THEY’RE making tracks to Kentucky just now and riding the rails – but without a train. Because the next service arriving at the platform isn’t what you might expect. It’s a … RAILBIKE.

A 10-mile round-trip tour from the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad Museum in Versailles offers the choice of a Quad Railbike for up to four riders or Tandem Railbike for two.

After a five-mile ride west, riders can spend half an hour enjoying views of the Kentucky River from 100 feet up, while guides use hydraulic lifts to turn around the railbikes.

Then you pedal back – each of the bikes handily boasts an electric motor to help you when required – along the gentle curving track to the starting point. In all, it’s about a two-hour experience.

Built in 1888, the track is a section of the Louisville Southern Railroad which once carried passengers from Lawrenceburg to Versailles and Lexington.

The route passes the state’s famous thoroughbred horse farms before descending into deep cuts through the limestone hills with views of the Wild Turkey Distillery and Young’s High Bridge too.

The new initiative is a partnership between tourism chiefs and Rail Explorers, whose chief exec Mary Joy Lou says: “Central Kentucky offers scenic splendour and rich history we are proud to showcase.

“We are thrilled to call Woodford County our new home, partnering with the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad and Museum to offer a truly unique railroad experience.”

Limited seats are available and reservations are recommended. Visit RailExplorers.net, who also offer similar tours in four other Stateside locations, to learn more.