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Friday, December 21, 2012

When Travel Was By Train and Steam Ruled



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17 comments:

  1. LowellDecember 21, 2012 at 7:30 AM

    A reminder that sometimes the good ol' days were not that good. Steam was great at the time but it could be rather messy.

    Do love trains, though, and it's so sad that our country turned from rail to interstates.

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    1. Taken For GrantedDecember 21, 2012 at 9:54 AM

      I love trains as well. The last steam train we were on was in China back in 1998. It was a bit messy as there was a bit of soot from the coal they burned.

      Perhaps this country will re-invest in rail travel, especially along the East Coast where cities are closer together. We are just about the only industrialized country without a high speed train.

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  2. Tina´s PicStoryDecember 21, 2012 at 12:03 PM

    times has changed :) great shots!

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  3. Gemma WisemanDecember 21, 2012 at 3:26 PM

    Memories of slower travel! We have a Puffing Billy in the Dandenong Ranges (outer Melbourne) which is a tourist attraction!

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  4. LauraDecember 21, 2012 at 5:15 PM

    beautiful images.

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  5. EdDecember 21, 2012 at 5:25 PM

    I love trains, especially the old steam locomotives. There are still a few operating and they're a treat to see. Nice photos!

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  6. HansHBDecember 22, 2012 at 5:09 AM

    Great photo, and perfect for the theme!
    Merry X-mas to you!

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  7. betty-NZDecember 22, 2012 at 5:37 AM

    It's good to remember the past and appreciate what we have today. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

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  8. MartinaDecember 22, 2012 at 5:40 AM

    A nice perspective in the first photo. Makes the locomotive big, powerful, strong - perhaps even a little bit menacing.
    I am sure you can tell us the model? ;-)
    Last time I took a real steam train (not a tourist attraction but regular one) was in Poland in 1978 or 1979. They switched from diesel to steam locomotives at the border of the GDR and Poland.

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    1. Taken For GrantedDecember 23, 2012 at 10:03 AM

      Steam engines do have some advantages over diesel. While not as fast, they produce more torque pound for pound, and they can run on anything that can be burned, wood, coal, oil, etc. But they have their disadvantages needing regular service for fuel and water, and they are horrible environmentally. The engine pictured is about 1920 and is a Baldwin 2-8-0 (wheel pattern), most likely a freight engine.

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    2. MartinaDecember 24, 2012 at 4:49 AM

      ... reading about wheel arrangements and notations schemes ...
      There is a photo of a steam turbine-electric locomotive in wikipedia - wonderful design.

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    3. Taken For GrantedDecember 24, 2012 at 10:33 AM

      The steam turbine-electric locomotives looked good on paper, but never delivered in practice. I have always been fond of the streamlined engine, both steam and diesel, of the 1930s. Used to ride the Burlington Zephyr to my Aunt and Uncles house. It was magnificent in bright stainless steel.

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    4. MartinaDecember 27, 2012 at 2:33 PM

      Germany's history in steam turbine-electric locomotives is short, too:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_turbine_locomotive#Germany

      ;)

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    5. Taken For GrantedDecember 28, 2012 at 10:07 AM

      The diesel-electric locomotives are highly efficient, can go great distances without servicing, and are much cleaner than steam engines. They also don't need a crew to run, only a single engineer, so the experiments with other types of power came to an end. The steam turbine was short lived everywhere. But people still love steam engines, and will turn out by the thousands to see an antique engine go past with all the smoke and steam flying.

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  9. DragonstarDecember 22, 2012 at 6:43 AM

    The old steam trains were very photogenic. Your photos are so evocative.

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  10. Vane M.December 22, 2012 at 3:37 PM

    Gosto do ar nostálgico do antigo.Um abraço e Feliz Natal!
    Mirante da imagem

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    1. Taken For GrantedDecember 23, 2012 at 9:52 AM

      Obrigado, amor motores a vapor de idade. Feliz Natal e um abraço de volta para você.

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