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RidingWith
Outlaws I spend a day working with the Scenic RailRiders STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARSHALL HUDSON
38 New Hampshire Magazine | September 2022
PHOTO COURTESY SCENIC RAILRIDERS
B
utch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, notorious outlaws of the Old West, were known for their daring train robbery stick-ups. To the great annoyance of the Union Pacific Railroad owners, Butch and Sundance rode down their trains, hopped aboard, held up the passengers, and relieved the train’s safe of valuables. Today, I’m riding with the Butch and Sundance gang, but I’m also working for the owners of the rail line. How did I get into this quandary? I was driving down Sewalls Falls Road, near the division line between Concord and Penacook, when a traffic guard stopped me at the old abandoned railroad crossing. A moment later, I watched a train of pedal-powered rail-riding carts scoot across the road in front of me. Impulsively, I pulled into the parking lot and started asking questions. It was suggested that I come back on a different day, lend a hand, and learn more about this unique railriding adventure. Scenic RailRiders is a family-owned business opened in 2019 after two years of research, investigation, planning and development. They had to find railroad track that was scenic and interesting, accessible off a main road, and not too steep for pedal power. It was a challenge just to find abandoned railroad line that still had rails in place as rails are routinely removed on abandoned lines. Scenic RailRiders found this last remaining section of old Northern Railroad track, constructed in 1846, and successfully negotiated a lease for the use of it. A lot of physical labor then went into getting the old rails ready to ride. Tracks had to be cleared of encroaching overgrowth, in places trees had grown up between the rails. After beating back the vegetation and repairing the track, Scenic RailRiders obtained licenses, permits and insurance; developed facilities for customer parking,
Rusty rails and rusty fall colors blend beautifully while pedaling north.
restrooms, storage, and ticket sales; and designed and custom built the pedalpower rail carts. To resist corrosion, the carts are constructed of aluminum and stainless steel, and are designed to be both rugged and comfortable. Depending on whether the cart is a two-seater or four-seater, it weighs 300-400 hundred pounds and has a low center of gravity making it very stable. Carts don’t tip on the curves or bounce and derail at bumpy spots. Each seat is adjustable, so the longest-legged person and the shortest child can be comfortable reaching the pedals. The gears are freewheeling, meaning you can pedal and get a workout, or coast and let someone else do twice the work. One adult controls the brakes, and steering is not necessary as the wheels are pinned between the rails. Seatbelts are provided and mandatory. Each cart has a
basket to keep cell phones, car keys, purses and other valuables safe … unless Butch and Sundance holdup the train. Rather than distinguish amongst the carts by serial number, each cart is given a nickname that it proudly displays on a license plate-type sign. Hence, the names, “Butch” and “Sundance” for the gang I’m riding with now. We grease the fittings and oil the sprockets on “Bert” and “Ernie,” then pull 400-pound Thelma out of her overnight bedroom and wrestle her onto the railroad tracks. We hook Thelma up with Louise so that a gang of eight can ride with the ladies. Multiple two-seaters and four-seaters can be linked interchangeably to make up any train length necessary to accommodate a family outing or group of companions. I hop aboard Sundance and we head out at 5 to 8 miles per hour following the
