(This article first appeared in the October print edition of the Hendersonian.)
Clickety-clack. Clickety-clack.
The Bluegrass countryside, showcasing thoroughbreds grazing in lush pastures fit for a champion, rushed by as the four of us barreled down railroad tracks on a pedal-powered car.
Clickety-clack. Clickety-clack.
It was a very warm, but beautiful, June day and we were riding on the path of the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad, based at Versailles, courtesy of a fairly new Kentucky attraction called Rail Explorers.
Clickety-clack. Clickety-clack.
It didn’t take long before we learned some things about what we had signed on for.
The bright red Rail Explorer cars with pedals for each rider come in two-person and four-person versions. Once you get a safety briefing and the go-ahead from your tour guides to start pedaling and your car is moving, the electric-assist motor kicks in (think: electric bicycle) and it’s fairly effortless after that.
And eventually that “clickety-clack” becomes the music of an adventurous outing for riders of all ages and abilities. You can even take your dog on the Versailles attraction, but no lap passengers are allowed.
Though effortless and relaxing, everyone in the car does need to pay some attention during the ride. After all, this is a transportation system interacting with country roads and farm lanes. And that’s why everyone on board learns a few hand signals to use when needed to send information up the line of cars.
Using a hand brake when necessary to keep the recommended 500-foot distance from the car in front of us, we breezed along in the coolness under the trees, rolled over flowing creeks and passed some decrepit railroad rolling stock on the way to our turn-around point.
It was Young’s High Bridge, a former railroad bridge at Tyrone, Kentucky, located over the Kentucky River between Woodford and Anderson counties. It’s visible from the U.S. 62 highway bridge.
Eventually all of the approximately 20 cars in the excursion got to that point and the cars were spun around and reoriented for the return trip. Now the people who arrived at Young’s High Bridge last were the first to depart on the second leg.
Though our entire journey took about two hours, it seemed like it took no time at all to make the 5-mile trip to the old railroad bridge, where we could see the Wild Turkey Distillery across the river near Lawrenceburg. In fact, when we were visiting Wild Turkey the day before and sight-seeing on the back deck, we could see a group of bright red Rail Explorer cars at the edge of the old bridge.
After that short break, it was back to our starting point at the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad and Museum.
Things to know
• A rail explorer is a pedal-powered vehicle that rides on railroad tracks. They have four steel wheels, hydraulic disc brakes and pedals for all riders. A little history: Pedal-powered rail vehicles date back to at least the 1850s when maintenance workers used hand-cars and “rail bikes” to travel along the tracks
• If you decide to give it a spin, booking ahead to secure your ride is strongly recommended, especially on weekends, because of the popularity of this new attraction and the limited number of seats available. Tickets are purchased for a two-person car or four-person, not per-person, and if your group is large you can pick the car combination that best suits. There is no discount for empty seats. At the Versailles location, a tandem car costs $99 and a quad is $175.
• Excursions are offered several times a day, and on certain days an excursion called “Night Lights in Kentucky” is offered at 9 p.m. ET. Bluegrass Scenic Railroad & Museum is located at 175 Beasley Road in Versailles and it’s just a short distance off the Versailles exit on the Bluegrass Parkway.
• Comfortable and loose-fitting clothes suitable for hiking or bicycling are recommended along with closed-toe shoes. The excursions take place rain or shine but could get delayed or canceled in the threat of severe weather.
• Each rail car has a basket for bags and backbacks, cameras, phones and water bottles, plus extra storage space. Umbrellas are provided. Photos and videos are encouraged.
• Rail Explorers currently has six other locations on historic rail lines: On the Buffalo Creek & Gauley Railroad in West Virginia; the Amado Central Railroad in California; the Charlotte Valley Railroad near Cooperstown, New York; the Old Colony Railroad in Rhode Island; the Ulster & Delaware Railroad in the Catskills; and the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad in Iowa.
Info and tickets: railexplorers.net
