Handcar racers, Las Vegas Sun, Sept. 24, 1996

You’ve gotta hand it to ‘em Lisa Sciortino Tue, Sep 24, 1996 (11:59 a.m.) Connie Mancillas has had ties to the railroad all her livelong days. As a child, she played on the handcars that her father -- a Santa Fe Railroad supervisor for 48 years -- used to inspect the tracks. Mancillas, owner of the Travel Centre agency in Boulder City, still has an affinity for handcars -- small, four-wheeled, hand- or motor-driven railroad cars. But these days, she races them. "For me," the 46-year-old says, "it's a little bit of nostalgia because I come from a railroad family." A little bit of nostalgia ... and a whole lotta elbow grease. Both have helped handcar racing gain recognition over the last two decades. That's when the sport is believed to have originated in Washington state. It's since spread like wildfire throughout the West, with hundreds of teams now competing in international races in California, Utah, Texas, Alaska and Canada. Teams of five (one "pusher" and four "pumpers") muster all of their strength to set the 850-pound, wood and steel cars rolling down the tracks for varying distances in timed events. But these aren't the old-fashioned, workhorse-type handcars used by the railroad industry in the early days. These machines are specially built for racing, from their oversized decks on down to the gears. Handcar racing caught on in Boulder City about five years ago. That's now the site of the sport's annual International Short Course Championship race, being held this weekend. Three-dozen local teams and about as many from around the region and Canada are expected to ride the 450 feet of rail during the race. If Southern Nevada has become a handcar-racing hot spot, credit that to the countless hours Boulder City resident and racer Dave Legler has spent promoting the sport. He got involved in handcar racing by accident several years ago, after being asked to serve as the Boulder City race's impromptu director. "I didn't know a thing about handcar racing," Legler recalls. But he learned in a hurry and has since competed and won several races with his teammates. "It's one of those sports," explains the 44-year-old carpet store owner, "where once you get someone out there, they're hooked." Or sore, at the very least. It takes a lot of muscle to pump the car's handle, which propels it down the track at speeds up to 30 mph. Doesn't sound too fast, but, "You're flying," Legler assures. "You just hang onto the bar." Otherwise, you become what's known in the sport as a "frequent flier." "Every now and then, somebody will fall off a car," he says. There haven't been any "serious" injuries yet. "Most of the time, it's because they did not abide by the handcar racing rules or they let go of the bar." Understandably so. "It's such an adrenaline rush when you make the car go so fast," he says. Mancillas understands. "It's kind of addictive. It's exciting to be up on that handcar and use all the strength that you have. "You're starting an 800-pound handcar from a standstill. You've got to have some pretty good strength and endurance." No surprise, then, that she met her fellow female teammates -- who comprise the "On Track" team -- at a neighborhood gym. They all pump iron. They recently competed in their first race as a team, at the U.S. Nationals in Sacramento, Calif., where they took first place in the women's novice division. But Mancillas, who also plays recreational softball, is just out for a good time. "I've always been involved in athletics, and for me, it's about still being able to compete in something new." Cyndi Eagleson, on the other hand, is considered an old pro around these parts. She's been racing since it began in Boulder City. "It's the best workout you can get in 20 seconds." Take it from her: She's a physical education teacher at Robert Lunt Elementary School. "Cross-country skiers have to have a lot of stamina and a lot of aerobic conditioning, and I think you could maybe compare (handcar racing) to that." If only it wasn't so misunderstood as a sport, she says. "When you tell people you're into handcar racing, they're like, 'What?' People don't realize how much energy you have to put towards doing this. People kind of think it's a joke." Not to her. Eagleson and her female teammates earned a silver medal in the World Championships in Canada this summer on a 984-foot, 3-inch track. Are all racers this dedicated? Nah. "There are some teams that are out here just for fun, slapping each other on the back," Legler says. "Then there are certain teams that are real serious. It's almost like life and death." So it's not street luging, but .... "I think handcar racing is something that may be featured on ESPN 'Extreme Sports' in the future. I don't see why it wouldn't be," Eagleson says. "Five, maybe 10 years, maybe even sooner. I think it's just a matter of exposing the sport to the public." archive