Wednesday, November 20, 2024

cars in Main Street, Mesa, Arizona, 1950s




preserved Santa Fe 4-6-2 as a static exhibit

Built by Baldwin, now in Cleburne, Texas.

More info (BNSF photo)


Pacific Electric tunnel opening, Los Angeles downtown, 1926


The ceremony for the opening of the Pacific Electric tunnel under Bunker Hill, from Beverly Boulevard to 5th and Hill Street. It lasted only 29 years; it was shut down in 1955. (LA Public Library collection)

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

cars in Willamette Street, Eugene, Oregon, 1950s




All taken at the same intersection.

Ferrostaal, Essen, Germany, advert for railcars to the world, 1950s(?)

See earlier posts.

DR electric railcar ET 85 model

The prototype was originally built by A.Maffei/München, MAN/Nürnberg in 1905. This is painted in the livery of 1955 with wine red and black with ivory stripes.

"In 1924 the Waggonfabrik Fuchs coach factory in Heidelberg converted four Bavarian MCCi steam railbuses into Class ET 85 electric railbuses with running numbers 01–04. After this conversion an order for 32 new vehicles of this type was delivered to Fuchs and BBC to be built from 1927 to 1933. In 1927 it was still not possible to locate the entire electric engine unter the coach floor. The transformer and the switching (Schaltwerk) was therefore installed in an engine compartment. The nine railbuses were only a little longer than their "prototypes". The doors to the passenger section were recessed like those of their predecessors, however there was only a single door to the engine compartment on the right hand side of the vehicle. All units up to number ET 85 30 originally had front doors and gangways that were later removed."

1959 GMC F Model a.k.a.'Crackerbox' truck


Set back axle version; the model lasted to 1967. "The River City Street Rod Club came to visit the Heartthrob Exhaust facility in Litchfield and the Forbes Family collection. Francis Kalvoda (Honorary Ambassador for the Willmar Car Club) helped guide Gary Goblirsch to some other car related venues in the area. The first day appeared to be a great success. The weather turned beautiful and it was awesome to see some fresh old iron driving around the area. The tour ended at Schwanke's Car & Truck Museum" (Greg Gjerdingen pic)

'I like to get pleasure from a good real book'

Friday, November 15, 2024

1967 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado

Diesels of the Desert: The Commonwealth Railways GM class, Australia


This 90 minute documentary gives a comprehensive look at how Australia's Commonwealth Railways developed the American EMD F7 diesel-electrics for Australian conditions (tighter loading gauge, lighter track) in the immediate years following WW2.

It also looks at the predecessor steam locos and other diesels in use on the trans-continental services.

Flyer Motel, Lumsden NZ, promo postcard, likely 1972

The tourist train began operating on 21 December 1971 and the distances being given in miles indicates it's before 1976 although metric conversion was well underway by 1974.

Today it is likely the Lumsden Motel which is very close to the former Lumsden station.

low flat car of the Southern Railway (USA)

Stanchions could be fitted on the sides.

1933 Chevrolet Eagle Sports Roadster

A still from the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)

1939 BMW 327

(BMW pic)

Denver and Rio Grande narrow gauge freight train, 1898

Seen on the Marshall Pass, Colorado. This is a Continental Divide point, about 10,800 ft (3300 meters) elevation.

And a related story: