Train enthusiast Bob Knight would be the first to admit that speeder cars are probably mislabeled.

"They look like they speed along the rails," said Knight, of Sandwich, Illinois.But speed is relative.Truth is, most speeder train cars have a top speed of about 35 mph, so we're not talking NASCAR-type speed.And with speeders, top speed is limited to the pace of the slowest car.As a result, they typically zip along at 15 to 25 mph with frequent stops at scenic places and for bathroom breaks.Knight, who gives his age as "39 and holding," is national safety director of the North American Rail Car Operators Association.Members of the NARCOA group travel together in their privately owned speeders, showcasing a legendary era in transportation history.The group brought 45 speeders to Tamaqua and Jim Thorpe on April 12, part of a Port Clinton-based excursion."Historically these small motorized cars were used to carry railroad workers who were responsible for maintaining the railroad right of way and making repairs," said Dale Freudenberger, president of the Tamaqua Historical Society."They carried their tools and supplies with them on the speeder cars and sometimes had several other cars coupled together to carry more supplies and more workers."Many gas or diesel-powered speeders were produced from the 1940s to about 1985, although a motorized inspection car was produced as early as 1896.Another type, a hand-pumped version, would have carried a worker or track inspectors known as a gandy dancer. Those hand pumpers evolved into motorized speeders.A speeder weighs about 1,500 pounds and must be rolled down a ramp and positioned on the track.Most of the two- and four-person motorcars have a 20-horsepower, Onan four-cycle engine.Some restored older motorcars use the original two-cycle, five-horsepower motor.By the 1990s, speeders were replaced with today's hi-rail trucks, which use flanged wheels lowered for on-rail use.Speeder spendingKnight and his wife, Laurie, are ambassadors for a hobby that isn't suited to the financially challenged.A speeder car can cost from $3,500 to $10,000.Usually a trailer is needed for transporting the car. On top of that, owners pay a fee for the privilege of placing their car on rails.Scheduled regional excursions are coordinated with permission of local railroads and can cost $255, not including lodging expenses.Still, the hobby draws people such as Knight, who says speeders have special allure for many folks."I like anything that runs on rails," he said, adding that he's been a rail fan since childhood.Wife Laurie came from a similar background."My father loved trains. We grew up with steam," she said.The Knights own four speeders.NARCOA members include professors, programmers, farmers, physicians, teachers, truckers, police officers, engineers, firemen, plumbers and many retired people.Almost all have good mechanical skills for restoring and repairing motorcars.Many of them travel with their speeders on towed trailers, in pickups, SUVs and motor homes.The hobby provides something the rest of the population doesn't see, a chance to view the world from a different perspective.Every culvert, bridge, road crossing, tunnel and building along the rails is seen from an uncommon vantage point.And because motorcars are so unusual, they attract much attention from people along the track."I came to see what it's all about," said Hilary Kennedy of Tamaqua.Tom Applegate of Andreas was drawn to the speeders due to family history."A lot of my relatives worked for the railroad. They were engineers," he said.Sharon Connely visited with grandson Ross, 11."We saw the article in the paper," said Connely, who chatted with the visitors."Some came 600 or 700 miles," she said.Ross Connely was intrigued by the speeders' dimensions."I like their small size. They're like little pods."The speeder excursion provided a first-time experience for Dave Hegarty of Tamaqua."I lived here my whole life and never saw one of these," he said.Club members visited the restored 1874 Tamaqua train depot and gift shop, then proceeded to a photo session at the Hometown High Bridge, followed by lunch in Jim Thorpe, and then a return trip to Tamaqua on the way home.The group included members from 11 states and Canada.The event served as a private tour for the car owners and their invited guests.But the guest list is limited because most speeder cars seat only two people.Still, speeder enthusiasts claim it's a hobby that can't be beat."It's a rail thing," they say."If you're not a rail fan, you might not understand."But understand or not, everybody seemed to admire the eccentric little cars."I want one," said Charles Hess of Tamaqua.It's time to see life from a different perspective.And the best way to see your surroundings is to be in the speeder lane.