Speeding along the rails Railroad motorcars show off the Snake River from a unique viewpoint
2024August 2024
By Trista Crossley
Editor
In June, Wheat Life had the opportunity to take a 144-mile speeder car ride along the Snake River, from Lewiston, Idaho, to Riparia, Wash., with local members of NARCOA, the North American Railcar Operators Association. NARCOA is a nonprofit group dedicated to the preservation and the safe, legal operation of railroad equipment historically used for maintenance of way — speeder cars. Speeder cars are what track inspectors and railroad workers used to ride to do repairs and maintenance on the rails. According to Wikipedia, speeder cars date back to the 1890s. They are called speeder cars because although they are slow compared to a train or car, they are faster than a human-powered vehicle such as a handcar. Most speeder cars have gas-powered engines and can go at least 15 mph. In the 1990s, trucks began replacing speeder cars.
On this trip, riders saw a wildfire jump the tracks just ahead of them, watched river traffic float by, including a barge and cruise ship, and enjoyed expansive views of the Snake River.