Session 2 - Railboats

What would have happened if the industrial revolution had suddenly run out of coal? Would those vast networks of railroad gone unused and rusted away to nothing? We think not. Picture yourself, riding on the open deck of a new-fangled railboat - a vehicle simultaneously ridiculous and graceful, whisper-quiet and rolling so smooth it almost feels like floating.

We built three sail-powered rail vehicles in one week at Tinkering School. This is our story.

Visit the photo archive.

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Post Script We are not the first group of people to play around with sail and rail. If you search for "sail powered train" you find some whimsical and evocative images from the past. I'm especially fond of this collection.