January 30, 2009 | Comments Off
Fix the railroad tracks before the trains come by.
A math game for kids (or kids in adult disguise!)
January 30, 2009 | Comments Off
Google Street View captures an aircraft fuselage being transported by train in Seattle, WA. (click on picture for the full view)
Here are some great google-cam views:
Commuter Train in Barrington, IL
TGV in Paris, France
Train Graffiti in France
More from Virtual Globetrotting: Street Views, Satellite Views
January 28, 2009 | Comments Off
Found a great tip that you could use to find railroad-related images to use as a desktop wallpaper. While searching for images,
just use imagesize:WIDTHxHEIGHT your-search-word
To find all railway pictures of size 1280×1024, i used imagesize:1280×1024 railway.
The results:
The results contains quite a few undesired pictures (depends on your search size and word) but on the whole, its a great tip to look for that perfect wallpaper.
[via LifeHacker]
January 27, 2009 | Comments Off
Gold Rush is a railroad puzzle game for the iPhone/iTouch. The object of the game is to lay tracks from one shed to the other, making sure you collect all the gold nuggets to complete the level. Once the tracks are complete between the two sheds, the train will shunt between the two, giving you some time to plan your route and collect your gold.
It is similar to the railroad tycoon online game. Concept is simple, and the sounds are great. Loco steaming sound while waiting in the shed, the “clank-clank” of track being laid when you put a track tile all enhance the game. The full version has 20 levels.
The developers, Skywardsgames are also offering a Piko set to the highest scorer of the month. Except for a small screenshot of the set, no other details (scale?) are given.
Available(iTunes link) for $1.99 or you can try 3 levels for free in their lite version (iTunes link).
Some Screens:
January 26, 2009 | Comments Off
Even though it was bitter cold and windy on Saturday, 24th, the annual Railroad Hobby Show held at Eastern States Exposition Fairgrounds was packed.
Most of the familiar and my favorite layouts were there. Central New York Modelers, Valley HO Trak railroad, European Train enthusiasts were all there with their layouts.
This time around, i decided to spend more time, looking at the various vendors at the show. Most time was spent at the Bar Mills and Scenic Express booths.
Bar Mills, had brought almost all their kits. They were placed in dioramas and was a treat to watch at the level of detail. Most pictures in the show gallery are from their kits. They had also brought along their store display models housed in a plexiglas display but it was dusty and had cobwebs. They looked good but when i saw the pictures, i could see the dust and cobweb “details”. They make basic kits that are great (less than $25) for anyone starting out building wood kits.
I knew Scenic Express made good scenic materials but looking at their dioramas made from their leaf flake foliage and Silflor details just proved that even though slightly expensive (if you want to cover a large expanse) it will breathe life to any scene.
I purchased some Bragdon weathering powders (soot, brown, light rust, dark rust). The vendor told me that you just need to brush it on using a stiff brush or toothbrush. I was not happy with my dry-brush and chalk weathering method so decided to give this a try.
Click on the picture for the show gallery:
January 25, 2009 | Comments Off
Microsoft Aces Studio were working on Microsoft Trains 2 and which was due to be released by the end of this year. Last week, Microsoft announced 5000 layoffs and unfortunately Aces Studio got hit. The future of Trains 2 is now uncertain.
The screens of some of the route being developed were looking promising. It makes me sad to see its demise. Hopefully, they will decide to come back when things look better. But, virtual railroading is in itself a small market and with Trainz and Rail Simulator already there, it will be hard. However, on the other hand, their previous version MSTS, still has a huge following, so faithful fans of the series will help them out.
January 23, 2009 | Comments Off
What do you do if you love model railroading but have no space, not even for a shelf layout? Well, as Keith Beadle, a former electrician from Crewe did, you build it on the ceiling.
Using special magnets, he holds the locomotives and rolling stock in place. He has already spent £5,000 on patents and is looking to turn it into a commercial toy.
Though it seems crazy, this concept has been attempted by laamish (Flickr) and he has a video to prove that it can be done.
January 21, 2009 | Comments Off
After creating a stir with their graphically superior New York Path subway simulator, TML-Studios are busy on their second route, the U7 line in Berlin.
The latest in-game screenshots are truly amazing and i am seriously thinking of upgrading my pc in order to run this simulator.
January 21, 2009 | Comments Off
The annual Railroad Hobby Show will be held at Eastern States Exposition Fairgrounds (The Big E) in West Springfield Massachusetts, this weekend. There are four types of clinics this year. As before the exhibitors list is huge. Come prepared to spend almost a day here.
Ticket Prices are $10.00 for adults and children 15 and under are FREE. The parking at the grounds are $5.00. Tickets will be sold on the grounds starting one hour before the show opens. There was a huge line last year for the tickets so do come early.
Show timings:
Saturday January 24, 2009 – 9:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday January 25, 2009 – 10:00am – 5:00pm
January 18, 2009 | Comments Off
Barack Obama took the train from Philadelphia to Washington, DC. The car he rode in , The Georgia 300, was built by Pullman Standard for the Southern Railway in 1930. The Georgia 300 has an impressive presidential pedigree, having hosted trips for Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
New York Times has more on the trip. Railpictures has more from the railfan’s perspective.
