Hey guys, I was thinking today after my mom used $30 in gas to chase a train down the hoosier sub how gas prices effect us railfanning. How bad is it effecting yall? Is everyone cutting down on railfanning? And here is my next question...How will it effect us railfanning in the future? Its getting rough anymore with prices as high as they are and it doesnt look like it'll get any better soon.
I'm sure it is affecting us all. I'm still planning to run some trips this year, but I'm planning for more "efficient" trips, making sure I cover everything I can get to. The last couple years I've been lazy and staying in motels. I'm thinking its time to get out the old sleeping bag again and check out the stars from the back of my truck.
I stay close to home, or make a big trip out of it. If I make a big trip, I usually only do so once a year. I also take the car! 28MPG versus 17!
Well, there's not any desired gas on earth. And many people starts with cars and energy (think of China).. Here in Germany I have to pay 1,4 Euro per liter,(6.5$ per Gal ? ) and our car needs about 8 liter per 100 km (3.4 Gall per 100 miles) if I calculated correct to non metric units. :angel: But with our gas prizes, about 80 % are taxes! Wolfgang
With the price of gas today at $3.64 a gallon long railfan trips are just about out of the realm of possibility. I was planning another trip to the Cascade Tunnel but just the gas will be over $120 at today's price. Short close to home railfanning trips I guess.
We limit our drives right now so there will be little to none 2008 RRAdventures topics and only a few 2007 RRAdventures topics still to be posted. A far cry from 2006 when we did allot of railfanning. :tb-sad: :tb-sad: :tb-sad: :tb-sad:
Yes, cutting down. Virtually no pure railfan trips anymore. Usually I just allow time if I'm going somewhere to do some "drive-by railfanning". I'm probably going to have to forego any conventions for a while as well, hobby expenditures are nil, etc. I have been able to railfan with a friend of mine which is nice since--besides the fellowship aspect--we split the costs. I have to admit that not all of my behavoir is solely due to the price of gasoline though...but it certainly doesn't help things. The future? I think if/when the economy rebounds that will help, but that might be a while. I will probably look for a more fuel efficient vehicle when mine gets past its prime which hopefully will be a few years. Railfanning itself is pretty cheap outside of gasoline so I think it will still remain pretty popular as people adjust...shorter trips, no overnights/conventions, etc. I think model railroading will start to take a hit if things continue like they are. (or get worse) Short term, I am moving closer to work to be within cycling/walking distance. Also I am within cycling distance (or bus) of commuter rail which could get me to downtown Dallas or Fort Worth which are both fine for railfanning. Dallas also has light rail that reaches other areas with railfanning possibilities.
It's rough. I made it up to Cajon once a month or so ago and that's been it (with the exception of Fullerton Station) I've been trying to get back to Tehachapi, but I just can't afford it. And that's assuming the car, not the truck which requires Premium on top of being poor mileage. Gas right now is $4.09 for the low grade here. Of, and I've been desperate to get back to Feather River, Donner and Oregon, you can see how likely that is.
For those of us on set incomes SDI and the likes we are hurting. I might get out once or twice a year to do some railfanning. Most likely I will combine my Dr's visits with a rail outting if time and monies allow. Most of my hobby shopping has gone to mail order. I find it's cheaper to pay shipping then it is to drive 50+ miles, one way. Yes, it's taking a big bite out of my income. After listening to the sermon from the Rose Garden by our beloved president I'm not sure we are going to see this crunch turn around anytime soon. It's not like me to count my pennies but here lately I've been wanting to inventory the serial numbers on each penny...grin! We can still enjoy our hobby through Video or DVD types of visual aids, our layouts and getting together with the local railfans and model railroad clubs. Potlucks work as does slide shows. Although I used to fall asleep every time I went to Chard Walkers home to see his slides. He and his wife were indeed wonderful people and I felt at home there. Sigh! Hanging on to my hobby and still able to enjoy it. Have fun!
Today I went up north about 5 miles in a town called Scottsburg and gas is $3.75!! It should be against the law for it to be that expensive!
I pay $1.22 per litre at 3.78 litres to a US gallon thats roughly $4.57 US at the current exchange rate. Of the $1.22 roughly $0.30 cents is Federal and Provincial Excise Fuel Taxes. So I would be happy paying $3.75 US or about a $1.00 a liter. No it has not effected me much still have to get around visiting clients, getting more expensive sure and these get passed on to the client so any train related activity is blended with a business trip.
wen we went to Ohio which i loved gas was 1.99 there and here in this rat hole town it is or was over the summer $2.53 now it is ranging around $3.68 last night wen we went to home depot we are going back to Fostoria this summer and Akron for the skatepark, quaker oats hotell bieng right next to the CSX tracks (love it) and the algoma central railroad if i proniunced it right in akron OH i am riding my bike to go see trains now and then so my parents dont have to start their gas guzzeler to go see a train and use about a half a gallon to go see it all so we can go to Ohio
So far, all the extra railfanning this year has been to & from my daughter's home in western Arkansas- we took a side trip to Heavener, OK to catch KCS action, and I had my sons feed the deer at the local park. As a concession to them, I got eats at the local drive-in. If I do any more railfanning, most likely it'll be down to Denton or Saginaw. Still........I probably need to chase some UP on the former Katy line, and it's only up in Denison..........
To put things into perspective, here in the UK, petrol (gas) has just recently broken through the £5 per imperial gallon barrier (4.54 litres) That $10 / gallon! Needless to say, these days I have to really think about any trips I make in the car.
There is no reason for the high cost of gas. There is no shortage of oil or supply and the demand here in the US has dropped over the past year. Yet the price keeps going up. The oil companies are making record profits and are gouging the public in every country. $10 per gallon in the UK that's obscene. European countries have heavy taxes on gas so I've heard and in the UK the tax is around $5 per gallon. Correct me if I'm wrong. The tax here in Oregon is from the federal and state. There is no sales tax so our price is ten cents per gallon less than across the river in Washington. That helps but the price is about $1.50 over what it should be.
As a matter of interest, here in the UK tax accounts for over 70% of the retail cost of a gallon of fuel - say $7 in a $10 gallon. Now you know why we are fed up with it.
Well it keeps me closer to the house to do so. Thank goodness I have a UP Yard near by so I limit my Railfanning to it more now than I did in the past. I used to venture out to neighboring towns prior to the prices going through the roof. By when travel is planned for other purposes I always bring a camera and try to plan the trip to follow the Rail whenever possible. So best put it just requires slightly more planning than before i guess.
No changes for me. 95% of my railfanning is at the Dorval ViaRail station where there is(are?) the 2 main east-west lines for both CN and CP. ViaRail uses 1 of the 2 CN lines and AMT, the commuter line, runs on 1 of the 2 CP. On an average day, a little over 100 trains every 24 hours. Dorval is roughly 8 km/5 miles from where I live. Gas is $1.35 a litre right now, and my Chevy HHR has a 2.1 liter engine with great mileage, about 8 liters per 100 km highway (30 miles per imperial gallon). On a related subject, why do the gas prices change 4-5 times a day? Dave.
Good point. I wonder what attendance will be like at the NMRA convention this year in Anaheim. I was planning on making it a road trip to do lots of railfanning en route, but the cost of gasoline alone looks like a formidable investment. A lot of people live in the LA area, but how many people will come from Michigan, Arkansas, or Pennsylvania? Airfares are being impacted by rising fuel prices as well, so maybe everything will take a hit, from regionals, where many people come by car, to national conventions.
I'm looking really close at how and where to railfan. Finding one good spot and staying there instead of running around to different locations. Firechief, I've got an HHR too. Great gas mileage and really comfortable.
