Hi Everybody-- It's summer time and we are always looking for new adventures to help pass the time. The following stories have been told before and so if you already know about this subject, I hereby apologize. However, for the newer or younger members of A-P and also becausde of a lazy weekend approaching, I thought you might like another crazy trip down "memory lane" .. SO..... Here it goes ......
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How many of you have ever attempted to drive your Car (or truck, jeep) on railroad tracks and have such a perfect wheelbase that you could sail along without touching the steering wheel ??... Just using your feet for the Gas and Brake pedals ...

This was usually done where the tracks run down the center of a PAVED street..
BUT, what happens when the PAVEMENT runs out and you now have "protruding tracks" on railroad ties ??? Ever been in this situation in your crazy youth ??

READ ON !!!

We've probably all done crazy things in our life, of one kind or another, but I'd like to see how many of you have tried the following antics, which I discovered was quite prominent in its time and even developed a "slang name" for the practice:

""Riding on railroad tracks with your CAR"" ... Yes, KRK is serious!!

This subject was discussed at length several months ago on the Bay Area_Rail History and SacNorthern Discussion Boards...

Usually, one would find a long stretch of railroad "Street Running" and hop on top of the rails with your CAR and attempt to position the TIRES mid-way over the tops of the rail head. The idea is to drive down the street and NOT touch the steering wheel-- simply allowing the rails to steer your car, and hope you didn't bounce off and have to regain control...

My first experience at performing this "ancient ritual" was on the Sacramento Northern--Central California Traction "joint-trackage" on "X"-Street in Sacramento.. In its day, the double track line on "X"-Street ran about 40-blocks in length, complete with the occasional turnout and sidings..

My older brother Jim had a Ford Econoline van (about a '60 model or so) and we used THAT for our experiment! Most people figure that you have to let some air out of the tires to get a better "fit" to the rail head.. You do NOT providing that you have a vehicle with the correct wheelbase spacing.. The Ford Econoline van was picture perfect!

We drove the length of "X"-Street in Sacramento at least a couple of times-- swaying back and forth like we were an old KEY TRAIN on Poplar Street in West Oakland.. We started to laugh-- we came to a crossing and we figured we would bounce off-- NO-- we laughed more.. We came to a "facing point" switch where the westbound track swung around the corner.. We figured that "this was it for sure".. NO again!! We rolled and swayed and continued down the side street. We were crying by now because we were laughing so hard.. My brother NEVER touched that steering wheel during all of this adventure...

I find out from the aforementioned discussion boards, that this practice is known as "McNitting" .. So it is NOT something new!

The ONLY vehicles I know about personally, that will give you the Grand Experience" in this regard, are a '60 Ford Econoline Van and also a 1954 Mercury...

In later months, via the '54 Merc, all street tracks in West Oakland were navigated including SP, WP, and KEY SYSTEM.. We even drove down Louise Street and kept on rolling thru Yerba Buena Yard on the OT and back onto pavement again on Wood Street..

The WP mainline on 3rd Street (now no more) was a great venture as well, including a section I probably should not advertise!

Again, this practice has the name "McNitting" attached to it..
Are there any other "McNitters" out there who would like to contribute a story or two ??
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As I mentioned in the article above, WP's line on Third Street in Oakland was GREAT as well as the WP mainline beyond, heading down toward East Oakland...
Note:
"Third Street was one of the great stretches of street trackage to perfect the art of "McNittin"... (driving your car down the street on the tracks without letting any air out, and then possibly continuing onward after the pavement ran out, as I did and wound up at 5th Avenue near BART.)"

"We started our drive around 3rd & Adeline Streets. Contined thru town, crossed over Oak and Fallon and rode on TOP of the bare rails all the way to 5th Avenue.. By then, we had to go to the bathroom because we were laughing so damn hard.
The practice of "McNitting" is an ART that you come by and have to perfect. I am one of the BEST in this ART...
BUT, you have to have the correct vehicle with the correct wheelbase. The WP trip on 3rd Street was made in an old 1954 Mercury."


Where does the term "McNitting" come from to describe this crazy pastime ?? No one is really sure, however, my good friend "Jim Baker" in Whittier, CA and OERM fame has a partial explanation:


"Jim Baker wrote:

> To all!
> To the best of my knowledge, the term used for driving
> an auto on the rails was termed " McNitting " named
> after a San Francisco railfan who was active in
> railfanning in the 1950's and '60's.
> A great place to McNitt was on the abandoned 40 line
> right-of way of the SF Muni!
>
> I tried it once on the ex-PE Newport line in Long
> Beach for a few blocks. I had a 1956 Cheverolet Bel
> Air Coupe. (Yellow and Pea Green!)

In closing, remember this fact:
With an older vehicle with the proper wheelbase, you DO NOT need to partially deflate your tires... All sidings and spurs with "facing point switches" will direct your vehicle in the direction the switch is set for, without "derailing" and bouncing off the rails onto the ground.

BE SAFE and NOT STUPID!! Don't try this on Sherman Hill or Cajon Pass...
I was a teenager with a friend in that famed ('54 Merc) and suddenly found myself on the WP/ Cal-Zephyr mainline with no nearby paved street to escape to...
When we peeked out from behind the old City of Oakland CORP Yard buildings at 5th Avenue in East Oakland, we blew the HORN and the traffic waited.
We turned the wheel and headed on up to East 10th Street... You should have seen the looks on some of the motorists' faces .... ..

I do NOT advocate trying this yourself. I wanted to tell the overall story because after telling the same story years ago, people came forward with the "McNitting" name so I figured it had to be an old, regular crazy occurance by some folks...

"RamosMan" has had run-ins with UPRR folks, EspeeBoy has had his share of high-speed driving antics to capture a prized photo-op. "KRK" was in that same boat once upon a time. I was a "McNitter" and proud of it and one of the best too.
Ah, where did that "age of Youth" ever escape to ???

Here are a couple of fellow McNitters.....

Author: trainjunkie
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I've driven SUVs for most of the last 20 years or so and some of them are perfect for this. Before a lot of the asphalt was redone, I used to do this quite a bit on Alameda Street in Los Angeles on the old SP tracks that ran down the middle of the street. You could go for quite a distance without touching the steering wheel.

Author: wattslocal
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Remember McNitting on SP's Alameda Street line in LA to and from work everyday in the 50s. Had a green '55 Chevy pickup and it was perfect for the job.


Hope you guys enjoyed the story !! Have a FANTASTIC weekend !!
Cheers..

KRK