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Rail Explorers: Bluegrass KY Division

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Rail Explorers: Bluegrass KY Division - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Kentucky Scenic Train Rides (2024): A Complete Guide

Last revised: December 11, 2023

By:  Adam Burns

Railroading in Kentucky is an interesting affair; to the east bituminous coal and the rugged Appalachian Mountains dominate the landscape while the much flatter Mississippi River Valley is situated to the west. 

Here, main lines of the north-to-south Illinois Central and Gulf, Mobile & Ohio passed by on their way to Chicago and New Orleans. 

Overall, the Bluegrass State was largely served by the Louisville & Nashville although several other carriers, like those mentioned, also penetrated its borders. 

Today, popular rides include the upscale  My Old Kentucky Dinner Train  (hosted by short line freight system, RJ Corman) as well as the bucolic Big South Fork Scenic Railway. 

You can also visit the Kentucky Railway Museum; while perusing their collection be sure and catch a train ride! ( Sometimes hosted by an operational steam locomotive. ) 

Included within this guide are available museums that work hard to preserve Kentucky's railroad history. 

Please note!   The information here pertains only to Kentucky scenic train rides related to vacation and tourism destinations.  If you are interested in intercity/long distance rail travel please visit  Amtrak's website .

State Rail History

According to the book, " The Lexington And Ohio Railroad, A Pioneer Adventure ," by Dr. T.D. Clark of the University of Kentucky (written in 1933), the state's history with trains began with the Lexington & Ohio Railroad's incorporation on January 27, 1830. 

It held " the powers of constructing a railroad from Lexington to one or more points on the Ohio River, these to be selected by the president and board of directors. " 

Only shortly before, the state had formed the Lexington & Frankfort Turnpike Company for essentially the same purpose. 

However, as Dr. Clark points out, cities along major navigational waterways were economically surpassing landlocked towns without such conveniences. 

Lexington was one such municipality; during the late 18th century it was one of the two most important cities along the Western Frontier (Pittsburgh being the other). 

However, that had changed by the 1820's.  The boiler and improved waterway transportation allowed Louisville, situated along the Ohio River, to enjoy evermore business. 

As a result, Lexington's leaders quickly realized they needed some way to correct this and settled on a railroad as the answer. 

The first segment of the L&O, built with limestone stringers upon which strap iron from England was attached, opened in 1832.

By 1834 the line had reached the capital of Frankfort (29 miles) but intentions of reaching either Louisville or a secondary, eastern connection with the Ohio River, were never realized. 

In 1835 the railroad's first steam locomotive, named " Daniel Boone ," was placed into service but continued struggles led to the state's takeover of the property in 1842. 

It finally reached Louisville in 1851 and the L&O would eventually wind up as part of the Louisville & Nashville's growing system. 

The L&N blossomed into one of the most successful railroads of all time; following its chartering on March 5, 1850 " ...to build a railroad between Louisville, Kentucky, and the Tennessee state line in the direction of Nashville " it never experienced a bankruptcy. 

It would eventually grow into a nearly 5,000-mile network serving Chicago, New Orleans, and every major city in Kentucky and Tennessee. 

According to John Stover's book " The Routledge Historical Atlas Of The American Railroads ," Kentucky's rail mileage peaked at over 3,900 during the 1920's. 

Today, the Association of American Railroads states this number has declined to just over 2,600 miles, operated by twelve railroads. 

The KRM, mentioned above, does a very nice job of preserving Kentucky's railroads although only offers short excursions.

The Blue Grass Scenic Railroad & Museum is perhaps the state's hidden treasure, running trains between May and October through the beautiful north-central foothills.

It may not offer luxurious accommodations but folks can take quite a long ride for a very reasonable price. If you have the money, however, the elegance of the  My Old Kentucky Dinner Train  offers a trip to remember. 

• Big South Fork Scenic Railway

The Big South Fork Scenic Railway, based in Stearns, Kentucky operates a 16-mile round-trip excursion through the Daniel Boone National Forest and Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area on ex-Kentucky & Tennessee Railway trackage.

The normal operating season is April through October while the railroad offers a number of special events throughout the year. 

The K&T is a historic short line freight hauler that is still in service today.  It was originally formed in 1902 as the Kentucky & Tennessee Railroad, a division of the Stearns Coal & Lumber Company to move coal and timber. 

It became the Kentucky & Tennessee Railway in 1904.  By 1923 it had extended as far west as Bell Farm with operations based in Stearns along the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific (Southern Railway) main line. 

The K&T became a popular venue for railfans by maintaining steam locomotives in service until 2-8-2's #10 and #12 were finally retired in February, 1964.

• Blue Grass Scenic Railroad & Museum

The Blue Grass Scenic Railroad & Museum is located in Versailles with a mission to highlight Kentucky's colorful history with railroads. 

The organization was launched in 1976 by a local model railroad group that began collecting unwanted equipment (passenger and freight cars). 

After having these pieces stored at various locations the group eventually found a permanent home along Highway 62 near Versailles. 

The museum really took flight in the late 1980's when it acquired about 5.5 miles of a former Southern Railway branch that once linked Lexington with Lawrenceburg, originally built as the Louisville Southern Railroad. 

Today, this segment also plays host to freight trains operated by RJ Corman's "Central Kentucky Lines." 

There is no admission to visiting the museum although tickets must be purchased to ride the train, which runs from April through October.

• Historic RailPark & Train Museum

This museum is located in Bowling Green and offers both self-guided and guided tours of the property. 

It is a magnificent facility, housed inside the town's restored Louisville & Nashville depot, a limestone structure (featured stone from the former White Stone Quarry located in Warren County) that opened on October 2, 1925. 

There are numerous interactive and static displays to peruse which range from a theater to information on how the Railway Post Office system functioned.  

There is also a working model layout to see and some rolling stock on-hand. 

The latter includes:

• Louisville & Nashville E8A #796 (manufactured by Electro-Motive in May, 1951)
• Railway Post Office Car #1107 (L&N)
• A Southern Pacific dining car
• Pullman/L&N car "Towering Pine" 
• L&N office car #353
• U.S. Army hospital car #89456
• Jim Crow segregation car #109 (L&N)
• Caboose #6497 (dressed in L&N paint but originally of Chessie System heritage)
• Kentucky Railway Museum

The Kentucky Railway Museum, based in New Haven has a history that dates as far back as the late 1940s.  Its true beginnings occurred in 1954, thanks in part to the Louisville & Nashville's efforts!

Since that time the museum has grown steadily and today features a large collection of rolling stock. 

They also maintain an operating steam locomotive, ex-Louisville & Nashville 4-6-2 #152 (donated by the railroad back in the 1950's), which occasionally pulls excursion (the organization also maintains an operational diesel, a former Santa Fe CF7).

The museum is able to host this trips thanks to a segment of former L&N trackage, acquired some years ago from CSX Transportation. 

In addition to standard excursions, KRM offers numerous specials throughout the year including train robberies, dinner trains, murder mysteries, and plays host to " A Day Out With Thomas " the famous tank engine. 

• Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation

This organization was formed in early 2016 when it announced on February 7th that year plans to restored Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 #2716 back to operating condition. 

These Class K-4 "Kanawha's," as the C&O referred to them, were legendary steamers manufactured by American Locomotive and Lima Locomotive between 1943 and 1947. 

On May 19, 2018 the organization received a major breakthrough when it announce a partnership with CSX Transportation to acquire nearly 50 acres of the railroad's former Louisville & Nashville's car shops and yard in Ravenna, Kentucky. 

There are eventual plans for this site to become a major tourist attraction although the timing of when that will occur remains in unknown.  For more information please visit the group's website .

• My Old Kentucky Dinner Train

The  My Old Kentucky Dinner Train  has become one of the most popular and upscale railroad excursions in the country. 

It is owned and maintained by RJ Corman, a short line that oversees several routes in Kentucky as well as West Virginia, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

The company began in 1973, founded by Rick Corman as a salvage/recovery business meant to help railroads during cleanup of derailments and accidents. 

The dinner train covers a distance of about 18 miles between Bardstown and Limestone Springs Junction over an ex-Louisville & Nashville branch.

The train was started in 1988 originally using four passenger cars and two historic FP7 model diesel locomotives.  The latter streamlined units were originally built for the Southern Railway.  

• Nostalgia Station Toy Train Museum

This small museum is part of the Blue Grass Scenic Railroad & Museum  and is based inside the town of Versailles's restored Louisville & Nashville wooden depot, completed in 1911.  Inside the building are a collection of static displays and model railroad equipment.

• Paducah Railroad Museum

This museum is located in the town of Paducah, featuring a large collection of historic items ranging from signals to typical depot equipment (train bulletins, wooden benches, etc.). 

The building within which all of this is displayed, is a freight house completed by the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy in 1925. 

The two-story brick building handled less-than-carload business on the first floor while the second held offices for the Division Superintendents. 

The NC&StL was a Tennessee institution but also enjoyed access to Paducah by way of the Louisville & Nashville-owned Paducah, Tennessee & Alabama and Tennessee Midland, leased by the Dixie Line in 1896. 

The CB&Q's entry is perhaps more interesting, consisting of the railroad's furthest eastern reach and only access into Kentucky.  The freight house passed from owner to owner after being sold in 1975. 

The current museum has been opened since April, 1996, operated by the Paducah Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.

• Railway Museum Of Greater Cincinnati

The metropolis region known as Cincinnati was once home to numerous railroads, ranging from the Pennsylvania, Baltimore & Ohio, and New York Central to the Southern, Norfolk & Western, and Louisville & Nashville. 

The city's largest railroad museum has an impressive collection of rolling stock on its property (filling an entire yard) that includes a lot of B&O and PRR equipment although there are other railroads featured as well. 

Their more notable pieces include Pennsylvania SW1 #9408, Pennsylvania E8A #5888, and a 44-ton switcher manufactured by General Electric. 

They are located in the suburb of Covington, Kentucky just across the Ohio River from the Queen City and are open year-round on Saturdays for tours.  If you would like to learn more about this organization please visit their website.

SteamLocomotive.com

Wes Barris's SteamLocomotive.com is simply the best web resource on the study of steam locomotives. 

It is difficult to truly articulate just how much material can be found at this website. 

It is quite staggering and a must visit!

© Copyright 2007-2024 American-Rails.com. All written content, photos, and videos copyright American-Rails.com (unless otherwise noted).

Step 1: Choose Location

The breathtaking Amador Central Railroad traces the contours of rolling hills revealing panoramic views from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains all the way to the Coastal Ranges. Just 45 minutes south of Sacramento, surrounded by gold rush towns steeped in history, wineries, and warmed by the northern California sun. This is Gold Country - the Heart of the Mother Lode.

Cooperstown, NY

Cooperstown, featuring the world famous Baseball Hall of Fame is also home to the Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad. Ride "The Home Run" - a 12 mile round trip through the farm lands and forests alongside of the Susquehanna River. Or choose the 'Southpaw Slider' an 8 mile round trip to the Forest Glen Turnaround and back again.

Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Division operates along the Old Colony Railroad, built in 1862. The rails meander alongside spectacular Narragansett Bay offering riders unique views that include Jamestown, the Mount Hope Bridge, Hog Island Lighthouse, and coastal woodlands. Riders on the Southern Circuit are invited to bring a picnic to enjoy at Bayside Station during the 20 minute turnaround.

The Catskills, NY

Experience the magic of the Ulster & Delaware Railroad as you travel alongside the Esopus Creek through the beautiful woods of the Catskill Mountains. Under a canopy of maple and birch, with the river rushing by and the mountains in the distance, this tour is an unforgettable experience. Bring a drink and a snack to enjoy at the turnaround.

Bluegrass, KY

Rail Explorers is in the horse capital of the world (& we are in the heart of Bourbon country too!) Just 15 minutes from Lexington, Rail Explorers operate with the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad & Museum in Versailles, KY. On this 10 mile round trip ride you’ll travel through thoroughbred horse farms & deep limestone cuts to the turnaround on the cliffs above the Kentucky River. Enjoy the view of the Wild Turkey Distillery and Young's High Bridge built in 1889.

Rail Explorers have partnered with the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad to bring the first Rail Explorers Experience to the Midwest. Riders can enjoy beautiful views of the Des Moines River Valley, where is it is not uncommon to see a convocation of bald eagles along the riverbank. The ride’s showstopper is the 750’ long, 156’ high “Bass Point Creek High Trestle”. Riders crossing this bridge have panoramic views of the valley and experience the thrill of soaring high above the creek below.

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Riders Up: Rail Explorers® rolls out in Central Kentucky

VERSAILLES, Ky., (July 26, 2023) –  The beauty of the Commonwealth’s horse farms, limestone cliffs, and river views are on full display during a tour with the nation’s premier railbike company,  Rail Explorers . The Bluegrass Kentucky Division offers riders a unique experience along the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad in Versailles, Ky., through the Horse Capital of the World and heart of Bourbon Country to impeccably cut cliffs above the Kentucky River with a view of the Wild Turkey Distillery, as well as Young’s High Bridge, built in 1889. Public tours begin July 28. 

“Central Kentucky offers a scenic splendor and rich history we are proud to showcase,” said Mary Joy Lu, Rail Explorers CEO. “We are thrilled to call Woodford County our new home, partnering with the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad and Museum to offer a truly unique railroad experience. Where else can you pedal your way through two thoroughbred farms, watching mares and foals in the fields, then see gorgeous views of cliffs, water, and a bourbon distillery? It’s magical!” 

The 10-mile round-trip tour offers the Quad Railbike (up to four riders) and Tandem Railbike (up to two riders) option. After a 5-mile ride west from the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad Museum, riders will spend about 30 minutes enjoying the Kentucky River view from about 100 ft. up, while guides use hydraulic lifts to turn around the railbikes, before pedaling back along the gentle curving track to the starting point. In all, guests may expect about a two-hour experience. 

“Kentucky’s natural beauty and tourism opportunities draw visitors from near and far, and Rail Explorers is an innovative way to enjoy scenic views while exploring an area full of history,” said Lindy Casebier, Secretary of the Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet. “As the first-of-its-kind attraction in the Commonwealth, Rail Explorers is an excellent addition to the tourism community, not only in Woodford County but for the entire state.”

Rail Explorers Bluegrass Kentucky Division is the company’s first Southeast location. It builds on four sister locations: Boone, Iowa; The Catskills and Cooperstown, NY; and, Rhode Island. The company began operations in 2015 and since has hosted more than 500,000 riders. 

The founders of the railbike industry in America, Rail Explorers’ custom-built railbikes are pedal-powered, have hydraulic disc brakes, and feature a custom-built electric motor – the REX Propulsion System. The technology leads the world in safety, design, and ease-of-operation. The combination creates a truly effortless ride for guests of all ages and abilities – including those who are visually or hearing impaired, or differently abled. Rail Explorers’ commitment to inclusion prompted the custom electric-pedal assistance system to overcome the difficulty of pedaling uphill, as well as an all-steel-frame construction that is strong enough to have no weight limit. 

“Woodford County’s tourism train is rolling, and we are excited to welcome Rail Explorers to our community,” said Woodford County Judge-Executive James Kay. “Rail Explorers enhances our rail tourism experiences locating at our awesome Bluegrass Railroad Museum to offer a world-class experience with the scenic views of our picturesque Bluegrass from the Woodford County Park to the beautiful Kentucky River.”                                                    

Rail Explorers Bluegrass Kentucky Division will create at least 17 jobs, including two full-time management positions and 15 – 20 seasonal tour guides. 

“This new opportunity to showcase the beauty of Woodford County in a most unique way is a great addition to Versailles,” said Mayor Brian Traugott, Versailles. “This is the type of new business that can serve local residents, as well as draw tourists to our community.” 

The Versailles location is about 15 miles from both Lexington and Frankfort, off Highway 62 at 175 Beasley Road, Versailles, Ky. 40383. Tickets for a 2-person Tandem Rail Explorer are $90 ($45 per person) and a 4-person Quad Rail Explorer is $160 ($40 per person). Tours are open to the public.

Tours are pet friendly. Pets ride for free, but are limited to 40 lbs. or less, one pet per bike. Previous pets have included dogs, cats, lizards, parrots, even ducks. 

Limited seats are available and reservations are recommended. Visit  RailExplorers.net  or call 877-833-8588 to learn more and reserve tickets. 

Private, group and educational tours are also available. 

About Rail Explorers The inspiration for Rail Explorers came from a scene in a Korean soap opera. In 2012, company co-founder Mary Joy Lu was watching one of her favorite K-Dramas and became intrigued when she saw a strange contraption being pedaled along the railroad tracks. Mary Joy was so excited by this extraordinary looking railbike that within 10 days she was on a plane to South Korea to meet with the designer and manufacturer of the vehicles. Mary Joy, husband and co-founder Alex Catchpoole, and other Rail Explorers employees travelled back to Korea in 2015 to learn more about the unique business. Rail Explorers brought a fleet of explorers to the U.S. and began operations in the Adirondacks in 2015. This was the first time these railbikes had been outside of South Korea. 

Rail Explorers is committed to social and environmentally responsible operations and management. The railbikes produce zero emissions and tours have little to no impact on the environment and eco-systems through which they travel. Visit  RailExplorers.net  for more information. 

About the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad and Museum The Bluegrass Railroad Museum is dedicated to preserving and presenting an interactive experience of historic railroading in Kentucky. It maintains a museum of historic railroad artifacts and operates an antique tour train from Versailles, Ky. Visit  BluegrassRailroad.com  for more information.

Media Contact: 

Ashley Brauer, for Rail Explorers

[email protected]

270-308-1089

Zak Owens, for Rail Explorers

[email protected]

502-386-5704

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Railbike tours offered along Bluegrass Scenic Railroad

VERSAILLES, Ky. (LEX 18) — Rail Explorers is opening a new location in Versailles to offer railbike tours along the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad.

The 10-mile round-trip tour takes riders through two thoroughbred farms, between limestone cliffs, to the Kentucky River with views of a bourbon distillery and Young’s High Bridge, built in 1889.

Riders may choose the Quad Railbike (up to four riders) or Tandem Railbike (up to two riders) option.

After a 5-mile ride west from the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad Museum, riders will spend about 30 minutes with a view of the Kentucky River from about 100 ft. up, while guides use hydraulic lifts to turn around the railbikes, before pedaling back along the gentle curving track to the starting point.

Guests can expect about a two-hour experience.

Tickets for a 2-person Tandem Rail Explorer are $90 ($45 per person) and a 4-person Quad Rail Explorer is $160 ($40 per person).

Tours are pet-friendly. Pets ride for free, but are limited to 40 lbs. or less, one pet per bike. Previous pets have included dogs, cats, lizards, parrots, even ducks.

Limited seats are available and reservations are recommended.

Visit RailExplorers.net or call 877-833-8588 to learn more and reserve tickets.

Public tours begin July 28.

The Versailles location is about 15 miles from both Lexington and Frankfort, off Highway 62 at 175 Beasley Road.

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Looking for adventure? Rail Explorers railbike tour opens in Kentucky. Here's what to know

N ot knowing what to expect, passengers onboard a new Kentucky experience known as railbikes, let out hollers of delight as the heavy steel carts began rolling down a private use railroad track in Woodford County, about an hour east of Louisville.

Those delighted riders onboard the unique bright red contraptions included this reporter and Courier Journal photographer Sam Upshaw.

"I had no idea it would be this exciting," I called out to Mary Joy Lu, the woman seated to my left on the four-person railbike. Lu is the CEO of Rail Explorers , which operates similar tours in places such as Boone, Iowa, The Catskills and Cooperstown, New York, Las Vegas, and Rhode Island.

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With the clickity-clack of the railbike's steel wheels accelerating down the seldom-used railroad track, we zipped through woods, passed limestone cliffs, and alongside lush green farmland with thoroughbreds grazing in pastures.

Although pedaling the railbike feels nearly effortless I could sense we were picking up speed as my hair whipped in the breeze.

"How fast are we going?" I asked as I glanced at the seatbelt fastened around my waist.

Lu explained our railbike was moving downhill for the first half of the 10-mile round trip and would soon hit a speed of 18 miles per hour. She also mentioned we were perfectly safe, as long as I didn't slam on the brake.

Heeding her words of caution, I did not slam on the brake, not even once. Instead, I gently feathered the handheld brake 30 minutes later when I was told it was time to come to a stop.

But I didn't want to stop. I'll just say that scooting down a railroad track in an open-air vehicle at 15-18 miles per hour is a truly breathtaking experience. And one you should try.

Curious about my recent Rail Explorer adventure? Here's what to know about how it got started, Lu's inspiration for the company, and why it's a "fabulous" thing for Kentucky tourism.

Kentucky is the first southern state to get a Rail Explorer experience

The beauty of Woodford County drew Lu to open a Rail Explorer fleet in the Bluegrass State. All rides begin and end at the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad and Museum in Versailles. The stretch of track used by Rail Explorer is coordinated with the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad, which is the only other vehicle using the track.

After a five-mile ride west from the Bluegrass Scenic Railboard Museum, riders disembark and spend about 30 minutes enjoying the Kentucky River view from about 100 feet up while guides use hydraulic lifts to turn around the railbikes. The turnaround point also offers a view of the Wild Turkey Distillery as well as Young's High Bridge built in 1889.

While Sam Upshaw and I mingled with other riders and took a few photos, we noticed Versailles resident and the former Kentucky State Attorney General and U.S. Congressman Ben Chandler taking in the spectacular view.

"This is one of the best things as far as recreation is concerned to happen to Kentucky in my lifetime," Chandler told us. "I just think it's absolutely fabulous and I am so happy it's in Woodford County. We are very lucky to have it, it aligns so well with bourbon tours and the horse industry. I think it's going to be a smashing success."

How a TV soap opera inspired the creation of Rail Explorer

Pedal-powered rail vehicles date back to at least the 1850s when maintenance workers used hand cars to travel along the tracks. They were used to transport crew and materials for track inspection and repairs and weren't nearly as sophisticated as the "Rolls Royce" of railbikes used by Rail Explorers.

Lu designed her first railbike adventure after noticing two actors riding a railbike in a Korean soap opera.

"I have to admit I am kind of addicted to K-Dramas," she laughed. "I was so intrigued by the railbike that I flew to South Korea to meet with the designer of the contraption I saw in the show. They were offering rides in a South Korean mining town and the tourism which resulted from the railbikes brought the town back to life."

Lu and her husband Alex Catchpoole were living in Brooklyn at the time and opened their first fleet of Rail Explorer trips in the Adirondacks in 2015. It was the first time railbikes for recreation had been operated outside of South Korea.

How does the railbike work?

These specific mechanical railbikes are custom designed by Catchpoole. They have four steel wheels, hydraulic disc brakes, pedals for each comfortable seat and Catchpoole's REX Propulsion System- a custom-built electric assist motor that makes the experience effortless, even when climbing steep inclines.

"We designed this to be very accessible to anyone," said Lu. "Couples young and old, groups of friends, and families of all ages and abilities can enjoy this unique experience. Our technology leads the world in safety and ease of operation so our riders can include those who are visually or hearing impaired or differently abled. We want everyone to have the opportunity of this unique experience."

The ease of operation is legit. For most of the trip, I forgot I was pedaling until Lu would lean over and whisper, "If you don't want to go this fast, stop pedaling so hard."

Guests on our two-hour trip included a family of four with two young kids. We noticed the kids pedaled when they "felt like it" and lounged in their seats looking at the scenery for a good portion of the ride.

No one was stressed or worn out or cranky at the end of the adventure, which we count as a win.

Although the railbike requires at least one person to pedal in order to move forward, the magic of steel wheels on steel rails makes the experience very different from riding a regular bicycle. There is no need to carefully watch the road ahead or steer and riding is hands-free.

What to know about Rail Explorers in Kentucky

The headquarters for Bluegrass Rail Explorers is located at the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad and Museum, 175 Beasley Road in Versailles. We parked and walked around to the back of the museum and found the Rail Explorers headquarters in a sparkly silver Airstream RV near the tracks.

You sign up for a trip — either a Tandem, with two seats, a Quad with four seats, or any combination of the two. Each trip includes a guide, who rides along in the first railbike at the front of the fleet and takes care of turning the bikes at the turnaround point for the ride back to the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad and Museum. This means you have plenty of time to enjoy the incredible view in an otherwise hard to get to scenic overlook.

The five-mile return trip is a bit slower since you are going uphill and that's the time for photos and video.

How much does it cost to book a Rail Explorer?

Tickets for a two-person Tandem Rail Explorer are $90 ($45 per person) and a Quad Rail Explorer is $160 ($40 per person.)

If you are a parent thinking you'll save money by holding your child on your lap, sorry that is not allowed. Everyone must have their own seat with the expectation of infants, who must be strapped to a carrier attached to the adult's chest.

Pets are welcome and ride for free. The rule is one pet per bike and is limited to 40 pounds or less.

Limited seats are available and reservations are highly recommended. Visit RailExplorers.net or call 877-833-8588.

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Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Looking for adventure? Rail Explorers railbike tour opens in Kentucky. Here's what to know

• NKY COMMUNITY CALENDAR

“Central Kentucky offers a scenic splendor and rich history we are proud to showcase,” said Mary Joy Lu, Rail Explorers CEO. “We are thrilled to call Woodford County our new home, partnering with the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad and Museum to offer a truly unique railroad experience. Where else can you pedal your way through two thoroughbred farms, watching mares and foals in the fields, then see gorgeous views of cliffs, water and a bourbon distillery? It’s magical!”

The 10-mile round-trip tour offers the Quad Railbike (up to four riders) and Tandem Railbike (up to two riders) option.

After a 5-mile ride west from the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad Museum, riders will spend about 30 minutes enjoying the Kentucky River view from about 100 ft. up, while guides use hydraulic lifts to turn around the railbikes, before pedaling back along the gentle curving track to the starting point. In all, guests may expect about a two-hour experience.

“Kentucky’s natural beauty and tourism opportunities draw visitors from near and far, and Rail Explorers is an innovative way to enjoy scenic views while exploring an area full of history,” said Lindy Casebier, Secretary of the Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet. “As the first-of-its-kind attraction in the Commonwealth, Rail Explorers is an excellent addition to the tourism community, not only in Woodford County but for the entire state.”

Rail Explorers’ custom-built railbikes are pedal-powered, have hydraulic disc brakes and feature a custom-built electric motor, the REX Propulsion System, for safety, design and ease-of-operation. It creates an effortless ride for guests of all ages and abilities, including those who are visually or hearing impaired, or differently-abled. Rail Explorers’ commitment to inclusion prompted the custom electric-pedal assistance system to overcome the difficulty of pedaling uphill, as well as an all-steel-frame construction that is strong enough to have no weight limit.

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Ride A Rail Bike Along The Bluegrass Scenic Railway At This New Kentucky Bucket List Destination

Andrea Limke

A Cincinnati native who has lived in Kentucky for over 10 years, Andrea's heart belongs both in the Queen City and the Bluegrass State. After earning an education degree and working in that field for a number of years, Andrea began to pursue her passion for writing over 6 years ago. Since then she has written for a number of print and online publications, as well as published a children's book.

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For over 15 years, I’ve called Kentucky home and have lived in this region my entire life. My personal Kentucky bucket list grows on a weekly basis as I discover even more to love about this state. The back roads and small towns between Lexington, Frankfort, and Louisville are some of my favorite areas of Kentucky, so when a brand new attraction opened in Versailles , I knew I had to check it out. If you follow along with things to do in Kentucky, chances are you’ve heard of the opening of Rail Explorers USA in the Bluegrass. We booked an evening tour for our family of four and it was such a unique, memorable night out together. I’m excited to share our experience and everything you need to know before you ride the rails with Rail Explorers USA in Kentucky.

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I’m so grateful to have crossed “rail biking in Kentucky” off of my bucket list. I am not at all surprised that Rail Explorers is booked out through the rest of the 2023 season. Right now, the last ride is scheduled for the end of October, but they will start back up again in May of 2024! Definitely keep an eye on the Rail Explorers social media and website for future bookings, but the 2024 schedule will open up on the site by February 1st. The staff also mentioned that you can call the day of and see if there happen to be any cancellations. This is rare, but maybe worth a try! The phone number is 1-877-833-8588.

If you have any other questions about Rail Explorers, the FAQ section on the site is very helpful!

If you want to make an overnight out of your visit to Rail Explorers, there are many charming places to stay in Versailles. Here’s an adorable option in downtown Versailles , a few units within the inviting Woodford Hotel , or really live it up with a stay at The Kentucky Castle , which is just 12 minutes from the Bluegrass Railroad Museum.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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