Finger Lakes Rail Riders, a popular tourism attraction near Penn Yan that offered visitors a unique way to experience Yates County’s scenic countryside and railroad history, has permanently closed.
The announcement was made Thursday night in a social media post by the business.
“All good things must come to an end. We are sad to announce we are permanently closed,” owners Kathy Ferron and her crew wrote. “We tried to fill our customers’ experiences with fun, adventure and a few laughs with our bad jokes. We can’t thank you enough for returning kindness to us in spades.”
The attraction opened in 2021 along a section of historic railroad track owned by Finger Lakes Railway near Penn Yan.
Finger Lakes Rail Riders gave visitors the opportunity to pedal specially designed rail bikes along approximately five miles of former railroad line, traveling 2.5 miles before turning around and returning to the starting point. The excursion typically lasted about 80 minutes.
The route followed tracks that date back to the 1850s, when the former Northern Central Railroad carried coal and passengers between Pennsylvania and Sodus Point on Lake Ontario.
According to the business, Ferron launched the operation after envisioning a new use for the long-abandoned rail corridor. Local Mennonite workers helped clear years of overgrown brush from the line and assisted in building the rail bikes, with much of the project completed using local labor and materials.
One of the attraction’s distinctive features was its narrated historical tour, which highlighted the area’s railroad heritage and local history as riders traveled through the rural landscape of Yates County. The business had previously described the narrated experience as a unique offering within the growing rail-bike tourism industry.
The attraction quickly became a draw for both local residents and visitors to the Finger Lakes region, offering riders of all ages a chance to explore the area’s countryside from a different perspective.
In their farewell message, Ferron and the staff thanked customers for their support over the years and wished them well.
“We wish you all happiness and good health in the future and maybe we will meet again,” the post concluded. “Our best to you always, Kathy and the Crew.”
