When my mom told me we were going to go for a ride on the tracks out of Boulder City, I thought she meant we were going to ride the train again. Now don’t get me wrong. I enjoy going for a ride on the train, but it is something we had done many times. I was hoping we were going to be spending the weekend doing something different. But everything changed when we pulled up and she told me those red Rail Explorers were what we were going to ride.
Even though it looked like a lot of work, I was excited to experience something new and something so unique. It truly was an exhilarating ride down the four-mile track. The beauty of the desert was flying by, but our speed was perfect and I was still able to enjoy the beauty of our area. We were able to take a break at the end and go hiking a bit while waiting for the train to come and pick us up.
After our experience I wanted to learn more about Rail Explorers and did a little virtual exploring on their website. I found out that the inspiration to start this came from a scene in a Korean soap oprea. According to the website: “Back in September of 2012, Mary Joy Lu (who started Rail Explorers with her husband Alex Catchpoole) was watching on of her favorite K-Dramas and became intrigued when she saw a strange contraption being peddled along the railroad tracks.” Rail Explorers began operations in July 2015 in New York’s Adirondacks and since that day more than 100,000 people have enjoyed this experience in the Adirondacks, Delaware, Rhode Island, New York’s Catskill Mountains and right here in Las Vegas.
The one that that really caught my interest was the pedal powered rail vehicles. These vehicles date back to the 1850’s and were used by maintenance workers to travel the tracks. They were also used to transport crew and materials, as well as to complete maintenance on the rails. The ones used today by Rail Explorers are based on the original design but have been updated and altered with today’s technology.
If you and your family have not yet experienced Rail Explorers, you need to take the time to get out to Boulder City. It truly was an experience I will treasure the rest of my life. Plus, I just have to talk my parents into going again.
Click here for more information and to book your Rail Explorers experience. Parents! My mom wrote an article about her experience. Click here to read it and learn just how family-friendly this attraction is. Rail Explorers departs on select days from the Nevada Southern Railway Museum on Yucca Street in Boulder City.
Please note: The Publishers of Macaroni Kid Henderson-Boulder City received the opportunity to experience Rail Explorers in exchange for this review.
