Carol Fisher Linn
Time is running short to book your ride. Don’t miss out.
The 2026 autumn clock is ticking. If you want to experience something in Cattaraugus County that is totally different, fun, healthy, outdoors, does not negatively impact our environment and will deliver feelings of health and joy, try rail-biking in Cattaraugus County in the sweet little village of Cattaraugus New York.
Last year, Tom and Kelli Cullen, residents and managers of the Cattaraugus link of Revolution Rail, with the help of Corey Wiktor of the Cattaraugus IDA have brought us an unusual experience worth lining up for. Imagine exploring the outdoors on your own power (ANYONE can do a railbike) that is filled with glorious fall foliage and combines history, sustainability, and easy, enjoyable adventure.
Railbikes aren’t a new thing. Railbikes appeared in the 1900’s for the use of “gandy dancers,” workers inspecting/repairing track. They travelled efficiently along the rails and could be removed quickly for an oncoming train. Today, we have rail-biking which is strictly for fun. Thanks to the Cullens’ finding Revolution Rail, showing them why this is a great location to add to the existing ones they have in four states, financial help from the IDA, and four to five years of repairing the track, a lot of it by themselves, we now have rail-biking in the neighborhood.
In conversation with Tom Cullen, who handles the marketing end of Revolution Rail: Cattaraugus and owns Rocket Coffee, he informed this writer that this year, since their Mother’s Day weekend operation and their season opening, more than 6000 tourists have ridden the rails and visited the village of Cattaraugus and they plan to double this number in 2027. Cullen said he realized that at least 20% of the visitors (who come from all over the US, Canada and Europe) don’t know about Ellicottville, which he acknowledged is the chief draw for the county. They do now.
So, let’s talk about the ride. Reservations are made online at www.revrail.com/cattaraugus-run
You will see a calendar with red and green dates including November 1. Red are booked. (Last year, their inaugural year, they were fully booked and sold out in 6 hours). Choose one of the green dates and select options for two or four riders. Once you see the availability and times, click on that arrow and it will reveal if there are still two or four person bikes left, and times – four trip times a day, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The 6-mile ride lasts about 1 hour 45 minutes, with a turnaround half-way at Zoar Valley. There is a porta potty there. People are invited to bring lunches or treats and gather at picnic tables while staff turns the bikes around. Here is when a guide tours riders through local history which may include stories about presidents Lincoln, Fillmore or Roosevelt. Since Cullen says they get a lot of their history from riders, why not impress them with your knowledge about the 13 giant skeletons unearthed in Zoar Valley in the 1840’s-50’s? Google will make you a genius.
Railbike riding is rated between 4.8 and 4.9 on a scale of 5 on major review platforms like Trip Advisor and Google Reviews. They are easy to use – carts are fixed on rails – no need to balance or steer; they are pedal assisted. You travel where not many could see the views, it’s group and family friendly – they can link units together, and the guides are always fun, resourceful and knowledgeable. Their guide units are electric if an emergency occurs.
At this writing I see 7 days with opening (4 trips a day) so if you have an interest in seeing our County in a way you’ve likely not seen before, get on your computer and make those reservations now. Cost is $100 for two seats and $180 for four. Worth every dime.
Tom and Kelli Cullen look forward to another successful year and providing riders with pure joy away from the mainstream, phones and outside pressures. They and the IDA (Cullen claims none of this could have happened without them) are working on plans to find ways for more rail rehab to lengthen the trip for new and returning railriders. Don’t miss out. The weather has been perfect (they do go rain or shine) and the colors are already glorious! Enjoy every pleasure mother nature hands out, beginning with a Cattaraugus railride. You’ll be glad you did.