Velocipedes: Fastest Feet on the Rails

As part of my duties, I do a lot of research work. Here is the first major report I worked on to be emailed to our museum's members. The topic became interesting to me when I noticed how little information we had on the velocipedes in the yard.

In the early days of railways when construction crews, passengers or track inspectors needed to move quickly along the tracks, most people traveled by foot, bicycle, or handcart, a bulky device which required drivers to stand and took considerable strength to propel.

The invention of the velocipede changed things. Velocipedes are a lightweight, 1-2 passenger kind of draisine or light rail vehicle that typically runs on three wheels, two on the driver’s side rail and one on the opposite rail to improve balance. The term velocipede is French for “fast-foot” and was also applied to early bicycles in the hobby-horse style. There is evidence that railway velocipedes were first used around 1860, but George S. Sheffield is credited with their invention because he produced the largest number of velocipedes after gaining a patent in 1879.

Sheffield worked as a railway mechanic in Michigan, U.S.A., but lived on a farm 7 miles from the nearest station and found the walk home after work unendurable. His solution was to build a three-wheeled wooden scooter which could be driven in a seated position using both the arms and legs.

Sheffield’s machine was kept secret at first since he was unauthorized to use the track, but one night as he was driving it he discovered a broken rail. Sheffield stopped the next freight train using a neighbor’s lantern and his new method of rail travel was exposed. Recognizing the uses for his invention, Sheffield acquired a patent and published his story in the prominent magazine Scientific American. He went on to sell 4000 vehicles in the next four years, when he sold his famous velocipede line to Fairbanks Scale Company.

Image: SP&S Ry Web Museum. http://www.fallenflags.com/velocipede5.asp

Velocipedes were popular because their size and light weight made them maneuverable and easy to pull off the track when trains approached. They were also convenient, with a removable third wheel for easy storage. They were the favorite vehicles of many railway section-masters, whose job required them to inspect long sections of railway track for damage. Because the velocipede sat close to the ground, the driver was better able to see problems on the rails.

In the last years of the 1800s, speeder cars powered by gasoline were introduced to make rail maintenance even faster. Velocipedes were still sold by the Fairbanks Company until 1947, when speeder cars eventually made them obsolete. Today, however, many groups around the world buy and restore these peculiar vehicles for collectors and re-enactments, including velocipede races.

The View From Up Front

Recently I have been able to expand my list of useable life skills thanks to my job here. I am now prepared to work at CN, VIA Rail, or just about any of the companies that hire engineers, just in case my curatorial ambitions don't work out. It's all thanks to my learning how to drive the mini train.

Let me go into reverse for a second. The mini train at the Railway Museum is officially part of the Cottonwood Railway, a set of miniature ride-on trains named for Cottonwood Island Park, the rolling riverside expanse next door. The train travels around the entire museum grounds. Although there are several sets, since I've been here I have only seen the miniature 6001 electric locomotive, its accompanying green passenger cars, and the cheery scarlet caboose which is normally my preserve. Until last week I was a contented conductor, proud of my whistle and my ability to holler "ALL ABOARD!" I had even graduated to taking tickets before the ride.

Then my coworker taught me to drive. It's a little more complicated than it looks. There's the bell (only to be used when leaving the station), the horn (used in a very complicated series of patterns throughout the ride), and the throttle, the metal dial that actually allows you to move and controls your speed. The start-up sequence is as follows: remove wooden brake, flip power switch, turn ignition key, check battery light, sound bell for ten seconds, horn for two blasts in response to conductor's whistle. Of course, at some point you also have to board the train.

Driving requires constant awareness of your surroundings. The horn must sound whenever you reach certain signs, you should slow down during trips through the beehive burner and beside the train shed, and if the conductor whistles once you'd better be prepared to slow and stop quickly, because the train is probably off the tracks. And there can be other hazards. According to my colleagues, there are occasions where the park's furry denizens (the rabbits and squirrels) don't move out of the way soon enough and you must bring the train to a grinding halt.

In spite of the added responsibilities, I immediately felt an intense sense of pride when I'd completed the routine. Getting off that train means that I've brought all my passengers back safely. Now, I have two railway traditions to choose from.