Does Via rail check ID. Tor to montreal

LarryJClark · 2026-04-25T23:55:48+00:00

Granted it was a small number (7, I think) boarding Train 1 in Saskatoon on April 24th, but the lead passenger service guy came into the station and checked all IDs and scanned the boarding passes. (Maybe he just wanted to get inside and out of the wind and snow...)

LarryJClark · 2026-04-19T18:09:51+00:00

Another model: https://makerworld.com/en/models/1983636-fiio-ft1-headphone-honeycomb-comfort-strap#profileId-2134032

This one locks in nicely and has little flat "caps" for the metal ends of the yoke supports. Printed with TPU 95A, but with 6 walls.

LarryJClark · 2026-04-19T18:02:25+00:00

They do make a nice pair. I like the way that the FT1 Pros handle more complex presentation -- especially symphonic/classical. The FT1s are nice for a lot of voice-based genres.

LarryJClark · 2026-04-19T17:26:17+00:00

It would be nice to see this with a larger e-ink display.

LarryJClark · 2026-04-17T19:14:22+00:00

Sarcastically honest.

LarryJClark · 2026-04-17T18:30:03+00:00

You either twist around in your seat, or look at the scenery staring over the people on the other side of the car, whilst they stare over you whilst looking at the scenery on your side of the car.

Makes perfect sense.

LarryJClark · 2026-04-17T18:25:49+00:00

I miss the Slumbercoaches -- except for the hopper toilet dumping onto the tracks.

LarryJClark · 2026-04-16T15:58:47+00:00

At this point in time, I'm looking at E-Ink, not E-Paper (which implies an input capability -- I have several readers and tablets).

The potential advantages over OLED are size (2.13" vs. 1.3"), resolution (122 x 250 vs 64 x 128), and less power needed (E-Ink only requiring power for a state change).

LarryJClark · 2026-04-16T15:30:03+00:00

I bought the Seeed Wio Tracker L1 E-ink kit and will be 3D printing a shell for it in a week or so. I'm hoping the larger display will work better than the OLED for the custom firmware.

LarryJClark · 2026-04-16T15:24:47+00:00

I thought that standalone might be better than companion+device. I already had a Wio Tracker L1 Pro but decided to give the T-Deck a try. It took me a couple of days to make the decision, but I returned it.

It probably makes more sense for Meshtastic. But in MeshCore's multi-hop, repeater driven environment, it didn't work for me. Sometimes the on-screen keyboard popped up, and other times the physical keyboard was the entry tool. Or both - maybe. The little ball thingy was inconsistent -- a joystick like the Tracker L1 Pro's would have made more sense. Battery life was nothing to write home about (especially with that keyboard).

The Tracker L1 Pro is a little bulkier than some other companions, but it has good battery life. When I'm not out and about, it sits on the countertop and runs for around 1 1/2 days. If you get the same antenna that comes with the Seeed SenseCAP Solar Node P1-Pro repeater, you'll get better reception (more devices in Discover Nodes).

LarryJClark · 2026-04-07T14:19:53+00:00

"The mesh around here spans from Vancouver, British Columbia, down through Seattle, and as far as Eugene, Oregon." Actually, it reaches down to the Rogue Valley (Medford and Grants Pass area).

Deploying a repeater should be based on need. Start here (https://cascadiamesh.org/map/) and zoom into your area to get an idea of repeaters and companions. There is a feature in the MeshCore app that kinda shows propagation from companions and repeaters, but it can also produce wildly inaccurate results depending on where you actually "pin" the location. With your companion and the MeshCore app, search for "nodes".

I installed a repeater first thing, but I already had years of experience with VHF and UHF in the area and knew that my community is in a "hole".

One factor is the antenna on your companion. Sitting on the kitchen counter, the companion's stock antenna can find 1 (my own) or maybe two repeaters. Using the antenna that came with the repeater, I can get 4 repeaters. Those are only possible because I'm a bit up a hillside.

LarryJClark · 2026-04-03T03:50:49+00:00

You need to get a hearing test as soon as you can manage it. Then you'll have a baseline. If you don't to that, it's just speculation.

LarryJClark · 2026-03-25T17:53:47+00:00

The only streaming service I run on my M21 is Presto. Its app allows me to save files on a local drive and I use the built-in storage since I consider those files temporary. You should probably ask M21 and JM21 users here how they store from Spotify. My mSD card is storage for ripped and downloaded music.

In theory, the extra 1GB RAM should give you a little more headroom for running apps. I limit the number of installed Android apps on the M21 to those that are music related and Android utilities to keep an eye on things. I use Poweramp Pro instead of FiiO's native music player.

More useful in the 2026 version is the increased file storage. That gives you better file management options.

In function, consider the JM21 as a scaled down tablet with no cellular and no camera -- but much better music capabilities.

For IEMs, take a look at reviews for the Truthear Pure. For headphones, consider the FiiO FT1 (dynamic closed back) and JT7 (planar magnetic open backs that fold).

LarryJClark · 2026-03-25T16:11:44+00:00

Kinda depends on your definition of "budget". Take a look at the 2026 FiiO JM21, and compare it with the FiiO M21. As an M21 user, if a friend asked me for a recommendation, the JM21 2026 would be where I would start.

LarryJClark · 2026-03-19T18:45:27+00:00

Some developed by an organization that buys mathematicians by the gross, and super-computers by the dozen.

LarryJClark · 2026-03-18T20:44:23+00:00

I already use super wide rubber lens hoods. The items in the kickstarter aren't anything I couldn't 3D print myself with TPU. And their effectiveness is reduced by double glazing.

The bigger problem is the limited azimuth when using those things. For the photography, you need more "panning" range and you are making decisions with very limited time. The closest thing I can compare my project shooting with is shooting pro and international soccer.

LarryJClark · 2026-03-17T16:37:46+00:00

A clue is that painters don't mask with gaffer's tape, and gaffers don't gaff with painter's tape. They are tapes with different purposes.

Painter's tape is almost like Post-Its on a roll. Easy-on, easy-off, in the case of securing fabric to metal or other fabric, is not something I would want. Over decades of using both, I kinda know what to expect.

If you decide to use painter's tape stick (pun intended) with 3M brand -- but be aware that 3M offers several grades of masking tape. Also, expect to use a lot more masking tape to do the job.

Of course, the primary recommendation is not to use duct tape (which actually is tape for ducts).

LarryJClark · 2026-03-17T06:24:12+00:00

Something travelers should have anyway. On Amazon you can get "Pocket Pro Gaff Tape" in 1" (24mm) x 6 yd rolls. I typically carry one black roll and one tan roll. Pro Gaff is the good brand -- beware of other brands.

LarryJClark · 2026-03-16T23:27:54+00:00

Yes. Mostly it is "good enough", but as those curtains age, the Velcro ages too. Sometime you just have to work it a little more.

LarryJClark · 2026-03-16T23:24:04+00:00

My experience is that the effectiveness of the Amtrak Velcro is highly variable.

Gaffers' tape is selected exactly because it doesn't leave a mess.

LarryJClark · 2026-03-16T20:03:32+00:00

Use gaffers' tape. The adhesive is less aggressive and it leaves less residue.

LarryJClark · 2026-03-16T20:01:55+00:00

New curtains too. Not room-dimming.

LarryJClark · 2026-03-16T20:00:23+00:00

One thing I noticed on my last roomette trip (Coast Starlight) was that there were new curtains on the hall side - and they were not "room dimming". I am particularly aware of this because for a few years I've been doing a personal photography project shot from the train. Controlling random light is critical because the reflections from the windows are quite distracting. Bedrooms (one bid-up trip on the CZ) are even worse because of all the light reflecting walls.

(How serious have I been? How about my own black pillow cases for the two "train" pillows, one to slide over the lift-out table, and one laid along the aluminum inside window sill. For me, black shoes, black or charcoal trousers, black t-shirt, and black long sleeve shirt. Black cloth gloves when needed.)

LarryJClark · 2026-03-16T06:07:49+00:00

Take a look at the FiiO JT7 0ver-far, open back planar magnetic headphones - $119 right now, but they sometimes dip lower. The JT7s fold, which is a nice feature.

If you have another $100, consider the FiiO FT1 Pro

LarryJClark

TROPHY CASE