Author Archives: THE OLD MACHINIST

About THE OLD MACHINIST

I am 89 years old and was married for 66 years. My wife passed away in 2016. I am a retired engineer and spent 35 years developing INS gyroscopes. I was a High School mentor in physics, a mountaineer, a model builder, a machinist and I have a degree in Physics. My interests include railroad history and photography, science history, cosmology, interesting people, and old engineering drawings. I place a high value on my friendships. I enjoying my life and I try look forward with a sense of anticipation and curiosity about what my future has in store for me.

OUT BACK AT ORANGE EMPIRE RAILROAD MUSEUM

Posted on January 28, 2015 by THE OLD MACHINIST

It was a sunny day at OERM, I felt like goofing-off, and my camera was in the car. I walked “out back” and randomly photographed what I encountered. Here is some of what resulted from my trip into the past. … Continue reading →

Posted in ORANGE EMPIRE RAILROAD MUSEUM PHOTOGRAPHS | Tagged COMPETENCE IS A MUST HERE!, MY FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHS | Leave a comment

SOME C&TS RR IMAGES FROM MY ARCHIVE

Posted on November 15, 2014 by THE OLD MACHINIST

I recently was browsing images in my archive of photographs I’ve taken over the years. Just for the hell-of-it, I selected and edited the images below. No story is told by the images shown, except, I had a great time … Continue reading →

Posted in NARROW GAUGE RAILROADS, RAILFANS AND EXCURSION TRAINS, RESTORED RAILROAD EQUIPMENT, STEAM LOCOMOTIVES, STEEP GRADES | Tagged FORTY YEAR OLD COLORSLIDES, LIKE SPITOONS - THIS WAY WILL LIVE FOREVER., STEAM LOCOMOTIVE, YOU WILL LIKE THESE | Leave a comment

TWO AND ONE HALF HOURS AT BEVERLY, CALIFORNIA

Posted on November 15, 2014 by THE OLD MACHINIST

The UPRR main line to Las Vegas, and points east, crosses the San Gabriel River west of Beverly and circles around to the north of Rose Hills on its way to Riverside Junction. The branch line to Los Nietos yard … Continue reading →

Posted in DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES, MODERN RAILROADS, STANDARD GAUGE RAILROADS | Tagged IF YOU LIKE "TRAIN PICTURES", MODERN RAILROADS | Leave a comment

TAYLOR YARD AT NIGHT

Posted on November 13, 2014 by THE OLD MACHINIST

Many years ago, I attempted night photography at the SPRR Taylor yard. I was dissatisfied with the images and I set them aside because, in those days, there was no practical way to improve them. All that has changed. I … Continue reading →

Posted in DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES, HISTORICAL PICTURES, SPRR LOCOMOTIVES, STANDARD GAUGE RAILROADS, THE WAY IT WAS | Tagged RAILROAD NIGHT IMAGES, YOU WILL LIKE THESE | Leave a comment

WARBONNETS AND OTHERS AT AT&SF REDONDO ROUNDHOUSE

Posted on November 13, 2014 by THE OLD MACHINIST

I am a long time UPRR oriented “foamer”, but I cannot resist the appeal of the “Warbonnet”. These images were made at the AT&SF Redondo roundhouse, located in Los Angeles, California, on a Winter’s Sunday about 1968. The roundhouse is … Continue reading →

Posted in BNSF LOCOMOTIVES, DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES, HISTORICAL PICTURES, RAILROAD HISTORY IN PICTURES, STANDARD GAUGE RAILROADS, THE WAY IT WAS, THEN AND NOW IN PICTURES | Tagged AT&SF WAR BONNETS AND OTHERS, THEN AND NOW IN PICTURES, YOU WILL LIKE THESE | Leave a comment

A FIFTY YEAR OLD UPRR FREIGHT CAR MYSTERY

Posted on November 11, 2014 by THE OLD MACHINIST

I made these images in 1963, or shortly after, in the East Los Angeles UPRR yard. The different heralds, on the sides of new cars of the same build lot based on the car numbers shown in the images, caught … Continue reading →

Posted in FREIGHT CAR HISTORY, HISTORICAL PICTURES, MODERN RAILROADS, STANDARD GAUGE RAILROADS, THE WAY IT WAS | Tagged CAR MYSTERY | Leave a comment

OLD IMAGES OF THE UPRR YARD AT LOS NIETOS, CALIFORNIA

Posted on November 10, 2014 by THE OLD MACHINIST

I photographed this SPRR switching yard, located in the small town of Los Nietos, California, fifty years ago. I still live nearby and recently, as I scanned the B&W negatives from that time in my life, I became curious … Continue reading →

Posted in DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES, HISTORICAL PICTURES, SPRR LOCOMOTIVES, STANDARD GAUGE RAILROADS, THE WAY IT WAS, THEN AND NOW IN PICTURES, TRACK MAINTENANCE | Tagged THEN AND NOW IN PICTURES | Leave a comment

CHEYENNE AND LARAMIE ROUNDHOUSES ABOUT 1965

Posted on October 29, 2014 by THE OLD MACHINIST

Click on any image to enlarge. The Cheyenne images were obtained on a Sunday afternoon. We were staying at a motel nearby and I decided to walk over to the engine terminal and look around. I did not see even … Continue reading →

Posted in CHEYENNE AREA PICTURES, DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES, HISTORICAL PICTURES, STANDARD GAUGE RAILROADS, THE WAY IT WAS, UPRR GAS TURBINE LOCOMOTIVES | Tagged OUT WITH THE OLD - HOW SAD IT SEEMED THEN | Leave a comment

IMAGES OF THE FORMER UPRR LAKEWOOD, CA. FREIGHT STATION

Posted on October 25, 2014 by THE OLD MACHINIST

Many UPRR depot buildings and freight facilities were “re-purposed” when the railroad no longer had a need for them. In some instances, the “no longer needed” infrastructure has become famous and useful in the new role. An example is … Continue reading →

Posted in DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES, HISTORICAL PICTURES, MODERN RAILROADS, RAILROADS AT WORK, THIS IS A MODEL WAITING FOR A BUILDER | Tagged A FACE-LIFT FOR A FORMER BEAUTY QUEEN., COMPETENCE IS A MUST HERE!, MODERN RAILROADS, RE-PURPOSED BUILDING AT HOME, YOU WILL LIKE THESE | 2 Comments

SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD DIESEL – HYDRAULIC LOCOMOTIVES – CIRCA 1964 IMAGES

Posted on October 19, 2014 by THE OLD MACHINIST

The SPRR bought diesel – hydraulic locomotives from a West German locomotive builder as an experiment. The concept of using diesel engines, as the primary power source for railroad locomotives, was relatively new in 1964 when compared to steam engines. … Continue reading →

Posted in DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES, HISTORICAL PICTURES, MODERN RAILROADS, SPRR LOCOMOTIVES, STANDARD GAUGE RAILROADS, THE WAY IT WAS | Tagged EXPERIMENTAL LOCOMOTIVES, IF YOU LIKE "TRAIN PICTURES", YOU WILL LIKE THESE | Leave a comment