Have high gas prices affected your participation in the hobby?

[Tom The Brat]

Remember, the bike doesn't run well on diet[;)]

[vsmith]

Hehehe, I'll stick to Mountain Dew and Pepsi, $1 a liter, cheaper than gas, now if they could invent a machine that ran off caffine.....?

D'OH I forgot, its called a bike![:p]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

Oh Oh, that means long lines and fist fights to get that Mocha Latte Decaf with Soy Milk which will now be $10 instead of $5 at Starbucks![}:)]

Decaf coffee ?
Isn't that a bit like drinking non-alcohol beer.
Believe me.You need a beer to get over the experience [:D]

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by RhB_HJ

QUOTE: Originally posted by markn

Just a little off topic-but the wife tried to get some bananas at the store today and they are out with no stock due in-seems Gulfport Miss is the main US entry port for them-so stand by, $3.10 for gas may be just be the first of the impact.

Hi Mark,

Apparently N.O. is also a major entry/distribution point for coffee, which could be worse than missing the bananas. [;)][;)]

BTW there was a small note in the press in the "Great White North" that train loads of softwood lumber and beef are ready to roll, just as soon as "we" get the word. [;)][:)][;)]
Yep, that's Off Topic, but very topical in some parts of Western Canada.[;)][:)][;)]

Oh Oh, that means long lines and fist fights to get that Mocha Latte Decaf with Soy Milk which will now be $10 instead of $5 at Starbucks![}:)]

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Shouldn't really have any long term effect on your bananas. Wilm, DE is really the biggest import port for them with other places being Charleston, Tampa, the now defunct Gulfport & New Orleans, one of the ports over in Texas(Maybe Corpus Christi?), & a couple over on the Left Coast.

Once roads are reopened for trucking the containers and the logisitics of diversion are
worked out they should be in plentiful supply again.

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by markn

Just a little off topic-but the wife tried to get some bananas at the store today and they are out with no stock due in-seems Gulfport Miss is the main US entry port for them-so stand by, $3.10 for gas may be just be the first of the impact.

Hi Mark,

Apparently N.O. is also a major entry/distribution point for coffee, which could be worse than missing the bananas. [;)][;)]

BTW there was a small note in the press in the "Great White North" that train loads of softwood lumber and beef are ready to roll, just as soon as "we" get the word. [;)][:)][;)]
Yep, that's Off Topic, but very topical in some parts of Western Canada.[;)][:)][;)]

[markn]

Just a little off topic-but the wife tried to get some bananas at the store today and they are out with no stock due in-seems Gulfport Miss is the main US entry port for them-so stand by, $3.10 for gas may be just be the first of the impact.

[Tom The Brat]

Paid 3.10 yesterday. That's a little bit down from what it was. I only heard one report of lines in this mostly empty part of Illinois.

[Capt Bob Johnson]

People coming to thier senses around here and prices are dropping. After all, we are in the #2 refining center in the nation, thus have lower transportation costs than most.
Last week price at a few stations along the shore was up to $3.69 (I saw 1 at $3.89), by Saturday had gone down to $3.29, yesterday were down to $3.18! As prices were raised 4 or 5 times in one day, what has happend between the close of business Friday and Sunday evening of Labor Day Weekend to cause a 50 cent drop in price??? I think a bunch of people hit the panic button! Bet it's back under $3 by Wednesday!

[underworld]

It definately has affected me. Since the beginning of May when the trans went out on my diesel and I had to start driving my gas burner, I have spent over $2400 on gasoline. That would be about $800 - $900 in diesel (due to the better mileage of the diesel car) At least when I had the diesel to drive it didn't seem quite as bad. With fuel costs up that means trucking/air cargo/shipping is up. So whether you buy at the local store or online or mail order.....everything is going to cost more.....and many things have already gone up some time ago. [xx(]

underworld

[Capt Bob Johnson]

HJ
I rode trains for many years. Lived on Media local line from 30th St. Philly to Media for 4 years; and then another 8 years out past Media. For work rode main line PRR from 30th St to Wilm, DE for 25 years. In Ice season when boats couldn't come alongside in canal, rode PRR Philly to Balt & reverse.

1 coal train a week in Slower Lower DE does not cut the mustard for getting around!

Been saying that with all the state workers who commute from down here to Dover, they ought to get an RDC and try a worker's commuter train from So. DE to Dover, and if that works then try one up to Wilm.

[Tom The Brat]

Been walking the last couple days. Left the car sitting behind the shop.

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Capt Bob Johnson

Allan,
Don't forget taxes, tax taxes, and tax on the tax tax!!

Most of that is why they developed the smaller engined, lighter, and more efficient cars that they drive. I'm no longer 18, I wouldn't want to drive from Philly to Chicago shoehorned into a VW Beetle with 4 friends at this stage of my life!

Bob,

You wouldn't need to, unless you want that retro feel.[;)][:)]

BTW the Philly to Chicago distance on a European type train would be no stress, seeing the scenery go by, playing cards, reading a book, talking with "strangers" etc. etc. Just like in Arlo Guthrie's "City of New Orleans", but with a modern feel.

As far as getting "from one end of town to the other" is concerned; the last time I did any driving in Switzerland or anywhere else in Europe was 1972. For me it's public transit: trains, streetcars, trolley buses etc. etc.
No muss, no fuss.

And yes; high gas prices, road taxes, licensing fees and insurance rates see to it that public transit gets plenty of use.
OTOH on a train trip you get the chance to talk with complete strangers - provided you're not too shy and haven't forgotten how to do that since you're always cocooned in a tincan called "car".

[GP-9_Man11786]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Chompers

All though i don't drive... gas is up to $3.29 in NY.

Here in New Paltz, NY it's $3.49 at station right by I-87. The trick is to get gas away from the major highway where it is often a dime cheaper. Residents of the garden state have it cheaper on the turnpike because they can onl;y change the price once a week. But in NY the tax is 48 cents per allon. When will they learn that this tax is only hurting the economy?

[Chompers]

All though i don't drive... gas is up to $3.29 in NY.

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Allan,
Don't forget taxes, tax taxes, and tax on the tax tax!!

Most of that is why they developed the smaller engined, lighter, and more efficient cars that they drive. I'm no longer 18, I wouldn't want to drive from Philly to Chicago shoehorned into a VW Beetle with 4 friends at this stage of my life!

[Anonymous]

Folks overseas have long paid more for gas than we do in the U.S. But there are a number of factors that tend to even things out a bit. For one thing, typical driving (commuting) distances are much smaller in other countries than they are in the U.S. Also, folks in other countries also tend to drive smaller and more gas-efficient cars. And, a food portion of the taxes they pay for gas are used to support a well-developed and highly-used public transit system--a feature woefully missing in the U.S.

Furthermore, in the U.S. we have oil resources available that would, if developed, afford us far less dependency on foreign oil (if we were just smart, realistic, or reasonable enough to exploit those resources). As I understand it, just about all the oil and gas used in Europe and Great Britain has to come from somewhere else.

All of these factors, and probably a few more, account for the additional cost of gas and oil paid by those living outside the U.S.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: We are now paying a few cents under $7 a gallon, please don't moan to much about your prices, your petrol is dirt cheap.
Cheers,
Kim

Listen to them Kim.[:o)]
Where I live it costs $7.71 a gallon.

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Back in the 70's the siphon theives were out in force. I learned not to get a locking gas cap as so many people did. The local gas station made a fortune replacing gas tanks cause if people locked them the theives just poked a hole or two in the tanks with an icepick to drain them. Locks are only for honest people!

[Anonymous]

Here in Ohio it reached $3.29 cents a gallon today! I heard it may double, just in case I filled bothe my trucks $ 73.00 in one and $106.00 in the other also topped the wifes off for another $40.00!
My two trucks ought to keep me away from the pump for 3 weeks[;)] Local stations here (privately owned/franchise) have been told no gas for 3 weeks possibly, my take is that corprate owned stations are first served.


Today was not a good day.[V]

[Anonymous]

I will just have more time to run my trains and get more things done around the house.
, at $3.19 a gallon , when my pick up insurance runs out at the end of October
i'm taking it off the road. on a fixed income it's starting to hurt . their will not be to many new train things here this year any more. ben[censored]

[Anonymous]

Floating Capt,

I have always believed that newer more productive and better environmental refineries could be constructed designed by modern engineers to standards better than those older ones that had to be retrofitted for modern environmental and production needs.

The time has came...15 new refineries through out the South...Texas to Virgina to Florida....and West , California, New Mexico and Arizona.

[Capt Bob Johnson]

We can moan and complain about gas prices, but it's warm weather still; what happens in a month or so and the cold weather comes? Just wait til people see the prices on fuels for heating!

Let all those NIMBYs who have blocked refinery construction in this country for so long now take great pride in thier work! I just hope they lose thier fingers and toes to frostbite before I do!

[bman36]

Hey there,
We climbed to $1.18 Canadian a litre today. Last fall it was .80 cents. My plans were to attend the Midwest Large Scale show Aristo is having next spring. If this keeps up it will pretty much kill those plans for sure. Enough is enough for sure. [tdn] Later eh...Brian.

[ttrigg]

A few weeks ago I would have driven right past my local Michaels, down the road about 20 miles farther to another Michaels (6 times larger.) Now if the Michaels (4 blocks away) does not have it, so be it. But since my Doctors office is 2 blocks beyond the big Micheals, and I had an appointment the the Doc, Yes I stopped by the big Michaels, also hit Value Craft to drool with anticipation of my planning to try to convince "she who must be obeyed" that we need the Aristo-Craft D&RGW Micado. Its $500 price tag is WAY above my authorized purchase limit without her per-approval.

Yesterday I finally was able to get her approval on an "Egg Liner", but ONLY after I completed certain other tasks around the house. Should have everything done on her list by the time we go to Andersons Nursery for some vegitation for Rosebudfalls GRR, (inside the store thay have a decent amount of LGB and others. AND a massive GRR display, (the main reason I like going "plant shopping" with her. To me a plant means that awful 4-letter word WORK!

[Gavin Sowry]

As of lunch time today, the cheapest gas here in N.Z. is equal to $US8.80 / US gallon. It is starting to hurt. Last weekend, I only attended 1 day of a 2 day model meet some 50 miles away. I'm having second thoughts about chasing a Steam run next weekend. May have to stay real local, like model layout in the garage, or garden line if it doesn't rain, and the steam train...I'll just literally climb up on my back fence. My sympathies to all those rail modellers in the Gulf States by the way.

[Tom The Brat]

I'm just trying to figure out how to aviod driving from one end of town to the other 3 times each day[|(]

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Ah, the psycological trick is to buy enough big oil shares that your dividend checks cover your fuel expenses, then you won't care about the prices.

Yesterday my wife was pulling into the station to fuel up and price on sign said $2.75,by time car ahead of her finished and she pulled up to pump sign had changed to $2.89; and the lady in store was hollering out to man changing sign to make it $3.09. Pump prices were dancing as fast as big sign prices!

Guess I'll just harvest those soybeans in the South forty & squeeze them into oil for biodiesel!

Might think a bit on how to reroute several stops into one trip, but otherwise won't affect me!

[Anonymous]

I plan to discover all the "Less expensive" short cuts...maybe start building some rolling stock and other things that I might normally buy...

Now, remember, oil company economists have said that the higher oil prices will not effect the world economy. (yeah right!!!)

I'm sure the various divisions of LGB will be feeling it this quarter...