Expensive Gas

[jesse]

I don't think I will being doing much flying in Alaska right now. I just watched a TV clip from an Alaskan station and gas in McGrath, AK is now $9.20 a gallon for regular unleaded. This town is 415 mi NW of Anchorage. The problem is transportation of fuel. Most of the fuel is shipped via boats on a river that is now too low to accomadate the boats. supply and demand. Av gas is even higher.

Jesse

[Tom/CalClassic]

And I thought $4.00 was bad!

[dh86]

Price at my local gas station is equivalent to about US$8 per gallon. Most of that however is tax, fuel surcharge plus VAT on top.

[ashaman]

Wow... 9.20 at gallon.. almost an Italian pricing...

With a normal, and only ramping, 1.40 € at liter about here for gasoline (a lot of car drivers lately are going diesel in sheer desperation hereabout, me among them)... there's people seriously thinking to revert to steam or animal power for land traction... though it's gotta be messier and/or impractical for flight purposes.

[jesse]

I guess we can all go back to wood burners again. I recall during WWII in Europe, most of the cars had these funny looking stoves installed on the back bumpers of the cars. Me being a curious type, I asked a Frenchman what they were. He explained that gasoline was rationed and in such short supply that everyone was burning wood. I don't know the mechanics of the system, but it seems the burning wood would produce a gas like substance that could be drawn into the carb and the car would run....not to good but it would move. I located a site with some old videos of wood burning vehicles. Wonderful. Check'em out. Especially the Wood Gas Truck, down toward the bottom of the files.

www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=452835

Jesse

[emfrat]

Hi Jesse -
Some bedtime reading, if you're interested
consuleng.com.au/Producer%20Gas%20&%20the%20Aussie%20Motorist%201939-45.pdf

The last fuel I bought was AUD 1.239/litre , or AUD 5.62/gallon. That was in Toowoomba, where I work. The truck that delivered it came out from Brisbane, passing my home on the way, but petrol is around 10c cheaper in Toowoomba than it is at home, 50km closer to Brisbane.

ATB
MikeW

[jesse]

Mike, I can use a good bedtime story. ;D I have not had any experience with Producer Gas, but I have been playing around with a Hydrogen generator for my Buick. Actually the system is fairly simple and straight forward. I have all the components of the system that I have accumulated over the months and now all I have to do is convince myself if will work and stat the installation.

Jesse

[strat]

Jesse,

I believe there are several working solutions available for hydrogen generators to suit small passenger vehicles that use distilled water, and I have also heard of large generator plants that use the same process on a larger scale at mines in Canada.

I use a dual fuel system on my little buggy which burns Liquified Natural Gas stored at -127C in tanks behind the sleeper cab which is then injected into the intake manifold on my Cat C-15. Diesel is used only to ignite the mixture.



Averaging 11000 kilometres a fortnight at 147,000 kilograms when loaded my fuel consumption goes from about 870 metres per litre of diesel to somewhere between 1.6 km/litre and 2.0 km/litre.
When diesel prices hit $2.00 a litre here a couple of years ago, it made a big difference to the bottom line, and it's a green solution as well (Euro#6 emission standards I believe).

Let us know how you progress with the hydrogen plant. I think it's a very cool idea, although water here costs more than unleaded gas per litre.

Go figure.

Bruce.

[sunny9850]

Now that is a Truck with a capital T....very nice looking rig mate.

One one of my visits to Melbourne my customer took me out to his weekend home/ranch a couple hours flying time in his C-182.
And while walking back to his Landy from the local watering hole I saw my first "Road-Train" coming by...I guess that is what these loooong rigs are called...and was literally blown away.

Coming from Germany the sheer size/length of the things was mind boggling.

Stefan

[Tom McEnteer]

Being used to 80,000 lbs or, usually less, I can't imagine what it must be like having that kind of weight pushing you down the road. Very sharp looking Kenworth! What horsepower rating is your CAT? And, how about the trans and rears?

[jesse]

Yes, indeed. That is one fine looking rig that Bruce drives. I think the biggest that I've seen here in the states is the three trailer jobs out in California and Nevada. Have also seen a couple on the eastern interstates.

Jesse

[Tom McEnteer]

Jesse,

Some carriers run twin 53's from the Boston area across the Massachusetts turnpike and the New York thruway to the Pennsylvania state line. I sat in the drivers seat of one once...look in the mirrors and it looks like a freight train hanging out behind you! Can't imagine what the view in Bruce's mirrors looks like!!

Regards,

the other Tom

[ejoiner]

Bruce, that is one awesome truck. Could you do me a favor and drop me a line at ejoiner2 at gmail.com? I have something to discuss with you that might be of interest. (not sim related..I am in the logistics business.)

Eric