'Big Boy' 4014 passes through an oil refinery in Commerce City, Colorado

As most readers are aware it is the world's largest operating steam locomotive and has a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement. In 1941 the UP built 25 Big Boys to haul heavy freight trains. Of the eight remaining examples today, 4014 is the only one in use. It makes occasional trips around the USA and the trips this year celebrated America's 250th anniversary.(Alex Burke pic on the National Geographic website -- more)

Auckland's underground City Rail Link finally opens

Needless to say, behind schedule -- by about 4 years -- and well over the original cost projection. But most people expect that the cost to city businesses caused by its construction will quickly be recovered with extra passengers visiting the downtown, particularly at the new Te Waihorotiu station.

Details on the official website

at the SNCF Depot de Thionville, 1960

The blue engine is an SNCF BB 12000 class electric locomotive, nicknamed "fer à repasser" or flat iron. The green engine appears to be an SNCF CC 14100 class heavy freight electric locomotive. The dark engine is an early diesel shunting locomotive.

Soviet LAZ-695 and LAZ-699 bus models, 1980s

LAZ-695 and LAZ-699 models manufactured by the Lviv Bus Factory in Ukraine and here being used by InTourist which was the state-owned tourist industry for foreigners.

International Harvester AR-160 series medium-duty truck, 1960s

Seen on what was obviously a dicey road between Taihape and Hastings NZ in those days.  The cargo looks like freshly clipped wool sacks. (colorized)

'I love to go shopping for good real books'

1979 Volvo 240 260 Series Sedan sales brochure cover

PKP Class EN56 electric multiple unit of Poland, early 1960s

A total 36 of these sets were produced by VEB Waggonbau Görlitz in the DDR between 1954 and 1957. The following class was the EN57 produced by the Pafawag factory in Wrocław (Breslau) between 1961 and 1993 -- with 1418 sets the longest-produced railway vehicle in Polish history.

Axle arrrangement: 2′2′ + Bo′Bo′ + 2′2
Total Train Length63,100 mm (61,880 mm excluding couplers)

Width 2,950 mm

Height 4,200 mm

Total Service Weight 135 tonnes (Motor car: 60.5 t; Trailers: 37.2 t each)

Electric System3 kV DC (Overhead line)

Traction Motors 4 × LEW Hennigsdorf GBM185 motors

Continuous Power Output 580 kW (145 kW × 4)

Maximum Speed 110 km/h

Route 66 centennial medallion

Available commercially, about $18 in the US.

SNCF 232-S streamlined steam locomotive, late 1950s

This was a group of four streamlined 4-6-4 "Hudson" (or Baltic) type express passenger steam locomotives designed by Marc de Caso. They were ordered by the Chemin de Fer du Nord but delivered directly to the newly formed SNCF in 1941. 
They were built alongside the mechanically simpler, 3-cylinder 232-R class to directly test the efficiency of 4-cylinder compound expansion against simple expansion at high speeds. 

They were originally planned in the 1930s  to haul heavy, high-speed express trains. Their service life ended in 1961.

More info