Random Thoughts Thread

[Drew Dowdell]

10 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

You're not wrong, at all. 

So stop it.

[ccap41]

1 minute ago, Drew Dowdell said:

So stop it.

Yes, sir. 

[A Horse With No Name]

45 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Unfortunately, it's no longer possible to disconnect politics from automotive. There once was a time when the U.S. government just set safety and efficiency standards and let the rest of automotive go about its day.   Now we have an activist government that is breaking apart decades or even century old auto manufacturing supply chains to try and score political points without any contingency plans in place.  It has forced our closest trading partners into an "enemy of my enemy is my friend" stance and pushed them to make deals with China instead of us.  It has undone progress the prior administration made in bringing manufacturing back to the US via EV regulations, entirely counter to the current admin's stated goals.   It's all just so stupid and unnecessary, but there's no way to avoid it anymore. 

I too long for the days when we could just complain about CAFE standard or the weight gained from improving crash scores.

Hence my transition into hiking and biking. I would love to be an enthusiast, but overall, so many things headed in the wrong direction for me. 

[Drew Dowdell]

1 minute ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Hence my transition into hiking and biking. I would love to be an enthusiast, but overall, so many things headed in the wrong direction for me. 

It's painful to be an auto enthusiast these days. All of the fighting over stupid political shit is such a turn off.  Like what you like and don't yuk other people's yums.

[surreal1272]

15 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

It's painful to be an auto enthusiast these days. All of the fighting over stupid political $h! is such a turn off.  Like what you like and don't yuk other people's yums.

Same. I have no problem with a little auto related politics but most of the last few months here has been basically a bunch of “F America” nonsense with no real substance. Just trolling is all it is and at 52 years old, I have better things to do than to constantly sift through the same nonsense just to read something of actual interest. 

[A Horse With No Name]

18 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

It's painful to be an auto enthusiast these days. All of the fighting over stupid political $h! is such a turn off.  Like what you like and don't yuk other people's yums.

it's painful because former fun things like SCCA racing and autocrossing are also full of political banter, as is the vintage car show scene. 

1 minute ago, surreal1272 said:

Same. I have no problem with a little auto related politics but most of the last few months here has been basically a bunch of “F America” nonsense with no real substance. Just trolling is all it is and at 52 years old, I have better things to do than to constantly sift through the same nonsense just to read something of actual interest. 

If you live your life in a constant state of rage, you have let the evil bastards win. Going to live life to the fullest. I used to be 66 Stang on here....was born in 65. In 1965, Gulf of Tonkin and the Vietnam war was just starting up. Were I to be an enthusiast in 1965/1966, I would just go buy a Mustang Fastback or GTO or something. 

The problem now is that the interesting stuff is often not available here, or that ideas are dying out. Balthazar, god rest his soul, would tell you the vintage scene is not dying out, it is, slowly but surely as the folks that bought muscle cars new age out. The autocross and sport compact scene also. People are still building cars, but much fewer. 

For me, interesting means gets me to the hike and bike thing safely and efficiently with a little bit of style. 

[A Horse With No Name]

As a guy who played with tires under a Mini Cooper S and a Miata, and also playing with bike tire sizes, its interesting the parallels in tire technology and rolling resistance. 

 

 

Edited 4 hours ago by A Horse With No Name

[A Horse With No Name]

Interesting aviation perspective. 

 

Interesting take on the technology of high speed steam locomotives, and their limitations. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

The future is here, the only constant is change. 

 

[trinacriabob]

Just for its humor value, the guy that was running for mayor of New York City who had 16 cats in his apartment got 16% of the vote.  For being as eccentric as he was, it was surprising to see that he was the GOP candidate.  

He's got quite the local accent, so the whole kit of parts is really quirky.

Probably an interesting guy to talk to.

[A Horse With No Name]

9 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

Just for its humor value, the guy that was running for mayor of New York City who had 16 cats in his apartment got 16% of the vote.  For being as eccentric as he was, it was surprising to see that he was the GOP candidate.  

He's got quite the local accent, so the whole kit of parts is really quirky.

Probably an interesting guy to talk to.

I would love to sit down and have lunch with him. Miss greatly the pre MAGA days of interesting and quirky conservative folks. And I love cats!

[trinacriabob]

3 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

There used to be less of the childish political back and forth back then too. The increase in these posts has an effect on overall participation here. Sorry it has come to this @Drew Dowdell.

You're right.  At the time, the forum was more GM-centric and all of the car divisions were around, with Oldsmobile just having exited.  The Canadians on here were just like the Americans and they themselves also had a long history with GM cars that they owned or that their families had owned.

Some of these folks were interesting, and even funny.  One such person was a Torontonian who had held a lot of different jobs, one of which was selling GM cars.  He took us back to the Toronto that had a sizable middle class thriving there, unlike the very expensive Toronto of today.  He told quite a few ribald stories, sometimes oversharing, but they made for interesting reading.  He had a significant other from Brazil, so he began dividing his time between Toronto and Brazil and then participated less and less.  But he made some eye opening posts!

Yep, it was just normal back and forth car stuff - commenting about mostly ICE coupes and sedans that were still around - or just random daily cartoon strip stuff that was happening in our lives.

During this period, I met one of the more understated Canadians on the forum when I was in Canada on vacation and he had recently picked up a babied rust-free Cutlass Supreme colonnade. That meeting was a good experience.

[A Horse With No Name]

15 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

You're right.  At the time, the forum was more GM-centric and all of the car divisions were around, with Oldsmobile just having exited.  The Canadians on here were just like the Americans and they themselves also had a long history with GM cars that they owned or that their families had owned.

Some of these folks were interesting, and even funny.  One such person was a Torontonian who had held a lot of different jobs, one of which was selling GM cars.  He took us back to the Toronto that had a sizable middle class thriving there, unlike the very expensive Toronto of today.  He told quite a few ribald stories, sometimes oversharing, but they made for interesting reading.  He had a significant other from Brazil, so he began dividing his time between Toronto and Brazil and then participated less and less.  But he made some eye opening posts!

Yep, it was just normal back and forth car stuff - commenting about mostly ICE coupes and sedans that were still around - or just random daily cartoon strip stuff that was happening in our lives.

During this period, I met one of the more understated Canadians on the forum when I was in Canada on vacation and he had recently picked up a babied rust-free Cutlass Supreme colonnade. That meeting was a good experience.

Carbiz had a lot of good to say, last I knew, he moved to Brazil to be with his Boyfriend. 

[G. David Felt]

15 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

That's fantastic.  I've heard that 2 pounds a week is the maximum safe amount, so about 8 pounds a month. 

I just want to lose about 12 pounds. They are stubborn.  When they put in my height and weight at the doctor's office, it shows an above optimal BMI. I wear jeans and pants with a 34 inch waist - for at least 2 decades now - and I don't really have a stomach, so these BMI charts don't account for all situations.

The holidays really mean about 2 or 3 gluttonous meals.  The real problem is when you travel by ship.  One guy at the table back on the April crossing said that the 5 to 7 pound weight gain usually comes off on its own because you return to eating much smaller meals like an on-off switch.  He was sort of right.

BMI is still based on the first original thinking back in the 1920's and has FAILED society in not taking into account the changes in eating but also diet of how kids grow up. What we ate in the 1920's is very different than what is being eaten today. 

People are not only fatter, but taller, thicker bone density due to better access to dairy, muscle mass, etc.

When my wife met me in 1991, I was 10% body fat, 305lbs of body building muscle and yet based on my 6'6" tall frame, I was considered by BMI to be obese. My own doctor said that the BMI also does not take into account athletes who will have a very different body fat to muscle mass and as such is a failure of old science since they have not updated it.

Today, BMI needs to have a variety of charts based on age, activity, muscle mass to fat ratio that the current chart does not take into account.

BMI is a failure in regard to how healthy a person is if you do not look at the full picture of what the person does.

[G. David Felt]

@Drew Dowdell Thank you for all you do and for letting a bit of RAGE happen as sadly, you nailed it that politics is intertwined with the auto industry due to various view points.

@ccap41 @A Horse With No Name @surreal1272 @Robert Hall @trinacriabob @oldshurst442

I think we all would agree that life has been changed by those of the 1% focusing on themselves rather than society. Yes, we have had a fair share of political posting and rage, yet we all do still love auto's in one way or another.

In this regards, we all have our favorite auto area and due to inflation costs as well as the 1% pushing prices on old iron up to levels that I would say we all here cannot afford, we have to look at other ways to enjoy life. Yet, the passion for self transportation is still there be it biking, walking or driving and I hope that we can still find that passion to have interesting conversations on the auto industry.

Right now, my own job has been extremely busy so that I have not had much time to write for this site, but I do hope to increase in the coming months as things wind down before I get crazy with tradeshow season in January.

Expect to see some stories based on the release of new auto's from the LA autoshow.

I am excited for some of the releases and that even includes the new Kia Telluride that is expected to be Hybrid and look very much like an EV9.

This brings up my own wondering if Kia might retire the EV lineup and with their new Platform that supposedly supports ICE/Hybrid/EV having a Telluride cover all three areas rather than an EV line and an ICE/Hybrid line. 

LA Autoshow is coming soon. 

Happy Hump day to all! 🐫

Very interesting read on Regenerative braking.

Does Regenerative Braking Wear Down Brake Pads Or Save Them?

[trinacriabob]

It's Whopper* Wednesday! 

Get the app and eat ... eat

- - - - -

* regular or Impossible 

[Drew Dowdell]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Interesting take on the technology of high speed steam locomotives, and their limitations. 

 

 

I've never heard that about the S1 and I know a lot about the S1.  The S1 had problems, but flex and vibration weren't really it.  The problem was really how long the wheelbase was and that on less than perfect track, a drive wheel could lift off the rail ever so slightly and cause wheel slip.  I've often wondered if the design of this engine and the PRR T-1 had included gearing between the 2nd and 3rd drive axles to make both engines operate as one, would the problem have been resolved.

What is impressive about the Mallard and the entire A4 class is that they are roughly 2/3s the size of the big American streamline steam.  Though never officially recorded, both the T-1 and S-1 are said to have beaten the Mallard's record on regular runs, not just a special event. But it really shouldn't be a surprise since their boilers and boiler pressure capacity are so much higher than the A4.   Get a T-1 out on the straight track between Cleveland and Chicago and it could do 130 - 140 the whole way, leaving the 126 mph Mallard way behind. 

This beauty, which still runs, was engineered for a top speed of 140, but only ever maxed out at 100. It's got tiny "legs" though with short drive wheels and it's claim to fame was that it could maintain 100 mph with a heavy train over the mountains. This was the pinnacle of steam technology. 

[ccap41]

Let's talk about the automotive world, eh? I doubt anybody here follows NASCAR, because I don't recall anybody talking about it here but, I'm probably wrong.

I'll start with; I'm a Ross Chastain and SVG(Shane VanGisbergen) fan and I've grown for a likening for Denny Hamlin over the past two years from listening to his podcast. He doesn't hold back on the sport and the issues the sport has and issues he has with other drivers. It's just nice to not hear the politically correct talk from drivers who are conditioned to always be perfectly buttoned up and say the "perfect" things. 

Anybody watch the championship race last Sunday? 

With that said, Denny was one of the Championship Four drivers and pretty much dominated Sunday...until somebody blew a tire 3 laps to go and it shuffled the field with who pit, who didn't pit. Who put two tires on, who put 4 tires on. The final restart didn't go as I would have liked and Denny ended up not winning. It's a bummer, mostly for him. He's been pretty open about this being the last time his terminally-ill father will be able to see him race for a championship and he was in position to win his first championship. His crew chief made the wrong call, in the end.

Congrats to Kyle Larson on his 2nd championship.

Next autosport championship? F1 and Max is coming for the McLaren duo.

[Drew Dowdell]

14 minutes ago, G. David Felt said:

@Drew Dowdell Thank you for all you do and for letting a bit of RAGE happen as sadly, you nailed it that politics is intertwined with the auto industry due to various view points.

@ccap41 @A Horse With No Name @surreal1272 @Robert Hall @trinacriabob @oldshurst442

I think we all would agree that life has been changed by those of the 1% focusing on themselves rather than society. Yes, we have had a fair share of political posting and rage, yet we all do still love auto's in one way or another.

In this regards, we all have our favorite auto area and due to inflation costs as well as the 1% pushing prices on old iron up to levels that I would say we all here cannot afford, we have to look at other ways to enjoy life. Yet, the passion for self transportation is still there be it biking, walking or driving and I hope that we can still find that passion to have interesting conversations on the auto industry.

Right now, my own job has been extremely busy so that I have not had much time to write for this site, but I do hope to increase in the coming months as things wind down before I get crazy with tradeshow season in January.

Expect to see some stories based on the release of new auto's from the LA autoshow.

I am excited for some of the releases and that even includes the new Kia Telluride that is expected to be Hybrid and look very much like an EV9.

 

The Telluride details will be out on 11/10. I have them already, but they're embargoed.

[G. David Felt]

Very cool read that some here will find exciting, EV bringing back the excitement of RWD driving.

EVs Are Ushering in the Return of Rear-Wheel Drive, and Here's Why

[trinacriabob]

Farewell

Here is a fairly intact S.S. United States with the modest Mobile, Alabama skyline behind her, after being towed there all the way from Philadelphia.  At this point, her funnels and mast have been removed, and they are getting closer to sinking her in the Gulf of Mexico to be an artificial reef.

[Robert Hall]

2 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

Same. I have no problem with a little auto related politics but most of the last few months here has been basically a bunch of “F America” nonsense with no real substance. Just trolling is all it is and at 52 years old, I have better things to do than to constantly sift through the same nonsense just to read something of actual interest. 

I've blocked the noisemakers so I see less of it.   At 55, I have better things to do also. 

[G. David Felt]

3 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

Farewell

Here is a fairly intact S.S. United States with the modest Mobile, Alabama skyline behind her, after being towed there all the way from Philadelphia.  At this point, her funnels and mast have been removed, and they are getting closer to sinking her in the Gulf of Mexico to be an artificial reef.

I get the need for rebuilding reefs, but why not recycle this ship and use better environmental materials to build the reef. This just seems like a lazy way of getting rid of a ship.

[ccap41]

3 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I've blocked the noisemakers so I see less of it.   At 55, I have better things to do also. 

I'm both surprised and grateful I didn't make that list. 🤣

[G. David Felt]

Very interesting tech of the all new Hybrid system that will go into all Honda's for the 2026 model year moving forward. The cool part is they also cover their updated AWD pure EV powertrain and how it will have torque vectoring to make it one of the safest around.

Evolution of the e:HEV Powertrain｜Honda Technology｜Honda Global

For those interested in the Motorcycle side, here is their newest system.

Hybrid System PCX HYBRID Twin｜Honda Technology｜Honda Global

Here is the press release for Honda's first EV Motorcycle. WN7

Honda Unveils Its First Electric Motorcycle, the Honda WN7, at EICMA 2025 | Honda Global Corporate Website

[ccap41]

14 minutes ago, G. David Felt said:

For those interested in the Motorcycle side, here is their newest system.

Hybrid System PCX HYBRID Twin｜Honda Technology｜Honda Global

I don't love that they refer to the PCX as a motorcycle and not a scooter but, I'm sure they do that for the "clicks" as opposed to being accurate.

I once had a PCX 125 and loved it! The newer ones updated to a 150cc engine so it would go faster than 60pmh and that was pretty necessary. Adding hybrid tech to a scooter is the perfect and only place on two wheels that I'd accept hybrid tech. I was getting 100mpg from my PCX125. I didn't read anything stating efficiency gains but, if they could get another 25mpg+ from the tech, that's pretty awesome. 

[Robert Hall]

2 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Just for its humor value, the guy that was running for mayor of New York City who had 16 cats in his apartment got 16% of the vote.  For being as eccentric as he was, it was surprising to see that he was the GOP candidate.  

He's got quite the local accent, so the whole kit of parts is really quirky.

Probably an interesting guy to talk to.

Curtis Sliwa..he has an interesting story w/ the Guardian Angels.  There has been a TV movie and a documentary about him...

58 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

It's Whopper* Wednesday! 

Get the app and eat ... eat

- - - - -

* regular or Impossible 

I don't miss globbo burgers.   I still eat the occasional tiny slider or two, though. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Robert Hall

[surreal1272]

38 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I've blocked the noisemakers so I see less of it.   At 55, I have better things to do also. 

Me too but it doesn't block their comments when they are a part of an unblocked users comment/quote (replies). 

[G. David Felt]

Very cool that next year is the first big return of Lease EVs so some very cheap options I think will hit the lot for those looking for a next to no maintenance commuter auto.

https://news.dealershipguy.com/p/a-200-spike-in-off-lease-ev-supply-is-nearing-here-s-how-dealers-are-preparing-2025-11-04

Making EVs takes big energy, but after 2 years, they’re cleaner than gas-fueled cars, study finds | AP News

 

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

 

I've never heard that about the S1 and I know a lot about the S1.  The S1 had problems, but flex and vibration weren't really it.  The problem was really how long the wheelbase was and that on less than perfect track, a drive wheel could lift off the rail ever so slightly and cause wheel slip.  I've often wondered if the design of this engine and the PRR T-1 had included gearing between the 2nd and 3rd drive axles to make both engines operate as one, would the problem have been resolved.

What is impressive about the Mallard and the entire A4 class is that they are roughly 2/3s the size of the big American streamline steam.  Though never officially recorded, both the T-1 and S-1 are said to have beaten the Mallard's record on regular runs, not just a special event. But it really shouldn't be a surprise since their boilers and boiler pressure capacity are so much higher than the A4.   Get a T-1 out on the straight track between Cleveland and Chicago and it could do 130 - 140 the whole way, leaving the 126 mph Mallard way behind. 

This beauty, which still runs, was engineered for a top speed of 140, but only ever maxed out at 100. It's got tiny "legs" though with short drive wheels and it's claim to fame was that it could maintain 100 mph with a heavy train over the mountains. This was the pinnacle of steam technology. 

I sat in her in Roanoke before she was restored to service. One could argue that their were prettier streamlined locomotives, but I would disagree. 

46 minutes ago, G. David Felt said:

Very cool that next year is the first big return of Lease EVs so some very cheap options I think will hit the lot for those looking for a next to no maintenance commuter auto.

https://news.dealershipguy.com/p/a-200-spike-in-off-lease-ev-supply-is-nearing-here-s-how-dealers-are-preparing-2025-11-04

Making EVs takes big energy, but after 2 years, they’re cleaner than gas-fueled cars, study finds | AP News

 

...just in time for my next purchase.,...hmmm...

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

I don't love that they refer to the PCX as a motorcycle and not a scooter but, I'm sure they do that for the "clicks" as opposed to being accurate.

I once had a PCX 125 and loved it! The newer ones updated to a 150cc engine so it would go faster than 60pmh and that was pretty necessary. Adding hybrid tech to a scooter is the perfect and only place on two wheels that I'd accept hybrid tech. I was getting 100mpg from my PCX125. I didn't read anything stating efficiency gains but, if they could get another 25mpg+ from the tech, that's pretty awesome. 

Yeah....and in another life where I actually buy a motorcycle, I think owning a Honda 125 dirt bike or the like would serve me well. 

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

I'm both surprised and grateful I didn't make that list. 🤣

I try to take everyone's viewpoint into consideration. 

1 hour ago, G. David Felt said:

I get the need for rebuilding reefs, but why not recycle this ship and use better environmental materials to build the reef. This just seems like a lazy way of getting rid of a ship.

It will be a badass reef, my friends have dived on the Orinskay in Florida, awesome dive. 

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

I've blocked the noisemakers so I see less of it.   At 55, I have better things to do also. 

At sixty, I am living my best life!

 

Feelin grovy!

2 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

The Telluride details will be out on 11/10. I have them already, but they're embargoed.

Heck yes. 

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

 

I've never heard that about the S1 and I know a lot about the S1.  The S1 had problems, but flex and vibration weren't really it.  The problem was really how long the wheelbase was and that on less than perfect track, a drive wheel could lift off the rail ever so slightly and cause wheel slip.  I've often wondered if the design of this engine and the PRR T-1 had included gearing between the 2nd and 3rd drive axles to make both engines operate as one, would the problem have been resolved.

What is impressive about the Mallard and the entire A4 class is that they are roughly 2/3s the size of the big American streamline steam.  Though never officially recorded, both the T-1 and S-1 are said to have beaten the Mallard's record on regular runs, not just a special event. But it really shouldn't be a surprise since their boilers and boiler pressure capacity are so much higher than the A4.   Get a T-1 out on the straight track between Cleveland and Chicago and it could do 130 - 140 the whole way, leaving the 126 mph Mallard way behind. 

This beauty, which still runs, was engineered for a top speed of 140, but only ever maxed out at 100. It's got tiny "legs" though with short drive wheels and it's claim to fame was that it could maintain 100 mph with a heavy train over the mountains. This was the pinnacle of steam technology. 

none were saved but apparently the 4-8-2 Mountain locomotives they utilized right before this were just killer passenger locomotives also, albiet not as fast and not streamlined. 

[Drew Dowdell]

3 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

none were saved but apparently the 4-8-2 Mountain locomotives they utilized right before this were just killer passenger locomotives also, albiet not as fast and not streamlined. 

Do you mean the PRR M1?  They were absolute beasts. Not purdy, but all muscle. Even when diesels were coming online, the heaviest trains were still given to the M1.

One M1b has been saved and is in storage, though it will never run again. 

 

The tender from another M1 has been saved and will be the tender for the new PRR T-1 5550 that is being constructed by the T-1 Trust

[ccap41]

6 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Yeah....and in another life where I actually buy a motorcycle, I think owning a Honda 125 dirt bike or the like would serve me well. 

I've honestly had as much or more fun riding my scooters than I did my motorcycles. It's just fun driving the absolute snot out of them and hardly breaking any speed limits(or not even breaking any speed limits) whereas it's far too easy to speed on a motorcycle. 

I've had a 1995 Yamaha Jog (not my picture but it looked identical). 50cc 2-stroke. 

A 2012 Honda PCX125.

But before both scooters I had a 2005 Yamaha FZ6.

Then a 2007 Triumph Daytona 675.

While both bikes were great and I loved my time on them. The scooters were just easier and safer to have fun on. 

[Robert Hall]

Talk of S1 and M1 made me think you were discussing Audis and BMWs until I realized it was about locomotives.  

A couple rail museums down in Tuscarawas County, Ohio where I grew up that I've visited that are worth a visit are the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek and the Dennison Depot Museum in Dennison. 

https://ageofsteamroundhouse.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1758318224&gbraid=0AAAAAC5_5odMY_5GWNlWr1gR7xS2mRgRS&gclid=Cj0KCQiAiKzIBhCOARIsAKpKLAM4aibjFEFgI-02HvXmq9p8cTyzyJJPXaxAyOfLMhQFCxbE-sotjvkaAh8TEALw_wcB

and

https://dennisondepot.org

[G. David Felt]

12 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I've honestly had as much or more fun riding my scooters than I did my motorcycles. It's just fun driving the absolute snot out of them and hardly breaking any speed limits(or not even breaking any speed limits) whereas it's far too easy to speed on a motorcycle. 

I've had a 1995 Yamaha Jog (not my picture but it looked identical). 50cc 2-stroke. 

A 2012 Honda PCX125.

But before both scooters I had a 2005 Yamaha FZ6.

Then a 2007 Triumph Daytona 675.

While both bikes were great and I loved my time on them. The scooters were just easier and safer to have fun on. 

At 57 with grandkids, my days of motorbikes and scooters are over, I promised the wife I would not take risks at this stage in life. Like @A Horse With No Name living my best life with the kids and their families out hiking, skiing, seeing the world and being active.