Favorite rail trip vehicle

butch · December 18, 2010, 10:12:50 PM

Here is my 263,000 mile, 4-wheel drive-less Voyager van that has been and out of places that Jeeps fear to tread.

Butch

dragonoz · January 03, 2011, 05:43:28 PM

Here is my 1997 Chevy S10 4x4

ATF1224 · January 21, 2011, 06:45:56 PM

Matt L · January 23, 2011, 03:33:18 PM

i'm starting to think that I might be one of the few railfans who doesn't own a truck...

E.M. Bell · April 02, 2011, 09:59:00 PM

Well..my trusty Chevy that has not run for a year now is officaly on the dead line, and Carmon's Matrix is fixing to have a much easier life on the weekends. We went and got a 2004 Ford Explorer 4 x 4 today. We found one with low miles, and in awesome shape. Best part, its solid Black, just like a good locomotive should be and Henry Ford intended :they can have any color they want, as long as it black"

Already planning out the radios and electronics that need to go in it, and I think it just might look pretty good with a white band and gold stripe around the bottom

Ptrainman · April 02, 2011, 10:09:47 PM

Looks good there E.M. May have to shell out a few more dollars for gas though. ;D Atleast you will have more room for radios and equipment.

JCagle · April 04, 2011, 10:08:39 PM

Now he's gonna have to put more radios in it than Jake has in his! I'm surprised nobody has added a built in computer yet!

E.M. Bell · April 05, 2011, 07:54:31 PM

A friend and JREB member sent me this, as a suggestion as to what he thinks I need to do with it...scary part is, he has the resources at his disposal TO do it..and knows where I live. I am gonna be rather nervous parking in the driveway overnight now

I wouldn't put it past him..
TO much horse....

billworsham · April 05, 2011, 07:57:55 PM

Believe it or not..I had the same image in mind, of a catfish explorer for EM's new vehicle!!! Now you just need a 9000 number on your doors lol!!

E.M. Bell · April 05, 2011, 08:01:54 PM

Quote from: billworsham on April 05, 2011, 07:57:55 PM
Believe it or not..I had the same image in mind, of a catfish explorer for EM's new vehicle!!! Now you just need a 9000 number on your doors lol!!

May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your pubic hair....Id rather drive a dodge

E.M. Bell · April 05, 2011, 10:17:34 PM

I was thinking more in line with a nice imitation aluminum strip with a gold band across the bottom myself

Dieselfan · April 06, 2011, 08:46:49 PM

If Emmett was to put a 9000 # on the door, he would also have to burn all the paint off down the side, to give it that true GE toaster look! lol

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897

E.M. Bell · April 28, 2011, 08:25:47 PM

This past Sunday, Gordon and myself spent the afternoon installing a couple of radios in the Explorer. First up was Two holes in the roof for antennas, and then the radios went in. A Motorola M1225 for RR stuff (and it will do the new channels with no problem) and a Yaesu FT2900 for 2 meters (ham) and RR stuff as well.

I had wanted to mount the Motorola in the console to fill up a blank space, but once we got the dash apart, we quickly discovered that was not going to work. The AC/heat ducts for the rear seats where in the way, so Gordon modified a mounting bracket and it went where you see it. Everything is in easy reach, and works well. Both radios have awesome receivers in them, so we should be good to go....I am ready for a few road trips now!

Matt L · June 21, 2012, 08:10:40 PM

This is my trusty chase vehicle- a 1999 Saturn SL2 with over 177,600 miles on the odometer. When I bought the old girl in October of 2010, she had a little over 150,000 miles. Care to guess how I rack up the miles? Hmmm...

Photo taken by me Monday 6/11/2012 in Himrod, NY... next to a non-flammable GE.

NSMoWandS · June 21, 2012, 09:38:15 PM

Since I live only a mile from Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and NS's Delmarva Secondary, and 3.1 miles from CSX's Philly sub... I use a bicycle! Good exercise, can travel faster down main street when it is clogged with traffic... and since I live in a college town... I can go real slow to check out the scenery!

stillbre · June 22, 2012, 12:10:34 PM

My current railfan vehicle is a 2003 Nissan Maxima. So far, the car has been bullet proof. It has 230K miles on it. Just had to replace the battery and alternator and put a new set of tires on it. Regular oil and filter changes and it's still kicking like a pissed off mule. With 265hp at the front wheels it can run down anything with steel wheels on steel rails. I'm putting about 3K miles a week on it right now commuting back and forth to the coast for work. It is finally starting to show some age though. A few electrical issues popping up here and there but still mechanically sound. Starting to save up to replace it.
The replacement will most likely be fueled by the same thing that is in the fuel tanks of the trains I chase. I just haven't decided which badge will be on the tail gate.
My wife just got a new railfan vehicle though. Or at least that's what I'm using it for. Brand new, 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. I can't permanently mount a radio in it or anything. But it holds all the camera equipment one could ever need in the back. Can't wait until we have an opportunity to take it up to the mountains and put the 4X4 to good use.

Matt L · July 19, 2012, 08:30:58 PM

Quote from: NSMoWandS on June 21, 2012, 09:38:15 PM
Since I live only a mile from Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and NS's Delmarva Secondary, and 3.1 miles from CSX's Philly sub... I use a bicycle! Good exercise, can travel faster down main street when it is clogged with traffic... and since I live in a college town... I can go real slow to check out the scenery!

OK, I'm jealous!