ITHACA, NY Trains are not the only locomotives zipping down the Ithaca Central Railroad.Â
On June 19, the tracks hosted an unusual guest: a group of railroad hobbyists traveled from Ithaca to East Waverly in a caravan of restored rail speeders. The hobbyists, who personally own these retired rail speeders, are members of the North American Railcar Operators Association (NARCOA).
The organization was established in 1986 and currently boasts over 1,400 members. By making agreements with railroads, NARCOA has gained access to thousands of miles of tracks and leads rail speeder excursions in Canada, Mexico and the United States for its enthusiastic hobbyists.Â