Nostalgia & History > Worlds Colliding - Car People and Train People...

Featured on the car enthusiast site Autoblog today is an article on the SP's Vert-a-Pac car haulers used to ship Chevy Vegas (hence this post in the Nostalgia and History section, for lack of anywhere better).

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/01/vert-a-pac-train-cars-kept-your-chevy-vegas-price-in-check/

In addition to this train thing, I'm also a big "car guy" and spend a lot of my hobby time (and dollars...) on my automotive hobby. Most would consider an interest in cars to be a lot more "mainstream" than an interest in trains, and for this reason, I always find it interesting to see a specialized railroad topic like this make an appearance in a mainstream auto enthusiast website. And I also find it interesting that, in reading the comments, it's very clear that there are a lot of car enthusiasts who are also train enthusiasts, or at least individuals knowledgeable about trains. Some of those comments may have even come from others on Trainorders.

In one of my previous jobs, I was the product designer for Microsoft's Train Simulator. We always knew through our market research that those people who liked, say, airplanes, were pre-disposed to like cars, trains, boats, and other vehicles, In other words, customers of Flight Simulator were potential customers for Train Simulator. I used to categories these folks as liking "big, heavy metal things that move" when describing our prospective audience to our software development team and others in the company. So in a sense, these ares of hobby interest are of interest to me.

So out of curiosity, how many of you out there are also car enthusiasts? I'm not talking passive interest, mind, you, but rather full-blown cars-are-a-hobby sort of thing. Maybe you collect cars, race cars, rebuild cars, or polish cars. Share the details if you want.

-Rick

Rick Selby
Redmond, WA
Pacific Northwest RPM



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/13 16:36 by RAS.

Hi Rick,

Interesting topic. Considering I spent the better part of 25+ years in the automotive and motorsports industries, I probably should be more of a car guy than I am. I definitely have my biased opinions on automotive topics, much of that driven by "insider knowledge". And I am a die hard Formula 1 fan. But other than that, I eschew "project vehicles" and tinkering with cars in general. I especially dislike vintage cars, which is odd given my appreciation for vintage railroad equipment.

However, when you mention certain folks as liking "big, heavy metal things that move" that DEFINITELY personifies my twin sons. I hope that stays with them into adulthood.

If I had unlimited funds, I'd need a multi-story garage for all the cars I'd have! Working on cars is good stress relief, and cars are sturdier and have bigger parts than HO model trains so not as tedious to work on. It's fun to work on your car then test drive it down to the RR tracks, best of both worlds.

Another railfan started laughing one day when I mentioned having written a book about traffic on the local rivers just after we'd been talking about a World War II B-17 flyover. If it's old and moves, I like it. I'm not good at cars beyond basic maintenance, but do admit to a wish for a Stanley Steamer I could drive around.

Rick, you know my history -- a couple decades of running, restoring, or refurbing vintage road iron. A pretty eclectic collection of daily drivers, from pushbutton DeSoto and Chrysler, to Bosch mechanical injection Benz, to Kennedy-era Continental, to ragtop VW Type I Cabriolet. (I always crossed the line.)

I always love a train story in a car rag, or something about cars in an airplane journal. And usually the accounts have some bonehead error, when you'd think that there'd be some respect for similar disciplines -- and maybe a moment's research or a phone call before typing!

Old cars belong with old trains for the presentation aspect, and those cooperative events are usually a big hit -- although the slightly disconnected sight of a restored F-unit behind a couple too-shiny Model A Fords is more common than not. I'm hoping when the PLA does the rollout of the Krauss-Maffei ML4000 that we can invite the participation of local car clubs to bring a select assortment of American and European iron from the "USA KM Years" of 1961-1968. I think that'd be a gas, pun intended!

I also enjoy following the contemporary auto and rail tech scenes. Technology is leaping, and it's fascinating to watch the latest solutions to the endless battle between emissions and power. Autos are better than ever, and I would venture to say so are locomotives. And tightening regulations have served to make the responses more clever. It's fantastic to see locomotive and car manufacturers alike push the envelope. We all benefit.

Funny... when I needed a break from cars, I got back into the rail scene. Now when I need a 'break' from trains, I get a car mag. And when I need a break from both of those, I grab a copy of "Flying" or look through the latest Sporty's Pilot Shop catalog. (And by the way... there's good and useful stuff in there for car folks and train folks too.)

Good thread topic, RAS...

~ BZ



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/13 14:30 by Notch16.

I always wished I had an old Dodge Power Wagon to railfan in, one from 1956, be cool to have a car as old as I am.

I guess I'm a bit of a car geek, I got 352,000 miles on the my 2005 Grand Cherokee, but she's started to burn some oil.

Been a car guy all my life. See my 1949 Ford railfanning vehicle attached. I'm only the second owner. First owner was the Nevada Highway Dept. I've had it since 1973.
Bill Pyper
Salem, OR

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There's something a bit ironic about all that protection for the Chevy Vega which had a very poor reputation at the time.

Nevertheless, I appreciate the link illustrating how the automobiles fit into that freight car.

1) My 1941 Chevrolet at Orange Empire back around 1971. When the Chevy was new, its home was in Monrovia, next to the Pacific Electric line where PE freight motor 1624 or one of its mates hauled the daily gravel train.

2) In 2009 Orange Empire hosted the Antique Truck gathering. Here I'm riding a 1919 Moreland (built in Los Angeles) on Broadway.

3) And here's why we veered to the right--LARy 665 (built by St. Louis Car Co. in 1911) has right of way, both by age and weight.

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By the way RAS, you might recall I had a Montero Sport like you. In fact, I was on my third one. Turned in my '97 4WD XLS for a '99 4WD Limited. Sold that with 230K on it, but still running strong, and bought a low mileage used 2003 AWD XLS with a limited slip. Outstanding vehicle.

Alas, it was too small and my latest one was getting a little too tired for the rigors of the California to Alaska commute. So I sold it and bought a new 4WD 5.7L Tundra, which is in the process of getting a number of upgrades as I prepare for my next trip up. Amazingly enough, the Tundra with it's 5.7 V8 gets better mileage on the highway than the Montero with the 3.6 V6 ever did. We won't talk about around town mileage though. ;-)

Here's my last Montero Sport, shot in Nor Cal (Plumas County) on my last trip to Alaska last March. It was an awesome vehicle but there was no Mitsubishi service or parts support in Alaska so it had to go. And here's the Tundra, barely a month old and bone stock on the way down through Canada last fall.

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I nominate Photobob, anyone who used an MG to chase trains has the afflictions of both hobbies.

However I do remember watching SP No 98, the Daylight, while working as a flagman at the Santa Barbara Road Races (held at the Goleta airport).

trainjunkie Wrote:
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> By the way RAS, you might recall I had a Montero
> Sport like you.

I do indeed remember! I'm still running my '98 Montero Sport. 130K miles and it just keeps going. No mechanical issues, other than new ball joints at 100K. Even the clutch is original. I don't drive it as much as I used to anymore, but do use it frequently for "snow and tow" and the occasional road trip. In fact, just last week I was offroading it on Washington beaches near Moclips. No plans to sell it at point - it's "fully depreciated" and, frankly, worth far more to me to keep than I'd get for it if I were to sell. The pic is probably 5-6 years old now, but it looks the same today.

The rest of my automotive fleet is a bit more sporting in nature, and speaks with a Bavarian accent....

-Rick

Rick Selby
Redmond, WA
Pacific Northwest RPM

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I'm restoring a 1940 Chevy 3/4 T, long wheel base, stepside pu. upkpfan

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That 1949 Ford F-1--does it "whistle"? When those trucks were new, they made a distinctive sound, especially when going over the grade crossing by our house (from slowing down and speeding up). I figured it was from the air rushing through the opening in the front of the hood and coming out on the sides.

I've always been passionate about both railroads & old cars/trucks. A couple of years ago, I got started on fixing up this 1983 KW, hope to have it looking decent in time for the big ATHS show in Yakima at the end of May.

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