This video documents a two-day solo expedition along a 100-mile stretch of abandoned mountain railroad using a custom-built, airplane-engine-powered hovercraft rail car. The journey includes navigating treacherous trestles, camping in the wilderness, and a close encounter with a bull moose. A central conflict arises from a persistent, intermittent electrical issue that causes the engine to fail repeatedly, leaving the explorer stranded miles from civilization. After successfully traversing a massive, long-abandoned tunnel, the trip takes a dramatic turn. On the high-speed return journey, the hovercraft derails violently, causing catastrophic damage, including a broken wheel and a critically cracked axle. The expedition concludes with a long, arduous walk back, pushing the crippled vehicle, aided only by a fortunate rain shower that prevents further derailments.
An Adventurous Test Run: Exploring an Abandoned Railroad with a Hovercraft Rail Car
0:00 The Expedition Begins: The creator embarks on a two-day camping and exploration trip on a massive abandoned railroad line to test his custom-built hovercraft rail car, which is powered by an airplane engine and lacks brakes.
1:18 Early Engine Trouble: The hovercraft's engine fails to start after a brief stop, revealing a recurring and unpredictable electrical "gremlin" that plagues the entire journey.
2:58 Railroad Relics: While traveling, he discovers old, full-size boxcars that were filled with rocks and intentionally placed along the riverbank to prevent erosion from washing out the tracks.
4:32 Wilderness Camping & Moose Encounter: He sets up camp for the night by a rock cliff, cooks a stir-fry dinner over a fire, and has a tense, close encounter with a large bull moose just yards from his campsite.
13:32 Reaching the Giant Tunnel: A primary goal of the trip is achieved as he reaches a massive, dark tunnel that cuts straight through a mountain. After scouting it on foot, he successfully pilots the hovercraft through it.
16:11 Stranded by Electrical Failure: The engine's electrical fault reappears, leaving him stranded deep in the wilderness. He diagnoses a weak spark, likely caused by a heat-sensitive electrical component (CDI or coil) failing.
21:27 The Prudent Retreat: After the engine mysteriously starts again, he decides the hovercraft is too unreliable to continue and begins the long journey back, now facing a steep downhill grade with no brakes to control his speed.
25:48 High-Speed Derailment: While coasting downhill at high speed, the hovercraft violently derails on a warped section of track, sending it sliding along the railroad ties.
26:39 Catastrophic Damage: The crash results in a broken wheel mount and a severely bent rear axle. An attempt to straighten the axle by force causes it to crack 90% of the way through, rendering the vehicle inoperable.
31:30 A Stroke of Luck and a Long Walk Home: After several failed repair attempts, a light rain begins to fall. The moisture on the rails provides just enough traction to prevent the damaged wheel from climbing off the track, allowing him to slowly and carefully walk the crippled hovercraft all the way back to his truck.