Tuesday, September 30, 2025

1975 American-Coleman MB-4 Aircraft Tug G-40-F

 

Used to push/pull aircraft out of gates at airports.

Monday, September 29, 2025

Royal Mail service car at Orari station, NZ, 1920s

It looks like there is a lot more space inside for passengers than mail.  Geraldine isn't far away; fittingly for this pic there is now the Geraldine Vintage Car & Machinery Club Museum there.

Sunday, September 28, 2025

an NZR DJ at Jackson with the passenger train from Greymouth to Christchurch, 1985

In 1987 this train was revamped as the TranzAlpine Express, see earlier posts and the book On the TransAlpine Trail.  The DJs ceased being used circa 1990.

NZR G class 4-4-0ST from 1874


G57 is seen at Ward in the north-east South Island on the then isolated Picton secion. A total 4 were built by Black Hawthorn of England. Like the similarly sized D class, they were an attempt to produce a passenger version of the highly successful F class.  None were preserved 

1933 Fiat 508 Balilla Coppa d'Oro Spider


1935 Fiat 508 S Balilla

The 1933 Fiat 508 Balilla Coppa d'Oro Spider was a sporty, two-seater version of the compact Fiat 508 "Balilla" car, featuring a sleek body designed by Ghia and intended for competition use, especially in the Coppa d'Oro race events. This early "Spider Sport" model had 30 hp, a special carburetor, and a raised compression ratio, reaching a top speed of 110 km/h. It was a precursor to the more powerful 1934 "CS" series, which had a four-speed synchromesh gearbox and an overhead-valve engine.

a passing steam engine and a box car, Greece, 1965


You speculate on the nature of the maneuver --a relocation to another classification yard, an urgent delivery, a supply train for a works gang? It may have provided temporary interest for the three girls.

passenger car of the CdF Vivarais named the 'Cage a Poules', France

 


With a place for the conductor to look over the car roof. The Chemin de Fer Vivarais, also known as the "Mastrou" or "Train de l'Ardèche," is meter-gauge 33 km (21 mile) long tourist railway in the Ardèche region of Southern France, running from Tournon to Lamastre, famous for its historic steam locomotives, rolling stock, and scenic route through the Doux valley. After closing in 1968, it reopened in 1969 as a heritage line

1958 Volvo B-635 bus

The Volvo B-635 was notable for being the first bus in the world with turbocharging when it was equipped with the 185-hp TD96AS turbo engine in 1955.

Thursday, September 25, 2025

an SNCF CC 6500 at St Michel de Maurienne with a train from Lyon to Modane

Seen here in the green 'Maurienne' livery. The Class CC 6500 of which 74 were built between 1969 and 1975 were 1.5 kV DC from overhead electrics. Together with the CC 40100 [fr] and diesel CC 72000, they were the first generation of the 'Nez Cassé' (broken nose) family of locomotives and designed for hauling express trains with speeds up to 200 km/h (124 mph) but also used for heavy freight trains. Among the trains they hauled in their first years of service were the SNCF flagship train Le Mistral and Trans Europ Express trains Aquitaine, Le Capitole and l'Étendard.

Read more info

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Coche Motor Ganz Mavag, Argentina


Used in the high mountains between 1963 and 1992, when they were finally withdrawn from service, currently stationed in Cruz del Eje.  See earlier posts/

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

The World's longest freight train route


There are of course a few questions: break of gauge occurs between Poland and Belarus/Russia and again with China although these are overcome with flexible axle widths using springs.  What about the EU's war on Russia and Belarus?  How much loading/unloading takes place?  Can 4 months be considered acceptably fast and how much could it be speeded up?

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"After more than four months and 16,000 miles [25,000 km] the first cargo train on the world’s longest rail route has returned to China.

"Starting in Yiwu, it crossed Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, France, and ended in Madrid — carrying Chinese goods out and returning with Spanish wine, olive oil, and ham.

"Dubbed a modern Silk Road, this route is set to boost trade between China and Europe, offering a faster, greener alternative to ships."

Monday, September 22, 2025

from Sydney to Canberra behind a 36 class 10-wheeler

Probably pre-WW2. See earlier posts on the 36 class from 1925.

Russian electric locomotive beside the Selenga River

With what looks like a coal train. Possibly a VL80 class (see earlier post).  This is in the east of Russia north of Mongolia.

a double-headed NSW 46 class train at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, 1977


The Spirit of Progress passes through Katoomba behind 4610 and another on 25 May 1977. The Spirit of Progress began running in 1937 as the premier express passenger train on Victorian Railways, running from Melbourne to the New South Wales border at Albury, and later after the completion of the standard gauge line from Melbourne in 1962, through to Sydney. (Pic by the late Grant McCarthy)

For lots on the 46 class, see the book Railway Electrification in Australia and New Zealand.

Sunday, September 21, 2025

luxury Japanese passenger train with inventive window designs

 

The Shikishima 10-car train (a one-off) has been operating since 2017 and is obviously for affluent travelers. Shikishima is another name for Japan, derived from the ancient site of Shiki, where the emperor's palace was located.

The train is a electric/diesel hybrid and operates as an electric multiple unit under overhead electric wires and can use two diesel engines in the end cars to power the train's traction motors on non-electrified routes.

Vancouver BC's Marine Building from the waterfront, 1938


This is an iconic Art Deco skyscraper famed for its nautical-themed ornaments. It was completed in 1930 and at the time the city's tallest building. The building was given distinct sea-green and gold coloration, with marine flora and fauna motifs. It was envisioned to reflect Vancouver's growing importance as a port after the Panama Canal opening.  Pic credited to James Crookall.

pretend motor scooteristas, Italy

Weird Italian walking garb, motor scooters that aren't so annoying to pedestrians.

Postdam near Berlin tour bus, 1920s

Käse, the owner's name one assumes, is the German word for cheese -- replacing the K with Ch makes it look and sound close to the English.

early German car

On a postcard dated 1902 but which doesn't specify the manufacturer.

private NSW 2-8-2T with a coal train


J & A Brown's 2-8-2T number 10, Richmond Main is crossing the four track NSW Hamilton to Maitland main line with a load for Hexham wharves. The J & A Brown coal line known as the Richmond Vale Railway was the first railway at this location -- the NSWGR rails reached the area later. The engines were built new for the J & A Brown company between 1908 and 1911 by Kitson of Leeds – with an air of the Great Central about them - three entered service on the RVR. No date.

Fuji Minobu class 210 electric locomotive, Japan


This was a Japanese DC Bo-Bo electric locomotive operated by the Fuji Minobu Railway and later the Japanese National Railways from June 1928 to 1973. Three were built in June 1928 by Hitachi for the Fuji Minobu Railway and entered service the same year. The type was similar to the ED15 class

With the Fuji Minobu Railway's nationalization on 1 May 1941, the engines were acquired by the Japanese National Railways, reclassified as the JNR Class ED21 and renumbered ED21 1, ED21 2 and ED21 3. On the JNR, they were used on the Iida and Ōito Lines. ED21 2 would be loaned to the Sangi Railway to transport construction materials for the Kurobe Dam. ED21 1 was scrapped in 1959, while ED21 2 and 3 were withdrawn in 1973.

None were preserved.

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

1953 Humber Pullman & Imperial advertisement art

 It was clearly marketed as a competitor to Rolls Royce and Bentley, perhaps a cheaper one.

Czechoslovak rail travel poster, 1936

 For info on the railcar, dubbed the 'Slovak bullet train' from 1936, decommissioned in 1953, see here

Sunday, September 14, 2025

Saturday, September 13, 2025

Hungarian railway poster, late 1940s

Obviously after the communist takeover of the country -- "let's build the railways"

Romanian railway poster for trips to Bucovina, early 20th century


This is a hilly region and one of the areas of Eastern Europe that was affected by Stalin's arbituary border changes after WW2.  The northern part of Bucovina became the Chernivtsi Oblast of Ukraine, while the southern part is Suceava County of Romania. Undoubtedly, Romania would like the northern part back.

NZR Ed class electric locomotive with livestock wagons from Johnsonville, late 1940s

See the books Wellington Transport Memories and The Story of the Wellington to Johnsonville Railway.