A ride with the handcar, episode 1/2 🇩🇪 (2022-10)

Real time full length footage of a ride on the handcar from Mörlenbach to Wald-Michelbach, Bergstrasse District, Hesse, Germany (on an about 10 km section of the former Überwald railway line).
Nowadays, only tourist solar handcars operate on the standard gauge track. Each handcar can carry a maximum of eight people. The maximum speed is 15 km/h. The vehicles are powered by an electric motor. Electricity is supplied by rechargeable batteries (recharged from the grid overnight), solar panels on the roof, recuperation at downhill sections, and by pedal-powered generators. The pedaling action of the driver creates propulsion via an electric drivetrain system. Faster pedaling means higher driving speed. Stopping to pedal stops the vehicle. Four seats are equipped with pedals. There is an additional handbrake and an off-switch for the whole system.
Handcars leave from one end of the line one after the other with a minimum headway of 100 m. When all cars have reached the destination at the end of the line they can take the trip back in the same way. There are two level crossings with signals that have to be triggered manually. Several cattle crossings and farm road crossings are just indicated by signage.
The legal regulation for operation of this railway is the 'Verordnung über den Bau und Betrieb der Straßenbahnen' ("Regulation on the Construction and Operation of Light Railways"), abbreviated as BOStrab.
We faced serious skidding of the wheels at two locations. Probably the rails were still wet from autumnal morning dew that created traction problems. In addition, there were only three persons on board the vehicle preventing firm wheel/rail contact. Staff of the rail operator provided support by manually pushing the handcar.

Chapters
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:14 Departure from 'Mörlenbach' solar handcar station at a quarter past eleven
00:02:05 Level crossing 'Panoramastrasse' at 0.30 km
00:06:20 Passing of road overpass construction site (B38 Mörlenbach bypass)
00:14:15 Traction problems (skidding)
00:16:30 Former stop 'Weiher' at 2.63 km
00:17:50 Traction problems (skidding)
00:41:10 Viaduct 'Weiher' at 3.20 km (length 26 m)
00:43:15 Viaduct 'Vöckelsbach' at 3.70 km (length 135 m)
00:52:35 Viaduct 'Mackenheim' at 5.00 km (length 73 m)
00:54:20 Tunnel 'Mackenheim' at 5.40 km (length 64 m)
01:03:05 Viaduct 'Kreidach' at 7.30 km(length 80 m)
01:04:15 Level crossing 'Talweg'
01:06:05 Former stop 'Kreidach' at 7.87 km
01:06:40 Level crossing 'Mörlenbacher Strasse'
01:08:00 Tunnel 'Waldmichelbach' at km 8.20 (length 679 m)
01:15:00 Arrival at 'Waldmichelbach' solar handcar station at 9.66 km
01:16:35 Outro

History of the Überwald railway
The Überwaldbahn is a standard gauge spur line running originally from Mörlenbach via Weiler, Kreidach, Wald-Michelbach, Unter-Wald-Michelbach, Aschbach, and Affolterbach to Wahlen. It started operation in 1901. The hilly topography required construction of two tunnels and three larger and two small viaducts. It was connected to the railway line Weinheim - Fürth at Mörlenbach station. The complete line had freight and passenger traffic until March 1, 1984. At that date train operation ceased on the Unter-Wald-Michelbach - Wahlen section and the track was disassembled the following year and the alignment was converted into a bicycle path in the year 2000. The section Mörlenbach - Wald-Michelbach was closed on March 31, 1994. The tourist handcar operation commenced on August 18, 2013 after a hefty investment in track refurbishment.

Links
https://www.solardraisine-ueberwaldbahn.de
https://www.youtube.com/@solardraisineuberwaldbahn332
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9Cberwaldbahn

Music:
The Moon Drops by Nathan Moore
YouTube Audio Library

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