HIT THE RAILS ON A BIKE

It is always a thrill to pull out of a train station and feel yourself picking up speed, wheels click-clacking over the rails.

It is even more thrilling when your train has no roof or sides, is as low-slung as a Mazda Miata and comes with a warning to watch out for bears crossing your path.

In New York's Catskills region, it is possible to ride a rail bike, a pedal-powered contraption built to cruise along train tracks.

While the rails-to-trails movement has seen thousands of abandoned railroad rights of way converted to public greenways and bike paths, not every line is rail trail material, particularly since building one can cost more than US$1 million (S$1.3 million) for about 1.6km.