 56.5 inch inside width of the rail, with an outside width of about 62 inches depending on the width of the T rail.

Throw in some oversized tires and all you need is the under carriage mounts to the frame.

Stop and think, other than when tracks enter a town, they're off the beaten path and in remote areas most of the time. Plus if used at night you don't need to light up the roadway like you would for normal driving, hit the cruise and ride and you can be fully aware of what is going on around you with out having to steer and pay attention to road hazards.

 

[dhnorris]

they're off the beaten path and in remote areas most of the time.

You can come to my house, the tracks are right out back. Watch out for the black german shepherds, they think inside the fence=inside the stomach.

 

[Valvestate]

I don't think those rail attachments are designed to go very fast. I don't think I've ever seen one of those trucks going more than maybe 10mph. The rail wheels are too small and you risk a derail at a crossing or interlock if you go too fast. Your best bet is to get a diesel or diesel/electric car (or rig a diesel to an electric since it's at least got a transmission and a toilet). Small, quiet, safe as long as you board off the windows.

Either way, you're still screwed because you can't go fast at all. If SHTF, who's going to operate the switches? You'd have to know exactly where they are so you can stop in time to manually operate them, otherwise you'll go the wrong way at best, or derail and flip your ride.

 

[jazzy1993]

Or run into somebody else with the same idea and die in a rail accident

 

[powerstrokin]

The ride would at least be smooth, I'm sure.

And the handling would rival that of a sports car. It would be like...riding on rails.