Sometimes the best ideas come from history. Here's one I stumbled across recently: the Teetor bicycle rail car, introduced in the U.S. in 1895 and produced for many years thereafter.
This conveyance is similar to the hand cars that were used by train crews to conduct track maintenance. But for some reason, this bicycle-powered version, though probably far more efficient, is far less well known.
The two-seater show above weighed 75 pounds, and a single-seater was also offered that weighed only 60 pounds. The possibilities represented here are significant. Such a vehicle would be easy to move on and off the rail when necessary, and could be pedaled with ease, given the low rolling resistance between wheels and train tracks.
Imagine this device upgraded with the modern materials and engineering in today's bicycles. It could be far lighter, perhaps collapsible for easier transport, adjustable for different track widths, and geared for better climbing.
Of course there would be legal problems with actually using such a bike on train tracks today, which are all controlled by private railroads and government transit systems. But maybe someday, when fossil fuels are are all spent, this is how we'll travel.
The above photo is borrowed from "A History of the Railroad Hand Car" by J.H. White Jr., a pamphlet published in 1972 by The Railroad & Locomotive Historical Society Inc. at Harvard Business School. Special thanks to Bernard Mergen for the reference.
