They are called Hi-rail (or Road-rail) vehicles…
In some third world countries people build small platforms with flanged steel wheels that run on railroad tracks to haul passengers. They strap a small motorcycle to the cart so the rear wheel sets on one of the rails to propel the cart. Very cheap and effective. There are videos on YouTube.
Europe has different [widths](What are the consequences of Europe’s different railway gauges? | RailFreight.com).
Mike is right, the gauging (spacing) of the tracks is wider on curves to account for the centrifugal force being applied. The outboard track is also set slightly higher.
Way back in the early 80’s I designed a circuit board for the tracklaying machines built by Rexnord…
1 Like
How much wider gauge? I would think less than two inches, RR wheels, excluding the flange only appear to be 3-4 inches wide, but I never measured them.
I don’t recall exactly, too long ago but I do recall it varied based on the radius of the curve. It was a real b%tch working that out in standard logic and analog controls of the day.
I have recently seen work trucks owned by railroad companies with conventional tires plus auxillary flanged steel wheels that get lowered onto the tracks, much like the station wagon in the photo. These trucks are used for inspecting and other service work needed on track lines.
I’m having a difficult time visualizing rubber tires staying on the track as described by others here. I’ll accept it the reports with reservations until I see a Model T on TIRES, or even a 1970 Dodge Dork, cruising along on steel rails.
It’s got to be illegal as hell.
I didn’t know that Dodge built Dorks. 
.
Is that supposed to be a Dart or truck? Gotta love spell check.
Common were I live with both heavy freight and light passenger trains.
Nope. No spellcheck mistake.
Dodge “Dork.”
It was the nickname for my (then) girlfriend’s car…45 years ago. A goofy, ugly, soul-less four door sedan.
Don’t remember which of us named it, but the car was just so un-cool that the name fit perfectly, and it stuck.
In those days, the word dork was cool, but being a dork was not cool. Not so much these days I think.
I never revealed to her that I had previously owned a 1960 Plymouth Valiant. Had she known, she would have ditched me for being a dork.
3 Likes
Yes sir, just like those, only you have a wider range of examples than I’ve seen personally. Thank you for helping illustrate what I described, much obliged.
I guess our friend Henry Ford had a clever idea way back when.
1 Like
Also had to be high enough to clear the wagon wheel ruts on the roads. A long time ago my father in law took me out in his model A to one of his oil wells where he filled up the tank with condensate.
Heading to play the magnificent pipe organ at St. Paul Catherdral in Pittsburgh, PA, when possible I drove our Gremlin? on the Fifth Avenue trolley tracks.
Went from noisyibrating travel on cobblestones to perfectly smooth quiet ride on the rails.
The trolley rail’s flangeways would also guide the car around slight bends.
From inside the car, traveling on the cobblestones was an.noyance. From the cathedral’steps, vehicle’s tires on the cobblestones created a pleasant sound - unlike my playing.