transpress nz: November 2023

Thursday, November 30, 2023

traffic in Frankfurt am Main, Germany 1930s

Like other big German cities it was substantially destroyed in WW2

Russian 0-8-0 from 1905

Preserved in St Peterburg. Over 9,000 of this type were produced.

More pics

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

'I find good real books more enlightening than little screens'

1975 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale

Sunday, November 26, 2023

1951 Renault R4230 minibus

The bus R4191 appeared at the end of 1950, and was distinguished by its Air-Pack Bendix system augmenting the power of the hydraulic braking.

Towards the middle of 1950, Renault launched the R4200, a variant shortened by 9.36 meters with 37 seats. Shortly after came the R4230, a city bus with hinged rear doors and a seat for the conductor. The rear of this version had a much more angular shape. At the end of 1950 the R4210 arrived, an urban bus only for a driver.

railway speeder

A light track inspection car particularly used on lines where there is a risk of falls of debris but they look for any problem with the rails. Despite the name these don't travel very fast.

Saturday, November 25, 2023

Bolivian metre-gauge mountain diesel locomotive

A publicity shot of the Sulzer powered locomotive destined for the Machacamarca - Uncia line in Bolivia. The upper plate in the center of the locomotive reads PM&EC, FCMU, #20, the plate underneath provided details of the builders of this locomotive (Sulzer, Oerlikon & Les Ateliers Metallurgiques SA). The livery seems to indicate two colours for the body side, but the colour pictures eleswhere in this article show a solid colour for the locomotive body. Additionally the frame appears to carry the same colour as the lower body, but in the colour views elsewhere the frame and buffer beam are painted bright red.

About 1939 the Patino organisation placed an order with Sulzer Brothers for a diesel electric locomotive suitable for hauling passenger or freight trains. The order was in many ways unusual. Not least was the terrain the locomotive was to work in, high up on the Bolivian 'Altiplano'. The Patino organisation operated the railway between Machacamarca & Uncia, which served the silver & tin mining centre around Uncia, Huanuni & Catavi. This 63 mile [101 km] long metre gauge line which included the three mile Catavi branch varied in altitude from 12,200 feet [3719 metres] to 14,400 feet[4,389 metres] , included a maximum grade of 1 in 40 [2.5%], although the ruling grade was slightly easier at 1 in 58 to 1 in 63.

The line had begun dieselisation early, in 1933 (?) two diesel electric railcars were obtained from Linke-Hofmann-Busch, Germany, powered by a six cylinder Linke-Hofmann Busch diesel engine. These railcars would operate with non-powered passenger coaches to provide more passenger capacity. At least Motor No.2 (with LHB builders plate dated 1931) survived to find a place in the railway museum at Machacamarca.

Sulzer provided for these conditions with a locomotive 50'6" in length and 9'1" wide, with two cabs and full width body riding on two three axle bogies. Power came from a Sulzer 6LDA28 engine. The engine was normally rated at 815bhp at 700rpm continuously (915 bhp at 750rpm at the one hour rating). However, due to the exceptional conditions on the Bolivian line the continuous rating was 650bhp at 700rpm (730bhp at 750rpm for the one hour rating). The engine was pressure charged on the exhaust gas system using a Sulzer turbo blower set using plain bearings for the shaft. Dry weight of the engine & blower group including the welded steel underbed was 8,450 kg.

Friday, November 24, 2023

Moscow subway train

Metro electric train 81-717.5M/714.5M with head car No. 2606 in the Sokolnicheskaya line tunnel which is considered the very first tunnel of the Moscow metro.

More pics and info on the system.

Details on the 81 series trains

1940 Twin Coach 41GWFT trolleybus

This former Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle bus was retired from passenger service not once, but three times before it finally became a museum bus.

1976 Lincoln Continental

1947 Marmon-Herrington TC44 trolley bus in Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis is where the manufacturer was based. This is one of the 5 delivered to the city that year on a test run. The system had been established in 1932 and was abandoned in 1957.

1980 Chevrolet Chevelle (plus hood ornament)

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

'I get more wise from a good real book'

1935 Hispano Suiza K-6 Sedanca de Ville

1932 Lincoln KB 4-door

1960 Borgward Isabella coupe

More pics

1925 Studebaker

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

'progress' ain't what it used to be

Monday, November 20, 2023

NZRRS Bedford buses at Lumsden, 1970s

At the time this was a junction for the railway to Kingston and the Kingston Flyer steam tourist train. Destinations that can be read are Milford, Manapouri and Queenstown.

the 'SS Cornwall' (1896--1913)

Seen here departing Auckland in 1901 with the 6th NZ Regiment for South Africa to teach the Boers to behave themselves.

The Cornwall was a steamship built in 1896 for the Federal Steam Navigation Co, the first ship of this name owned by the Federal Line. She was used as a British transport, Brisbane-Sydney-Albany-Cape Town in 1899 for the Boer War and as a hired transport taking the NZ troops in 1901. The ship was sold to Societa Anonima Italiana Di Navigazione, of Genoa Italy in 1913 and renamed Atlantide. The fate was being sunk by U-Boat U156 off Madeira on a voyage from Genoa to New Orleans.on 9 February 1918.

tonnage: 5490 grt; dimensions: 128 x 16.5 x -- metres;

engine: 1 x 3-cyl. triple expansion engine, single shaft, 1 screw; speed: 11 knots

Read and see more at wrecksite: https://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?256884