An end of an era: Folsom's handcar derby runs one more time this weekend

It's being touted as "an end of an era," and it truly is: Folsom's 32nd annual Handcar Derby takes place this weekend, one more time, before being retired. Since 1992, the Folsom Handcar Derby has been a fun, challenging, entertaining event for local residents. People from various walks of life form teams to compete in a grueling physical race on tracks in front of Broadstone Marketplace on East Bidwell Street. For those unfamiliar, a handcar is also known as a pump trolley: a small, manually powered vehicle used for maintenance and inspection of railroad tracks. The handcar derby is a human-powered race where teams compete, using strength and endurance to propel the 800-pound vehicle along the tracks. There are five people on a team: Four members on the handcar pumping it, and one member is the "pusher" who gets the handcar moving from a dead stop … no small feat. Event organizer and longtime race participant Dan Bocinski explained not only does the handcar weigh about 800 pounds, but a standard four-person team it's carrying is roughly another 800 pounds; that's about 1,600 pounds teams feverishly pump down the 800-foot track. It's no wonder Bocinski half-jokingly said it's often a sport for the stout (though there are certainly some smaller women who compete in the women's races). "It's very intense. It's not something you can really train for aside from going to the gym throughout the year and being in the best physical shape that you can be," explained Bocinski. "But it's been described as, by the time you finish the 800-foot track that we race on, it feels kind of like you've run a marathon. You're just completely exhausted because you use your legs, your upper body; it's very taxing." Over the 32 years the Folsom Handcar Derby has been in existence, many of the same teams have returned year after year. There are a variety of categories: Open, open elite, coed, coed elite, women's, women's elite, masters and seniors. There is also a unique quadripede race which consists of two people. Bocinski said it's an event people have come to look forward to every year. "Like myself, once you do it, you're kind of hooked on it," said Bocinski. "And there's no place else in the world you can do this." The event began as a fundraiser for the El Dorado, Folsom and Sacramento Historical Railroad Society, a nonprofit organization, and continues that tradition and mission to this day. For longtime Race Director Gary Putman, putting on the event all these years has been a labor of love, but he's ready to retire. Putman said in event literature that though he has has been involved in other handcar events in Portland, Oregon and Anchorage, Alaska, to name a few, the event in Folsom is truly the crown jewel due to its unrivaled longevity. Bocinski said what he will miss most about the handcar derby is the people; and while it definitely brought out the competitive edge, in the end, the event is all about the personal challenge and long-term friendships. "(What's been special is) the camaraderie of the teams over the years. Some of the teams I've been competing with for 20 years," said Bocinski. "It's a friendly event. You get some people out there talking trash and things like that, but you settle it on the tracks." Medals will be given out for first and second place in each category. Saturday, May 24, will be a day dedicated to registration, practice, teams doing trial runs and safety training. People can still sign up for the event between 8:30 and noon at 2730 E. Bidwell Street. On Sunday, May 25, events begin at 8:30 a.m., with the culmination expected at around 2 p.m. with an awards ceremony. Event organizers hope the community comes out to cheer on the competitors, one last time, before Folsom's one-of-a-kind Handcar Derby era officially ends. This year, for the first time, the event will also be livestreamed on YouTube on Sunday@Garyputman1610. For more information, visit https://fedshra.org/folsom-handcar-derby/