How do [railroad handcars] work?

Factual Questions
41

Thank you, Capt.

42

Hi I work with these things at a museum, all the handcars I have ever seen work like this Handcar -- How it works. - YouTube depending in which position the crank is in depends if you push or pull to go forward or backward. Most people just push the wheel with there foot in the desired direction and then start pumping (the pump handles are connected to the drive axle so they are always moving when the handcar is in motion even if no one is pumping)

43

Thanks for starting this thread. Never thought about it before.

But in your very OP, you sniped my only possible contribution. How do they work? Like in Blazing Saddles, of course!