Thursday, April 30, 2026

American steam era digital art

From History's Mirror: "In the heart of a bustling American rail yard, steam giants rest momentarily at a historic roundhouse, their massive iron bodies aligned like loyal soldiers awaiting orders. Classic locomotives stand shoulder to shoulder on radiating tracks, their heavy boilers still warm from long hauls across the continent. At the center, the mighty turntable slowly rotates one proud engine, positioning it for its next journey while maintenance crews scramble below, oiling rods, checking valves, and shoveling coal into hungry fireboxes. 

"Thick plumes of white and dark smoke curl upward from tall stacks, blending with the industrial haze that hangs over the yard, carrying the unmistakable scent of hot metal, burning coal, and grease. These powerful machines, once the backbone of freight transport, represent an era of raw American ambition, hauling everything from grain to steel across vast landscapes. The scene pulses with energy as workers move with practiced efficiency, knowing that soon these iron horses will thunder down the mainline once again, pulling long strings of boxcars into the horizon. It is a timeless snapshot of railroading heritage, where mechanical majesty meets human determination."

Chinese Pirate Junk model

Presumably what distinguishes it from a standard junk are the cannons.

European holiday by Sunbeam Rapier (1957 promo film)

 


'It's a lot easier to discuss what's in a real book than on a little screen'


Wednesday, April 29, 2026

ships at Wellington NZ wharves, 1920s

The dude sitting on the edge beam may be fishing. For photos in color from the 1950s and 1960s, get the book New Zealand Maritime Images: the Golden Years

1979 Buick Regal 3.8 V6

 

More pics and info

circa 1939 De Soto cars


The sign for importer and assembler Todd Motors makes clear exactly where this was -- part of the NZ Centennial Exhibition held in Wellington from November 1939 to May 1940. NZ was technically at war with Germany then, but not with Japan at that stage and the USA wasn't in the war then either.

For lots more get the book Wellington: a Capital century

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Cahuenga Pass traffic, L.A. circa 1950

A Pacific Electric interurban returning from the San Fernando Valley travels along the median of the future Hollywood Freeway. Buses replaced the Red Cars in 1952 and more freeway lanes took over the PE right-of-way space.

new Moscow metro station design

It's rather more impressive than what you see in L.A.  This is the recently built terminus of the Moscow Red Line.  The ring looking structures have wooden seats in them.

Video by the Scottish Guy in Moscow

El Paso, Texas, gasoline station from 1919


This was restored by antiques business owner Rod Davenport. The pump globes are 1940s style, though.

Monday, April 27, 2026

Duisburg, Germany, electric tram, early 20th century

At the time these were meter gauge, from 1966 they were standard gauged.  The station was then in the era of the Preussische Staats-Eisenbahn; after DR takeover, in 1934 it was replaced.

1936 Panhard CS Six-Window sedan

 


an ex-Auckland tram runs around the MOTAT circuit

Museum of Transport and Technology. An old postcard scene.

'I know I'm going to enjoy this real book and not a smartphone'

NZR DSC class switcher (shunter) model

A total of 70 of this Bo-Bo type class were built between 1958 and 1967, the first 18 of them in Britain and the rest in NZR workshops. 

While the model makes it look like they were fitted with single large headlights the DSC switchers were designed with a more modern, recessed dual-lamp setup from their introduction in 1959.

Their length was 11.7 meters (38 ft 3 in) and weight 41.1 tonnes.

More info

NZR Ec class locomotive at Heathcote in 1969

This was the year before the Lyttelton line from Christchurch was dieselized so it's no wonder that it looks so grubby.  See earlier posts.  (Wilson Lythgoe pic via National Railway Museum)

Saturday, April 25, 2026

Friday, April 24, 2026

only in California?

 


LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- LAX's long-awaited Automated People Mover system will begin running without passengers Monday, marking a visible step forward in a project years behind schedule.

Airport officials said the 2.25-mile electric train will operate on a full schedule for roughly two months as part of ongoing testing designed to prepare the system for public use. The trains will circulate through the airport's central terminal area, linking terminals with parking facilities and pick-up and drop-off zones.

Continue reading

Thursday, April 23, 2026

SNCF 241 P


In French notation 241, counting axles, is a 4-8-2 counting wheels, namely a 'Mountain'. 35 of these were built by Schneider et Cie., of Le Creusot between 1948 and 1952. It is widely considered the largest and most powerful steam locomotive class in France.

The 241.Ps have a 17 meter (55.77ft) long chassis, slightly longer than the one of the PLM Mountain locomotives. the chassis side rails are 28mm (1.1in) sheet metal, and their flexibility is compensated by a network of cast steel spacers. They have a bogie with bearing wheels at the front with wheels of 1m (3.28ft) diameter, four axles coupled to wheels of 2m (6.56ft) diameter, and a rear axle with wheels of 1.33m (4.36ft). The boiler is stamped at 20 bars (290psi). The coal is charged by a system of storage screw without end. The water supply is provided by a loaded injector and an ACFI pump, located behind the chimney of the engine.

The 241.P is a compound engine with four cylinders, and whose arrangements where identical to no. 241.C.1. There are two high pressure cylinders interior to the chassis, causing a slack that influences the third axle, which can get moving, and there are two low pressure cylinders exterior to the chassis, attacking the second coupled axle. The gear change is made, since the 1960s, with a servo motor taken from decomissioned 141.R class locomotives.

The hook power is of the order of 1,900 hp (1,874 imp. hp). The speed limit is 120 km/h (74.5 mph).

In its entire general aesthetics, the locommotive is a style synthesis of the major railways that preceded the SNCF. Generally, the 241.P had PLM appearance, because of their model being a PLM mountain locomotive, with the cutter wind driving cab. The smoke box door and the tender, came from the Nord company. The double exhaust chemney had a marquee cap, which came from the PO-Midi railway.

Four have been preserved.  Read more


Wednesday, April 22, 2026

30 years jubilee of the Netherlands Open Air Tram Museum

 
No commentary.

'I like to relax with a good real book, not a smartphone'


PKP class EU07 Bo-Bo electric


493 of these were built between 1965 and 1994; a stated power output of 2,000 kW (2,680 hp)

"The EU07 is strongly connected with the EU06 locomotive. The EU06 was a Polish derivative of the Class 83 locomotive built for the British system. In 1959 an agreement was signed with the producer of the EU06, English Electric, under which Poland bought the license for the EU06 and started its production in Pafawag Wrocław, under build number 4E. The first item was finished in 1965, and by 1974 a total number of 240 locomotives had been built. The EU07 locomotives differed slightly from EU06 due to some minor improvements that had been made in comparison to their predecessors.

"In 1983 the production of EU07 locomotives was re-opened in Cegielski works in Poznań. This new series of locomotives was based on ET41 freight locomotive (which had been built by joining together two EU07 locomotives of first-run production). Bringing several modifications production number changed to 303E. A total number of 243 locomotives were built and the production continued until 1994 despite relatively outdated construction."

More

American locomotive depot atmosphere, 1938

Some diesels were already in use by then, but weren't yet dominant. This was the New York Central depot in Jackson, Michigan.

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Deutsche Reichsbahn class 52 Kriegslok 2-10-0 in Oppeln


Except that by the time of this pic it was a class Ty2 of the PKP (Poland) and Oppeln had been transliterated to Opole. Circa 7794 of these were built between 1942 and circa 1950 of which about 1,425 in Poland. Of these 54 are left in Poland.  See earlier posts.

Monday, April 20, 2026

Kosovo railway stamps, 2007

 



According to InternationalSteam.co.uk the steam loco, a 2-6-2 that was in the JZ fleet of Yugoslavia "is outside Kosovo Polje station, Kosovo Railways' headquarters, a couple of km from Obiliq. It's JZ no. 01-043, Schwartzkopff 7953/1922. You can get to Kosovo Polje without the need to return to Pristina, which has horrendous traffic congestion. Carry on along the dirt track beyond the depot. It winds around a bit and after about 1km it reaches a T junction with a road which must once have been properly tarred. Turn left and keep going for another km or so, crossing the Kosovo Polje to Pristina railway en route, and you'll reach the centre of Kosovo Polje. Turn right for the station."

1952, 1953 Märklin model railroad catalog covers



Sunday, April 19, 2026

Albania train themed coin, 1988, steam on one side, diesel on the reverse

 



Again worth 5 Lek. Are there any passenger trains in Albania now? It's uncertain.

According to the wiki people the first standard gauge line was only opened in 1947 and currently there are 424 km (263 miles) of single track.

Saturday, April 18, 2026

Friday, April 17, 2026

'real books are so much better than little screens'

traffic at Fletcher Dr & San Fernando Rd, Los Angeles in 1936

 The approximate view today

Israel railway timetable cover, 1960

The system wasn't very extensive at that time -- the line between Jersusalem and Tel Aviv with a branch to Be'er Sheva and the coastal line from Ashkelon in the south to Kfar Masaryk north of Haifa.

the abandonment of the Napier to Gisborne railway in NZ looks complete

 






These are some pics posted to social media by Cayleb Clayton taken recently. They indicate why there is no interest by either KiwiRail or the government in restoring it.  As well as recent storms, this line has been damaged by severe weather events in the past such as Cyclone Bola in 1988 and maybe the conclusion is that it's too expensive to weather-proof the line. 

More here

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

the Amtrak station of Orlando, Florida


The station was built in 1926 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The building was designed in the Spanish Mission style. It became part of the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad after the Coast line merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in 1967.

Monday, April 13, 2026

French crocodiles

 

The BB12000 & CC14000 classes.

1952 Humber Pullman Mark III woody wagon

Officially a 'Warwick' Shooting Brake, an estate car version of the luxury car created by coachbuilders Castle Bodies of Coventry.

a transport-themed Albanian banknote, 1976

With a steam train, truck and a ship.  Today 5 Lek would be worth a US nickel, but was probably more than that in 1976.