The passenger train on the inside track isn't moving....
Anyone Else Fascinated By Old Locomotives?
- Thread starter Black 03 Z06
- Start date
Possibly. But also possible is that maybe the train spewing the exhaust is in fact reversing regardless of what the caption says .....
Your comment almost made me dizzy because it reminded me of a few times when you are on a train or bus stopped beside another one and you're looking at it and it starts to move and you get that weird sensation that you just started to move . Very strange and unique feeling. OK , had to look it up of course, lol.
This sensation occurs due to relative motion perception between the two trains. Without fixed reference points like the ground or platform, your brain interprets the adjacent train's movement as your own. Phenomenon Name It's commonly called the train illusion. This visual trick, also linked to vection (the feeling of self-motion from visual cues alone), arises when your train lacks external anchors, making the other train's motion fool your vestibular system. Why It Happens - Your brain relies on visual cues for motion. In an enclosed train car, the moving train next to yours becomes the default reference, creating an illusion of backward motion for your stationary train—until you spot a stable landmark like a platform. Related Effects - Happens bidirectionally: A stationary adjacent train can seem to move if yours starts first. Enhanced by smooth acceleration without jerks, minimizing other sensory input.
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Just shut your eyes....
The only times I would usually do that is going to bed or when Trudeau appeared on TV........Just shut your eyes....
LE BARON
Power User
As to the discussion of the "Farnham" loco, this is a still picture, not a video so naturally it would not appear to be moving even if it were "leaving" the station. The steamers never really just shot out from a stand still at any rate. I remember seeing the wheels spin before any movement.
𝐂𝐁&𝐐 𝟐-𝟏𝟎-𝟐 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐌-𝟐-𝐀 𝟔𝟏𝟔𝟎
Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad 2-10-2 Class M-2-A 6160 with 42 cars south of Castle Rock, Colorado on June 25, 1939, photograph by R. H. (Dick) Kindig, print by Tom Klinger, Chuck Zeiler collection. Number 6160 was built by Baldwin in 1921 (c/n 54161), sold for scrap in December 1952.
𝐂𝐁&𝐐 𝟐-𝟏𝟎-𝟐 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐌-𝟐-𝐀 𝟔𝟏𝟔𝟎
Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad 2-10-2 Class M-2-A 6160 with 42 cars south of Castle Rock, Colorado on June 25, 1939, photograph by R. H. (Dick) Kindig, print by Tom Klinger, Chuck Zeiler collection. Number 6160 was built by Baldwin in 1921 (c/n 54161), sold for scrap in December 1952.
LE BARON
Power User
After the W.C railroad started up in the late 80's steam trips started up on the former SOO LINE We are here for a photo run by at Lake Villa.
Photo shared with permission from the photographer/owner
Photo shared with permission from the photographer/owner
LE BARON
Power User
After an afternoon layover in Jim Thorpe, T-1 #2102 exits the yard limits at Jim Thorpe Jct. headed back for Reading.
Photo shared with permission from the photographer/owner
Photo shared with permission from the photographer/owner
LE BARON
Power User
𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒑𝒔
N&W 611 leads the Asheville Flyer through Old Fort North Carolina, traversing the famous loops.
Photo shared with permission from the photographer/owner
N&W 611 leads the Asheville Flyer through Old Fort North Carolina, traversing the famous loops.
Photo shared with permission from the photographer/owner
LE BARON
Power User
What could be better than a clear fall day, an imposing mountain range, and a handsome steamer billowing clouds of steam and smoke ? Thanks to the Heber Valley for putting on a great show almost two decades ago; let's hope that they finally get the 618 back out on the rails again
LE BARON
Power User
This image of the Pennsylvania Railroad K4s steam locomotive accident at Crestline, Ohio, encapsulates the tension between industrial might and human fallibility. The K4s, once the pride of PRR’s passenger fleet, lies helpless in a turntable pit—its fall not caused by mechanical failure or external force, but by a misjudged maneuver. Turntables, essential for redirecting locomotives, required precise alignment and coordination. A single lapse here transformed routine procedure into a dramatic failure. The locomotive’s tilted bulk, surrounded by workers and observers, evokes both awe and humility. It’s a stark reminder that even the most powerful machines are vulnerable to error. For railroad crews, this was more than a spectacle—it was a cautionary tale etched in steel and soil. The image strips away the romanticism of steam railroading, revealing the gritty reality of operations where danger lurked in the mundane. It speaks to the discipline and vigilance demanded by the steam era, where every movement carried weight—literally and figuratively. Today, it stands as a visual testament to the balance between control and catastrophe, and the human stories behind the iron giants of American rail history
LE BARON
Power User
The Pennsylvania Railroad Roundhouse and Locomotive Finishing Shop in Altoona in 1950 stood at the very core of operations for the mighty Pennsylvania Railroad, whose system once stretched from the Atlantic seaboard deep into the Midwest. At Altoona, this vast industrial complex functioned as a living, breathing machine, where locomotives were built, overhauled, and prepared for the grueling demands of mainline service. In the upper left of the scene, the Tank and Steel Shops handled critical fabrication and heavy repairs, forging and shaping the components that kept the fleet running. To the right, the Westbound and Eastbound Preference Yards formed an intricate web of tracks where freight and passenger consists were classified and assembled for departure. Beyond them, more yard tracks and support buildings stretched across the landscape, underscoring the immense scale of rail activity centered here. The great circular roundhouse, anchored by its central turntable, served as the hub of steam locomotive servicing, allowing engines to be positioned precisely for inspection or repair. By mid-century, this scene captured the height of the steam era, just before dieselization began transforming American railroading and closing a remarkable chapter in industrial history.
LE BARON
Power User
A train coming across a Pennsylvania Railroad trestle near Saltsburg, Indiana County evokes a vivid image of industrial determination and rural resilience. The wooden trestle, stretching across a misty valley, supports the weight of a steam locomotive and its trailing freight cars as they rumble forward. This scene, likely from the late 19th or early 20th century, captures a moment when railroads were the lifeblood of small towns like Saltsburg. The locomotive’s headlamp pierces the haze, while its smokestack releases a plume that mingles with the morning fog. Workers, dressed in rugged attire, walk alongside the train, their presence a testament to the labor that sustained these iron arteries. The bridge itself, a marvel of timber engineering, curves gently across the landscape, its supports casting long shadows below. In the distance, faint outlines of trees and structures hint at the quiet countryside that bore witness to the rise of rail travel. This image is more than transportation—it’s a portrait of progress, community, and the enduring spirit of those who built and maintained the rails.
