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Handcar Tours

3071 Del Monte Blvd, Marina, CA 93933

• Phone (831) 204-5000

Handcar Tours offers guided handcar tours across the Monterey Branch Line through Fort Ord Dunes State Park. These are handcars, meaning you provide the physical effort using your legs and arms to propel the rail vehicle. When you book one of our handcars, you are booking a car with four seats. Each handcar can carry up to four participants, but we require at least two participants over 16 years of age. Each participant must be at least 50 inches tall and under 275 pounds. Closed toed shoes are mandatory for all participants. Cycling gloves are helpful, but not required.

Tours begin at the corner of Palm Drive and Marina Avenue, in the City of Marina. We are about 15 minutes north of famous Cannery Row. After you receive a personalized safety briefing, our tour group consisting of 12 handcars will depart south towards Fort Ord Dunes State Park. You will be led by trained guides to the front and rear, with speeds varying between 7 and 10 mph for the duration of the excursion. The experience runs about 1.25-1.5 hours, and covers six miles of the Monterey Branch Line along Monterey Bay.

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Handcar Tours rides rails again in Marina,…

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Handcar tours rides rails again in marina, plans to add railbikes this summer.

MARINA – People usually take walks or find some other form of activity after big Thanksgiving Day feasts but there was another kind of fun, physical exertion opportunity on the Monterey Branch Line railway from Marina.

Handcar Tours was running its rail vehicles over the last holiday weekend where people could jump onboard the contraptions and using their arms and legs, pump the handles that propel the handcars along the 6-mile route from Marina through Fort Ord Dunes State Park.

“Business was pretty good,” said Mason Clark, co-owner and operator of Handcar Tours. “We had a bit fewer handcars than last summer. It was an abbreviated version, but we filled all the trips that were available.”

Handcar Tours was first introduced to the area in 2021 on the route that begins at the corner of Palm Drive and Marina Avenue along the oldest portion of the Monterey Branch Line that dates back to 1875.

For those that missed an opportunity to ride the rails via the handcars, another chance will come as a late Christmas present when the handcars will be back in action from Dec. 28 through Jan. 1. Clark said there were eight vehicles available for use over the last weekend but 12 will be running during the five-day handcar tours event at the end of the year.

Clark said there were several reasons the family-run business decided to provide only a short run this past weekend including the effort it takes to bring the handcars from southern California where the family lives and the fact that the business is still getting established in the region. He said the weather was very nice for the run even if the tours were running in the off-season when it’s harder to get people to ride.

“Last summer, we had five trips a day and 14 cars,” said Clark. “We were all sold out.”

The next holiday weekend run for Handcar Tours will likely be President’s Day in February, he said, and the family will work to possibly go every weekend beginning in March, running through spring and summer.

Handcar Tours is finding a great market for the activity it provides and has seen many customers from the San Francisco Bay Area and the San Joaquin Valley among the others from within the Monterey Bay area Clark said.

An agreement involving the city of Marina, the Transportation Agency for Monterey County and the Museum of Handcar Technology brought guided handcar tours to the Monterey Branch Line through Fort Ord Dunes State Park.

Clark said Handcar Tours will concentrate on the tourist market as it becomes better established and will introduce another type of contraption to provide another facet to its rail vehicle arsenal and attract an even wider audience.

“The railbike is easy to pedal and can cater to most anybody,” said Clark.

Where the handcar is built for two to four people, the bike can be operated by one or two people, requires less physical exertion than the handcar, and has an electric motor that can assist in its propulsion. Clark said it is new and was developed and tested in the last year.

“It works great, it’s easy and anyone can do it,” he said.

The railbikes should be ready to run along with handcars by this summer providing a mix for tour patrons. The company plans to rehabilitate a passing sidetrack along the route that, when fixed up, will allow for a greater number of vehicles and riders to run the rails. The plan is to run a set of 15 bikes and 15 handcars every hour.

Clark built his first railroad handcar when he was 12, and developed a business building and selling handcars to customers around the world by the time he was 16. He graduated from the Mechanical Engineering Program at Cal Poly, Pomona where he designed an all-new touring handcar currently manufactured for Handcar Tours. The handcar venture is a side business for Clark, who is employed as a mechanical engineer in the aerospace field.

This is the first Handcar Tours project of its kind for the Clarks. The company has been working on this venture since August 2019 when it first approached the Transportation Agency for Monterey County to lease the tracks. It decided on the branch line for its scenery, manageable grades and the unique loop that brings the handcars back to the starting point.

As the only worldwide manufacturer of railroad handcars, the company’s mission is to keep the technology alive through manufacture, distribution and education.

“I want people to know it’s an unforgettable experience,” Clark said about the tours. “It’s something unique and it’s a lot of fun. Just try it out. Regardless if it’s hard or easy, you’ll never forget this.”

For more information, visit www.handcar.com/ .

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Handcar Tours

Review Highlights

“ They feel secure and safe, while still providing a good burst of speed going downhill . ” in 5 reviews

“ Even with the electric assist , it is definitely a workout, so be prepared, but it is so worth it. ” in 3 reviews

“ ). As a family, we have a basic level of fitness so you don't have to be super fit to use th e hand c a ” in 3 reviews

Location & Hours

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3071 Del Monte Blvd

Marina, CA 93933

Serving Marina Area

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Amenities and More

About the business.

Pedal your way across six miles of historic Monterey Bay railroad tracks aboard one of our electric assist railbikes. For those looking for more of a physical challenge we also have our fleet of handcars for a truly unique experience available nowhere else in the world. …

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Are you open on Friday's?

We just went on a Friday! Right now there is a 10% Friday discount. It all depends on the season. Check out their live reservation schedule for which Fridays they run or not.

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Overall rating

I like to dedicate my first review of 2024 to Handcar Tours. My visit took place mid-November and it was just perfect. I made reservations online for the (easy) Electric Assist Railbikes. Showed up early to sign waivers on the day of, and then one of the staff rallied everyone to go over safety rules, as well as its history, before breaking people into pairs. The excellent sunny/not too windy weather made this experience even more memorable. Dress in layers as it may get cold. There was a lot of spacing in between each railbike. Believe it or not, my legs were slightly sore after the exursion. One of my favorite aspects is the ability to take a group break and take many photos. The owner joined us at the group break and answered questions. I got to ask him how his business started and he shared the challenges and joys. So great that his son was more the engineering side of designing the handcar railbikes and he was more on logistics/operations. Easy parking and portable potties available. No restrooms available during the break. Time flew by quickly. I'd love to visit again and try their harder experience. #1/2024

See all photos from Jean L. for Handcar Tours

I highly recommend the handcar tours in Monterey. It was such a fun, unique, and beautiful way to experience a piece of Monterey. We got the electric assist pedal car so it was also quite relaxing. The cool weather felt great while doing some easy pedaling (although gloves are a good idea). If you have a bigger group and want to stay together multiple cars can be linked. This is a small family run business & passion project. They were all very friendly and excited to talk about their work.

very fun handcar experience - a great alternative to outdoor trail exploration. The reservation process was a breeze. On the day of, checking in early to watch demonstration on how to operate is a must. The manual is a definite workout and you should have 3-4 people to fill up. The electric-assisted is very comfortable. Would love to take other family here another day!

I saw an ad for this on Instagram and decided to give it a try. It's an interesting concept to enjoy the view along the coast. People working there were very friendly and knowledgeable of the cars. This is a family business. The owner's son is the own that designed the cars and they build all the cars themselves. They said it cost them $29,000 to build an electric car. The hand cars were created first. A hand car can hold up to 4 people, you have to use your arms/hands to drive it. The electric cars were added very recently and only 2 people can occupy it. You use your legs to pedal it We reserved an electric car and I'm glad we did because I don't like the arm motion of the hand car. I much prefer pedalling. You don't have to pedal much because it's electric assisted. I enjoyed the ride but it felt quite short. I wished it was longer and there was less waiting/idle time. Support small business!!

My group of 4 went on a random Saturday. We drove from the Bay Area, which during the weekdays estimated 1 hour even to Handcar Tours' location. It took us 1.5 hours- almost late to our reserved time of 1pm. They do have some leeway, so we didn't feel rushed. There is a small parking lot. Since reservations are timed, there was ample parking. There's also a porta potty for those who need to unleash whatever's boiling deep inside. You have to sign a short waiver upon arrival. The staff will brief everyone on safety features, what to expect, how to get the handcars moving, etc. There are several groups loading up and going at the same time. Each group will have to slow down / speed up to keep all cars moving without hitting each other. At 1:30pm, we were loaded up on the "cars" and cleared for launch! I thought Handcar Tours was like a guided walking tour on rails.. but it is not! I was just invited for a good time, so I didn't take the responsible route of reading the brochures before agreeing to go. Each car is a group of 4 people, all pulling with their upper body and pushing the "pedals" with their legs to keep the car moving. The track is a loop that runs along the freeway on one side and with the Pacific Ocean on the other. The first half of the track has some uphill. But I bear good news! Before the "halftime break", all riders are rewarded with an amazing view of the ocean. The entire group gets to take a break in the halfway point. The break area has the best views of the ocean. Everyone gets to stand around, take photos, and ask the staff to help with photos! The second half of the track loops back into the check in point. It's mostly downhill from there! We clocked out at 2:30pm and went our merry way. It was a fun, unique experience. The logistics were smooth. It didn't feel like we had hiccups or uncertainty. The workers were trained and friendly. Thank you Handcar Tours! PS - It's physical activity but hardly a workout. Caveats: The bathroom is just one lone porta potty. It would be nice if the check in area was a tiny little building with bathroom and vending machines, maybe some fun facts about the tracks or the city. They do have this available on their website, but where's the fun in that? Riders are seated facing each other, with 2 people (front seat) facing backwards, and the other 2 (back seat) facing forwards. The staff recommend the stronger people take the front seats. However! Front seaters are not rewarded with good views for their disproportionate efforts in propelling the cars. People in the back seat can enjoy the views without having turning their heads. I don't think this is Handcar's fault, I am just stating my experience. Each group rents an entire car, so you need to fill up your car or each person pays more! Pricey at almost $50 a person for a full car. And it's going up in July 2023! Even with the Early Bird discount, it's rough on the wallet. Not a "guided tour" unlike what the website implies. "These are guided tours with the handcars and rail bikes traveling together as one unit with trained guides leading on a handcar to the front and to the rear of the group". Apparently this just meant the guides herd the group so they know if a car gets derailed, group too fast/slow, and not a "guide" to tell us fun facts about the place. Maybe "tours" in the name "Handcar Tours" was misleading..

See all photos from Noel B. for Handcar Tours

What a fantastic time! Came here with some friends so we had a full car. 4 people max per car. But we saw some 2 and 3 person groups. All groups seemed to be able to enjoy the experience. This is very much a small family business and they are working hard to make sure everyone has a good time. Good explanation of what the experience will be and how to operate the cars. It's pretty straightforward. It's a bit of a workout on the way up with some slight uphill spots. But the way back is downhill and if you get some speed, you can go pretty fast. It was an overcast, slightly cool day. We did the 1-3pm window. I felt it was perfect weather as the sun was peaking out a bit but still shady to keep it from being too warm. They tell you to dress in layers and it's great advice. We brought some water and snacks. Snacks were probably overkill. But definitely bring something to drink. They also had water bottles for $1 so that was convenient. We brought gloves and 3 of us used them. It was nice to keep your hands from getting a little blister but probably not totally necessary. The views are awesome! You see the ocean, dunes, flowers, etc. We were even lucky enough to see whales at the halfway point. Definitely a fun experience for locals or tourists.

Great fun!! A really fun family adventure. Impressive and the staff was wonderful. Couldn't be more satisfied. We will return.

Being new residents, we wanted an activity for visitors who stayed during weekends. So we found this handcar tour on a list of things to do in Monterey. It's a family owned/run business. Mason (the engineer and designer of the handcars, gives you a tutorial in how to operate the handcar before you start. He goes over everything you need to know to operate and stop it safely. His dad Todd was there to assist and answer questions too. It's a workout. But it's a great teamwork-team building activity. Afterwards, you could hit a local brewery or restaurant to reward yourself. Do it...you'll have a blast.

Friends and handcarts. It's an awesome way to tour the Monterey Dunes.

It was an awesome experience but minded that one needs a jacket/sweater even in July. It was a chilly, windy, leisurely, scenery tour. They prepped us (the entire morning-group of tourists) a with a brief historic and then we choose our own cart. Turned out we chose the prototype that was designed 2 years prior (the engineer was intrigued).

A truly amazing experience! The scenery was beautiful, even as a local who has spent lots of time in Monterey, I was surprised to see it from a new perspective and be wowed by the beauty of the area. The electric assist hand car tour was definitely worth it! The tour guides were amazing people. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

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Explore coastal habitats with eco-friendly tours

H alfway through a handcar tour at Fort Ord Dunes State Park outside Monterey, the old railroad tracks make a circle on a hilltop. Until now, the view has been mostly rolling sand dunes, coastal scrub and Monterey cypress and pine groves with the occasional glimpse of the ocean. But here, tour participants can pause to take in a panoramic view of the ocean waves to the horizon.

“You can see all the way down to Pacific Grove on one side, to Santa Cruz, the whole bay,” said Handcar Tours founder Mason Clark. It’s one of his favorite parts of the tour.

You’ve probably seen a handcar before, even if you’re not familiar with the word. The vehicles were popularized in the 1880s as utility trucks for maintaining some 100,000 miles of railroad during the golden age of trains. They quickly became staples of cartoons and early cinema: flat platforms set on a track with a seesaw-like appendage whose up-and-down movement propelled the cart forward.

Motorized vehicles swiftly replaced handcars once the former became available for track maintenance. Now, at Fort Ord, Clark’s updated versions are attractions unto themselves, new takes on an old technology. They’re also part of an increasing number of options in the area for ecologically minded travelers who want to explore the natural world while also helping preserve it for future generations.

Clark built his first handcar at age 14, fascinated by their history and engineering. His family soon took handcar-based vacations exploring disused railroad track, trips which provided the inspiration for his current business. And he later studied mechanical engineering in college, designing and prototyping his modernized handcar as his senior project.

After that, the next step was finding a disused railroad track of his own, then convincing the various agencies and authorities to give him access and clearing his new property. In 2021, Clark and his family spent three months trimming trees, clearing bushes and picking up trash from the Fort Ord track, which was built in 1879 and hadn’t seen a train for decades.

Today, each handcar seats two to four people with tours of up to 12 cars traveling together. The uphill portion can be a workout, Clark warns. He encourages visitors to bring water, gloves, sunscreen and to wear close-toed shoes. But the payoff makes it all worth it: an exhilarating downhill run during which the cars top out at 15 miles per hour.

“Everybody comes off with a happy face,” he said. “They forget that they may have worked hard getting there.” (Don’t worry; his handcars all feature brakes.)

For those visitors who might not be physically able to power a handcar, Clark has also designed and built a new electric-assist model, an additional 14 of which will arrive this summer.

Customer Juana Sanchez came on Clark’s tour in December 2022. She found it particularly intriguing because of how different it was from other local experiences. Sanchez, who grew up in the area, said she was looking for something to do with her siblings over Christmas that was different from the beaches they usually visit.

“I’ve done bike riding, I’ve done walking,” she said. “This way, I felt more of an appreciation for the Central Coast.”

Many of Clark’s customers also appreciate the eco-friendly aspect of the trip.

“We go through sensitive habitat in a coastal area, but we’re on existing railroad tracks so we don’t have much, if any, impact,” he said.

That allows visitors to enjoy delicate ecosystems without disrupting them. He and his family have also begun work restoring the area around the tracks, which was heavily planted with invasive ice plant when Fort Ord was under military control. Removing ice plant lets the sand shift back to its more natural formations.

“It’s neat to go through areas where you can just see the top of the track and sand all around,” he said.

Some 20 miles north of Fort Ord, visitors to the Central Coast can experience a whole other side of Monterey Bay nature in Elkhorn Slough.

“Right now, we’re seeing tons of big sea lions and brown pelicans,” said Marina Maze, a captain with Monterey Bay Ecotours.

Plus, spring is harbor seal pupping season, and the slough is a great place to see mothers swimming with their pups, she said. And then, of course, there’s the otters. Elkhorn Slough hosts one of the biggest resident populations of sea otters in the United States. Sightings are so reliable that the company boasts a sea-otters-or-bust money-back guarantee.

Monterey Bay Eco Tours was the brainchild of boat captain and nature lover Wendy Kitchell. As a teenager working in Key West, Kitchell watched her favorite coral reef suffer the consequences of pollution and over-tourism.

“I remember the shocking day it was just broken rubble, bleached-out coral pieces,” she said. “I was like ‘Oh my god, we killed this reef.’ ”

After moving to California to be close to family, Kitchell teamed up with her brother, a master boat builder who specializes in extremely light and strong boats using specialized materials — light enough to be powered entirely by electricity. The goal: a boat that could help visitors explore this corner of the natural world without slowly destroying it.

Kitchell’s electric boat isn’t just low emissions; it’s also remarkably quiet.

“We get the word ‘serene’ a lot,” she said. “It’s a very relaxing trip. You glide through the water really gently.”

The smooth ride and short duration — about 90 minutes — attracts visitors of all ages, including wildlife photographer Marquis Kuhn, who has been on the tour at least six times. He calls Kitchell’s boat the “perfect photographic platform,” since it’s so steady and can approach wildlife in the slough so quietly.

One highlight: photographing otter mothers and pups, he said, “from the little, tiny ones, a week or two old, to where the pup is as large as the mother and they’re playing, tussling in the water.”

Kitchell and Maze keep an eye out for mothers and pups, as well, but for a different reason. A stressed out otter won’t eat, and mother otters get especially nervous when humans come near. With this risk in mind, Monterey Bay Ecotours works closely with Sea Otter Savvy, a local program promoting ecological awareness, to ensure its tours disrupt the otters as little as possible.

Besides mothers and babies, Kitchell and Maze are careful to give rafts of sleeping otters a particularly wide berth. They also watch for changing otter body language, since the distance required to keep the animals feeling safe can fluctuate depending on the time of year.

“It’s good to bring young people into nature when it’s not exploding through walls or over your levy,” Maze said, especially during a period full of fires and floods.

She and Kitchell believe that experiences like their tours are essential for promoting feelings of responsibility and care about the plants and animals that surround us. Some days that means picking up trash they see floating in the slough; others it means reporting sick sea lions or rescuing birds.

“As humans, we need to explore and enjoy and connect,” Kitchell said. “We need to be part of nature.”

Things to Do in Elektrostal, Russia - Elektrostal Attractions

Things to do in elektrostal.

• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Budget-friendly
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Electrostal History and Art Museum

2. Statue of Lenin

3. Park of Culture and Leisure

4. museum and exhibition center.

5. Museum of Labor Glory

7. Galereya Kino

8. viki cinema, 9. smokygrove.

10. Gandikap

11. papa lounge bar, 12. karaoke bar.

• Statue of Lenin
• Electrostal History and Art Museum
• Park of Culture and Leisure
• Museum and Exhibition Center
• Museum of Labor Glory

Notable Places in the Area

Elektrostal Satellite Map

Popular Destinations in Moscow Oblast

Escape to a random place.

• Handcar Tour

Six-mile handcar tour for up to four people across the Monterey Branch Line. Minimum age is 10 years old and closed toed shoes are required. The price is for one-handcar that carries up to four people. A minimum of two people is required. This is a guided tour with our fleet of handcars traveling together, with trained guides traveling with the group to the front and rear. The experience is approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes long. This is not a passive ride and participants need to be prepared for physical exertion.  For their safety, this activity is not recommended for people with developmental disabilities, including those within the autism spectrum.  

$4 booking charge will be added to each order.

Tours depart from the corner of Palm Ave and Del Monte Blvd in the City of Marina.  We can be found through mapping services by selecting “Handcar Tours.”

Bookings are closed for this event.