Sunday, January 31, 2021
SEPTA of Philadelphia shuts down Route 15 Streetcar
from Railway Age--
For the second time in less than four weeks, a streetcar line in the United States has bitten the dust. This one is Philadelphia’s Route 15, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), and which ran for 8.4 miles along Girard Avenue, an east-west street about one mile north of Market Street.
Not only did Route 15 run for the last time on Friday night, Jan. 24, but SEPTA gave little notice of its demise, having posted a “service advisory” on its website the preceding Tuesday, but no press release. The word got out, though. Streetcar advocates on the local scene, and from as far away as San Francisco, were appalled, and they heated up the blogs and other media with their concerns.
Saturday, January 30, 2021
Preserved industrial steam locomotive, Rockport, Maine
Rockport, Maine's 2.5-mile (4 km) long Rockport Railroad hauled limestone from the quarry to the lime kilns at the harbor for 10 years. This loco is mounted as a monument.
Hamilton NZ: new Rotokauri Transport Hub gears up for opening
A blessing ceremony was held at the Rotokauri Transport Hub on Friday ahead of its opening early next week.
The hub will have 180 bus movements from day one, quickly ramping up to 400 bus movements daily.
The site will also serve as one of two city locations where rail passengers can jump on or off the Hamilton-Auckland passenger service. The Te Huia rail service is expected to be launched between mid-March and April.
Friday, January 29, 2021
Thursday, January 28, 2021
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
South African travel poster featuring a sports car and an electric train, 1930s
The electric locomotives look like 1E class from 1925 -- info
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Batman and Bernie
One of the many memes that appeared last week after the Presidential inauguration..
Gore railway station NZ, circa 1927
Although Gore is a provincial town, this could almost be a city station and in fact Gore was once a busy railway junction; as well as the Main South Line, the Waimea Plains Railway ran west to connect with the Kingston Branch in Lumsden. This NZR publicity view looks northbound, with the famous Creamota factory in the right distance. For more, see our books.
mixed steam train in Argentina, 1973
A 4-6-2 type Alco-built series 12ª ex-Ferrocarril Santa Fe (province), then Ferrocarril General Belgrano, between Buenos Aires and Rosario. They were acquired in two batches: 20 in 1919 and 10 in 1921. With a low axle weight of only 10 tons they could be used on lightly built track. More (John Kirchner pic)
Monday, January 25, 2021
Malayan Railway poster, 1930s
The (metre-gauge) system went under the name Federated Malay States Railways (FMSR) at that time. In 1948 it was changed to Malayan Railway Administration (MRA) and then to the current name of Keretapi Tanah Melayu in 1962 following independence from Britain in 1957.
This imagery was clearly intended to appeal to affluent Europeans and Brits in particular.
1957-1960 Imperials
From the Facebook group on Imperials 1955-1975. The question of whether Imperial should be preceded by "Chrysler" is a contentious one, so despite feeling it should be, we've omitted it above.
Sunday, January 24, 2021
South West Africa 600 mm gauge steam locomotive stamps
train at Pukerua Bay station north of Wellington, 1930
It could be an original Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company passenger car which were clerestory roofed. The station building is the original WMR's 20 x 10 foot “shelter shed” built in 1886. This was a flag station, meaning it was not a timetabled stop -- passengers wanting to get off there had to let the train guard know by the previous timetabled station(s).
The line was electrified through here circa 1940 and upon opening of the Wellington to Paekakariki electrification, steam-hauled trains became rare.
Saturday, January 23, 2021
Czechoslovak railmotor class M131.1
A total 549 of this A1 type seating 48 passengers were built in two plants over the years 1948-1951. The engine produced 152 hp (114 kW) and transmission was diesel-mechanical.
Friday, January 22, 2021
Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4
Class S-2, built by Lima in February 1944, disposed of in 1963. Seen in 1958. Info
Thursday, January 21, 2021
fly to Bolivia by Braniff
A poster depicting a traditional sailboat and a four-engine jet from circa 1960.
