I tried to give up flying several years ago- figured the law of averages was close to being fulfilled. So I drove , on business, CA to UT, NV, and even TX, and there are railroads to see along some of the way. I tired of driving 200 miles to OC when I had to, tried the train and noticed I had to make an additional overnight in order to do so. I'm tired of driving. I go days without starting the car. I DO realize that there are lots of folks who must take a job that requires the use of gasoline and any artificial means of raising the price is anathema to me.
But I thought about trains and planned but put off a road trip . I wanted to take a few more last chance shots of coal trains running on streetcar headway, and maybe catch an oil train from the Bakken or WY. so I finally got out . I freaked about the weather forecasts- which turned out dead wrong, Changed all the details but I did get to PRB and did shoot a coupla oil moves, and did so after the gas prices eased a bit- call it a farewell tour. I did notice that I've learned that there is a hell of a long drive on I-40 between Winslow and Gallup and Thoreau to hwy 6 and anticipation isn't enough to counter the boredom. So I had lots of time to muse about rail things. Such as , Did free enterprise make an end run around ideology in the Bakken? Was that helped as a deal by YKW to repay Buffet a favor via BNSF? Or am I getting too close to conspiracy theories.
I did enjoy a previous poster who explained human nature. Which explains history so far , and it amazes me that such information can be ignored by socialists and folks who think if we're just nice others can't help but be nice right back at us. Then a Putin or a Caliph comes along and oh golly that's not nice.
SO now that it's a lot more affordable [ maybe the motel at Bill has lowered its rate from $150 per night if the drillers have left] and in a coupla weeks when chance of freezing to death is somewhat less, and old 66 reopens between Ludlow and Amboy, and the Enlarged Panama Canal siphons off the containers [ surpriiiiiiise west coast longshore workers] I recommend a road trip east along the Transcon , north up the Las Animas Sub and maybe the Joint line and from there LOTS of choices. Follow UP east from CHeyenne and double back to Alliance [ might even be a motel room there now- none when I went] and on to PRB. I'd go this spring tho'- no telling what conditions will be in another 6 months. And speaking of the future, someday the sun will explode and destroy the earth whatever the weather, or life on same may be. Well DANG there goes Solar. If only I knew the when I could make a bundle