Wednesday, September 9, 2026

train time at Waipawa station, NZ, 1904

With what looks like an N class 2-6-2 steam loco built by Baldwin USA in 1901. The station was later replaced with a bigger one, today gone completely, but the main line is still used by freight trains.  (colorized)

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cars in Borger, Texas, 1950s

At the time the town had a population of around 20,000 justifying traffic lights at this intersection at least, but it has since dropped by about a third. It has a reasonable size railyard. (colorized).

BOAC poster featuring a VC 10, 1960s

British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was the historical British long-haul airline operating from 1939 to 1974. The Vickers VC10, was a prominent British four-engine jet airliner introduced in the 1960s.

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Tuesday, September 8, 2026

'do you want to experience a good real book?'

steam engine on an elevated railway track through a town near Ganshui in Sichuan, China

A China Railways SY class, 2-8-2 type which was servicing the industrial operations near Ganshui (such as the Xiaoyutou Iron Mine or the local Songzao Coal Railway lines). (Phil Cotterill pic)

cars outside Unkel Joe's Woodshed, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, 1950s


Left to right across the main row, cars include:
1954 Chevrolet (Far Left, black/dark color): Features the distinct thick chrome grille bar with integrated parking lamps typical of the 1954 models.
1955 Ford Mainline/Customline (Second from Left, white/cream): Easily recognizable by its wide, rectangular egg-crate grille mesh and prominent central chrome dipping bar.
1950 Ford Custom Deluxe "Woodie" Wagon (Third from Left, dark with wood paneling): A classic post-war "Shoebox" Ford station wagon featuring genuine wood body panels and the iconic single central grille "bullet."
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air or Two-Ten (Fourth from Left, light blue with white top): One of the legendary "Tri-Five" Chevys, identified by its sleek, rectangular egg-crate grille inspired by Ferrari racing designs.
1954 Chrysler New Yorker or Windsor (Fifth from Left, cream/tan): Showcases a dominant, heavy chrome bumper and wrapping multi-tier front grille section.
1957 DeSoto Firesweep or Firedome (Sixth from Left, dark green with a light top): Easily spotted by its massive, gaping chrome bumper grille combination and aggressive front headlight brows—classic hallmarks of Virgil Exner's "Forward Look" design era.
1953 Oldsmobile 88 (Far Right, seafoam green): Features the signature wide-mouth oval grille bar assembly surrounding the central emblem.

Monday, September 7, 2026

Illinois Central E6 with a passenger train at the Chicago 63rd St station, 1953

This looks to be the CTA station rather than the Metra station but the wooden platforms seem to still exist - https://maps.app.goo.gl/erX8MLvUetcxxoZr5

1970 Toyota Celica


Stockholm Tunnelbana (metro) train, Sweden, 1960s


The first line opened in 1950 as the first metro line in the Nordic countries. Today, the standard gauge system system consists of three lines and 100 stations, of which 47 are underground and 53 above ground. The system is owned by Region Stockholm via SL, the public transport authority for Stockholm County. It covers 105.7 km (65.7 miles) and is the only metro system in Sweden.

In the pic is a C2 type train from 1950 which were the most numerous class; they were withdrawn by the end of 1999.

1971 Toyota Carina sedan