We just fill the tank once a week.
We go to the hobby shop once a month.
We dont plan to cut our driving until 9-12 dollars a gallon at which point, all hobby spending shifts to internet only. Not hard to wave a credit card and whistle at the Brown Truck to deliver some discontinued, long out of production, never to be made again widget.
Fortunately, I have plenty of stuff accumulated over the years. Even if I didn't buy another thing I could model railroad for years. The result is that for the past couple of years I have been more selective and buying less. So this doesn't affect the hobby much. But I am starting to cut down on trips and eating out.
Enjoy
Paul
The gas prices hasn't hurt my hobby any nor will it other then making supply trips to my not so local hobby shop will be turned over to the UPS man when he brings my normal monthly order.
All of my major railfan trips is still a "go"..No need in giving up on life's few pleasures completely.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Not so much!! I just did a two week driving vacation down the coast, Napa, etc. to as far as LA. 5000 kms (3000 miles) - $800 for gas in my pig of a Jeep Commander Limited with a Hemi. More than I'd like to pay, but it doesn't really affect my overall finances much.
David
Not at all. Although I have a medium-sized SUV, I drive less than half the national average so it isn't a large element of my budget. Besides, I just finished paying my childrens' college expenses so that my disposable income will be higher than before. With gas at $4.30-.45 here, one does pause at the thought of gas costing more than 25 cents a mile. Good thing I don't have a diesel. Diesel fuel costs over $5 a gallon here (central California).
Mark
The price of gas has not really cut into my MR budget, I do car pool to the model railroad club with a friend. I do think twice about going long distances though. It normally takes about $50 to fill up my SUV(no, I am not selling it, this is rural Minnesota), and I usually put in 5 tanks/month. At least work is only a 5 minute drive, and I can work from home at least 2 days/week. I have friends who have a 45 mile drive to work!
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
galaxy wrote:Actually, we have been looking into the Yaris. They have air and auto, but Doesn't seem to come with cruise control, though, a requirement. -G
Actually, we have been looking into the Yaris. They have air and auto, but Doesn't seem to come with cruise control, though, a requirement.
-G
It appears to be available in a couple different options, so it should also be able to be added after market......
Mine was under $14,000 delivered including registration. Paid for by my Uncle. You may know him, Sam? Was able (thanks to a member of another forum) to get survivors SS this year so i was able to keep the truck and and buy a new car.
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
howmus wrote:Not at all here as well. I was able to get a new car that allows me to leave the 16 MPG truck parked in the driveway. The car is averaging around 37 MPG so I am spending less on gas than I was a year ago..... Oh don't tell someone....you know who, but it is one of those terrible Toyotas..... It is a Yaris and I can even still cart a whole lot home from the LHS in it (as well as all the equipment needed to do on location recordings).
Actually, we have been looking into the Yaris. They have air and auto, but Doesn't seem to come with cruise control, though, a requirement. The Chevy Aveo has our interest as well.
We are hoping to also move further out into the country, which will mean more gas used to get around, so a high MPG car is a must.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
I don't go to the hobby store as much. I go to the one in town for misc. items, but the one I go to for train cars is about 15 miles away. I don't go due to gas, and thats the cars I use on Ebay. I look at it as why waste gas money for a few train cars.
Other than that, its not effecting my hobby that bad, but more on the other things (food, entertainment, etc).
"Rust, whats not to love?"
With gas at $4 a gal here, and up everywhere, how has it impacted your RR hobby?
We like to go on steam excursions, and visit train museums. However this summer we may not be able to do much with the price of gas what it is. We are at the NY/PA border, and will do another excursion at Steamtown Nat'l park (a long hour away).
BUT, we were hoping to go to Strasburg PA and Steam RR again (4 hours away and an overnight away), and to go to W VA to Cass railroad (overnight and 2 day trip itself) and ride with the Shays and Climax trains. We were also hoping to go to Baltimore C & O museum.
The price of gas, though, has already put a kink in our budget and will definitely mean we may have to forget the other trips this summer. If we do manage to go, there will definitely be less $$$ to spend on the model RR hobby here at home, most likely:NONE if we take the trips.
SO, how has/will the price of gas affected your hobby??