Hand-car Regatta, 9/28/2008, Santa Rosa, CA

[RussNelson]

These folks are holding a Handcar "Regatta" at the end of September in Santa Rosa, California. http://handcar-regatta.com/
They don't say anything about railroad safety, nor about NOT testing your handcar on active railroad tracks, nor about railroads always being owned by somebody or other, nor about not trespassing.

A little worrisome, but on the other hand, anybody who doesn't have the sense to respect trains deserves to be removed from the gene pool.

[mtuandrew]

From various links posted on their website, they appear to have the sponsorship of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Historical Society. Hopefully this means that they'll be organized under the auspices of the railroad, and will have some lectures about safe use of railcars.

[handcarregatta]

Hi Russ, and thanks for the points.

Some clarity. We do have the permissions required to use the tracks even though this is at present an abandoned right of way.

We are also lining up an engineer from Sonoma State University, and will have a safety meeting about a month before to inspect and a meeting the day of the event.

But thanks for pointing out some things we need to add ...

Erasmus

[RussNelson]

Oh, I had no doubt that you were holding safety instruction, it's just that you didn't SAY that you were doing it. You probably ought to get some folks from Operation Lifesaver to give a presentation. Dunno how you get in contact with them, but hey, Google knows everything, right?

I'd like to think that everybody with the intelligence to build a railcar would also have the intelligence to stay out of the way of trains ("any train, any track, any time"), but unfortunately, even the dullards can aspire to building a railcar.

[handcarregatta]

Hi Russ ... thanks for the info ... just sent an email to our state rep asking them to be there ... probably a good thing as this line has been abandoned along time but is in the process of being reactivated here in the next 5 years or so ...

Know anyone out in Sonoma County with other things we might find helpful?

Thanks. Erasmus