“Rail Bikes” coming to Renovo, thanks to Greater Renovo Area Heritage Park

By Christopher Miller

RENOVO – Over the past few months, the Greater Renovo Area Heritage Park has been considering the purchase of Rail Bikes for use on railroad tracks around the Renovo area.

A Rail Bike is a custom-made, four wheel vehicle that has either two or four seats, pedals, seatbelts, disc brakes, and are operated by the riders’ pedaling.

Five rail bikes have been purchased and are expected to be delivered to Renovo by late September and available to rent out shortly thereafter. The funding for this project was made possible by Clinton County Government through American Rescue Plan allocations.

“We just don’t know where we would store them in the off-season,” Rhone told The Record.

The rail bikes would be available for use on some tracks at the Heritage Park in Renovo that are still in place and not currently in use. Utilizing them on Norfolk Southern lines would be an issue, but there is a possibility that the rail bikes might, in the future, be used on some tracks between Renovo and Shintown.

“Regardless,” Mary George said, “there are some rails-to-trails that still have track, I believe.”

“We would like to run two to three events a year like races at the Heritage Park, and then allow other organizations to rent them to use offsite,” Rhone said.

Rail Bikes and rail biking is a relatively new activity and has been growing in popularity.

In Pennsylvania, rail bikes have been available for rent in places such as the Seven Valleys, Hawley, York, and Boyertown areas.

The rail bikes in Renovo would be the first of its kind in Clinton County.