View allAll Photos Tagged streamlined
This streamlined saloon, with a monocoque aluminum coachwork, was the last big Panhard. Its sleeve valve engine was outdated, but apart from that this baroque and expensive car was extremely modern : all-round independent wheels and one of the first with a dual hydraulic brake circuit. Three seats in the front with a central steering wheel were difficult to accept, and as from 1939 the steering wheel was moved to the left-hand side. 2.230 models were built.
2.861 cc
6 Cylinder
75 hp
Autoworld
Brussels - Belgium
February 2022
Wonderful way to start 2024! I am humbled by the support the community gave The Mercury to win the Global Public Vote in the Brick Train Awards 2023. Big thank you to HA Bricks for the winners brick and TrixBrix for the voucher!
Streamlined for lower wind resistance. The switch rotates to turn a washing machine's wringer on and off.
Preset Style = Streamlined
Format = 10" (Giant)
Format Margin = None
Format Border = Straight
Drawing = Technical Pen
Drawing Weight = Medium
Drawing Detail = Lower
Paint = Natural
Paint Lightness = Normal
Paint Intensity = Normal
Water = Tap Water
Water Edges = Medium
Water Bleed = Minimal
Brush = Natural Detail
Brush Focus = Everything
Brush Spacing = Wide
Paper = Plain
Paper Texture = Medium
Paper Shading = Light
Options Faces = Enhance Faces
By 1938 London Transport was in the midst of an investment programme that was vast in scale and investment. The "New Works Programme 1935/40" saw massive extensions to tube lines (including the Bakerloo and Central) and to service the lines new tube rolling stock was required (alongside surface stock). This 1938 advert was issued by British Thomson-Houston of Rugby who provided vast numbers of control gear sets for the new tube trains. The ad illustrates one of the few design failures of LT and the NWP. The revolutionary new trains were, in the prototype batch, given a 'streamline' front end that was soon discredited as at low speed the 'nose' had no real aerodynamic effect, the extra car length created issues at tube station platform headwalls and - well, it was a touch to 'flash' for LT's rigorous design ethos! By 1938 the squadron batch of trains, that were to become amongst the most famous of all tube trains and that gave many decades of service, were delivered with the restrained and sober 'flat' fronts. The 1935-stock was eventually reconstructed to the same cab design.
I can get up the stairs now which is great news, I can't do much else yet.
Catching up on some back shots from the beginning of the year.
In Akaora with my Flickr and blip friend. February 22, 2016 Akaora, New Zealand.
The day was cold and felt like rain but it didn't. When we passed the Akaroa Lighthouse there was some wedding shoot there. They didn't seem to mind me taking some shots too.
The Akaroa Lighthouse Preservation Society moved the lighthouse from the Akaroa heads to its present location on 2 August 1980. Today a roster of volunteers 'man' the light house to enable the public to visit and view this iconic historic Akaroa landmark.
For more Information on the lighthouse: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akaroa_Lighthouse
C&O streamlined steam locomotive 490, B&O Railroad Museum. Taken back in 1993 when many of these iconic locomotives were still displayed outside (not good for preservation, but it was good for photos), this engine is now on display inside the restored Car Shop building, which added nicely to the Museum's facilities. A description of the 490 from the museum's website:
The No. 490 was constructed by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (C&O) in 1926. As one of the five F-19 4-6-2 "Pacific" locomotives built for the C&O, the No. 490 was used on passenger trains on the mainline east of Charlottesville and west of Clifton Forge. In 1930, the No. 490 was assigned to the "Sportsman," the premier C&O passenger train at the time. Later, the No. 490 was transferred to the "George Washington." The No. 490 and other 4-6-2s operated between the Cincinnati and Washington route until 1942 when the C&O replaced the "Pacifics" with new heavy Baldwin 4-8-4. The No. 490 and other 4-6-2s continued to run as secondary passenger trains during World War II.
Shortly after the end of the war, the C&O decided to upgrade their passenger service. The C&O was primarily a coal-hauler and therefore wanted to improve steam locomotive technology. They developed a new luxury liner between Washington and Cincinnati named the "Chessie." The new liner was to be powered by experimental steam-turbine-electric locomotives. In addition, the C&O's Huntington shops rebuilt the No. 490 and the other 4-6-2s into 4-6-4 "Hudsons." The new locomotives had roller bearings, front-end throttle, high-speed booster, cross counterbalance, and the Franklin system of steam distribution.
Due to the increased automobile production and the airline expansion that occurred after the war, the luxury Chessie passenger trains never ran. The rebuilt "Hudsons" instead hauled regular passenger trains until 1953. The No. 490 was stored in the Huntington Roundhouse until 1968 when it was moved to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum.
Streamlined and minimal landscape design by Suzanne McKevitt. I've been seeing more of this unique Agave species around Los Angeles lately. The common name of this elegant species is Octopus Agave. Very striking when flowering. A native of Mexico, this architectural plant can tolerate intense heat and very dry conditions. Unlike most Agave, the leaves do not have spines, thus making this Agave a good choice in gardens with young children.
I bought this little engine on Ebay this evening. (seller's photos) I really like the running characteristics of the Broadway Limited "Hybrid" models, so for the price I couldn't pass it up.
The BLI imported models are brass and die cast construction, the boiler and tender structures are fabricated sheet brass, while the frame of, both, the engine and tender is die cast metal. They come factory painted and equipped with a can motor with flywheel drive, sound, smoke and complete lighting and run on DC and DCC systems. They are excellent models for the cost.
Scale: HO
Category: Steam
Type: STREAMLINED
Road: New York Central (NYC)
Whyte: 4-6-4
Description: DREYFUSS HUDSON J-3A
Importer: BLI (Hybrid Series)
Catalog: 1146
Year(s): 2014
The beautiful Duchess of Hamilton locomotive at the National Railway Museum, York.
Built in 1938, the 'Duchess' reportedly covered some 1.5 million miles before being retired in 1964.
The delicious streamlined bodywork you see here was removed in 1947 as it made working on the locomotive somewhat difficult. Thankfully, the streamlining was restored by the NRM in 2009.
Taken at the Petoskey, Michigan waterfront.
I include the rear view to complete the look and to allow you to verify that under all that is a Honda.
Norfolk Southern operated Norfolk & Western streamlined J class 4-8-4 Northern steam locomotive # 611 is leading a Railfan Excursion Train in Tennessee, October 1989. This train was operated from Chattanooga to near the border of Kentucky at Oneida on the old Southern mainline, and then it returned to Chattanooga. From Oakdale to Onedia the train was operating on a portion of the old Southern Railway Rathole Division. Numerous railfans with cameras were at just about every doorway or vestibule dutch door to take photos or videos, especially on curves. Since this was a coal burning steam locomotive, you had to look out for the fly ash drifting back.
New Haven Railroad I-5 class 4-6-4 Hudson steam locomotive is seen hauling a long heavyweight passenger train along the Shore Line Route during the mid 1940's. These modern Baldwin built semi-streamlined steam locomotives were used to haul the fastest passenger trains along the Shore Line Route. On the right side of the train there is a cantilever signal bridge with blade style upper quadrant semaphore block signals. This photo may have been taken on the mainline in Rhode Island.
The name of the photographer that took this photo is unknown. This photo is courtesy of Marlin MacLaughlin.
Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for the purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Attending streamlined locomotives exhibit the liveries of New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR), Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia (CFCLA) Aucision Models and V-line.
Nearest the camera is 4204, a member of the 6-strong NSWGR 42 class.
Recently withdrawn from service following expiry of the boiler certificate, LNER class A4 no. 60019 'Bittern' stands at the buffer stops on a rare visit to Manchester Piccadilly on 27 March 2010, having worked a charter from London Euston. Although from a different era, the front end design of the Pendolino is remarkably similar.
This green 1930's streamlined caboose was inspired by a very similar real-world Wabash caboose located on the Katy Rail-Trail at St. Charles, Missouri.
During the mid-1930s several of the UK's 'Big Four' railways experimented with and introduced both streamlined steam locomotives and train sets along with premium services operated by these trains. Although one drive of streamlining was with regard to speed of equal opportunity was the publicity value of such trains.
They allowed the LNER and the rival west coast LMSR to promote the railway as modern and at the front of technology. It's equally fair to say that in the cash-strapped era the railway's branch line and secondary stock and services were not quite so well treated to investment as their main line counterparts!
In the case of the LNER following the introduction of the "Silver Jubilee" in 1935 and "The Coronation" in 1937 the company decided that the important London - West Yorkshire route, connecting Kings Cross to the major cities of Leeds and Bradford, should also get the 'streamline' treatment.
For the service, that started on Monday 27 September 1937 the company constructed new train sets, similar to those for the Silver Jubilee, that comprised four twin articulated coaches with two kitchen cars and the trains were intended to be hauled by the LNER's A4 class locomotives. The train ran until the outbreak of war when it was suspended, the train sets placed into storage and not reinstituted until BR days in 1949.
The advertising and publicity was, as for the Silver Jubilee and Coronation, designed to be of equal 'opulance', appealling to the First Class market the LNER wanted to capture although Third Class was also included. A supplemntary fare, of 4/- in First and 2/6 in Third, was charged. The service was timed smartly, with a northbound 'down' service leaving Kings Cross at 1910 and arriving into Leeds at 2153, before reaching Bradford Exchange at 2215 - a quoted average speed of 68.4 mph.
The booklet, printed at the Baynard Press, is in the same style as the Silver Jubilee and Coronation but lacks a designer's name.
Following the success of the introduction of the LNER's first streamlined service, the Silver Jubilee in 1935, the company decided to celebrate the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937 with the introduction of another service "The Coronation". This first ran between London King's Cross and Edinburgh Waverley on 5 July 1937 - this booklet is the version issued for the following year and dated 2 May 1938.
In common with The Silver Jubilee, and the West Riding Limited that was introduced in 1938, the service was an high speed express with a wide range of premium services that attracted an additional surcharge. Again, specially constructed train sets were introduced including a beaver-tailed observation coach, and the units were hauled by the company's A4 locomotives - trains ets and locomotives in the then special 'garter blue' livery seen in this publicity booklet.
The booklet is printed by the Baynard Press and exceeds even the usually high standards of the LNER with careful attention paid to the graphic design, typography and layout with the use of metallic inks. The artwork is by one of the LNER's best known poster artists, Frank Parkinson Newbould.
Following the success of the introduction of the LNER's first streamlined service, the Silver Jubilee in 1935, the company decided to celebrate the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937 with the introduction of another service "The Coronation". This first ran between London King's Cross and Edinburgh Waverley on 5 July 1937 - this booklet is the version issued for the following year and dated 2 May 1938.
In common with The Silver Jubilee, and the West Riding Limited that was introduced in 1938, the service was an high speed express with a wide range of premium services that attracted an additional surcharge. Again, specially constructed train sets were introduced including a beaver-tailed observation coach, and the units were hauled by the company's A4 locomotives - trains ets and locomotives in the then special 'garter blue' livery seen in this publicity booklet.
The booklet is printed by the Baynard Press and exceeds even the usually high standards of the LNER with careful attention paid to the graphic design, typography and layout with the use of metallic inks. The artwork is by one of the LNER's best known poster artists, Frank Parkinson Newbould.
A new Iraqi State Railways class PC steam locomotive. This locomotive ran on the Baghdad to Istanbul route. Only four of these Robert Stephenson model were ever built, and only three made it safely to Iraq — one being lost when the ship carrying it was sunk
It is thought that this particular locomotive is Nr. 502 'El Mosul', delivered to Iraq in March 1941, its name (written in Arabic) is just visible on the side
RENFE streamlined railcar TAF 9522, Madrid Railway Museum (Museo del Ferrocarril de Madrid), located in the ornate 1890 Delicias station. www.museodelferrocarril.org/en/principal.asp
Some history on this particular railcar that I found online www.paseosmadrid.com/en/automotor-taf-9522-museo-del-ferr... :
The TAF 9522, was an Italian designed automotive train, which became operational in 1952 with the aim of modernizing the most important RENFE daytime fast long-distance lines. Its introduction was aimed to replace old vehicles on some of these routes.
These trains could run on all lines because of their light weight per axle. They, consisted of three cars. Two were engines, located at the ends, which also had the luggage van, and a trailer in the centre, with a bar. It was equipped with an air conditioning system, giving it great comfort for those times.
In the 1960s these trains began to decline in importance due to the entry into service of the modern TER, and the revolutionary Talgo III. Furthermore, in 1971, the electric train lines began to circulate, leaving the TAF 9522, for regional, low traffic service lines.
In the early 1980s these trains were discharged from use at RENFE, and were included in the Madrid Railway Museum.
The Barbizon Hotel (now the Barbizon Beach Club) is a historic Art Deco landmark located at 530 Ocean Drive in South Beach, Miami. Built in 1937, it stands as a prime example of the architectural style that defines the Miami Beach Architectural District.
Key Historical Facts
Architectural Design: The building was designed by architects Coulton Skinner and John Skinner (some sources also credit Henry Hohauser). It features classic Art Deco elements, including a symmetrical facade, tropical motifs, and a streamlined silhouette.
Aerodynamic Forms: The building features smooth, curved edges and horizontal emphasis, mimicking the look of modern ocean liners and locomotives.
Geometric Symmetry: A balanced facade that uses bold, clean lines and stepped rooflines.
Nautical Details: Decorative touches such as porthole windows and "eyebrow" window ledges (horizontal concrete shades) that provide both aesthetic flair and sun protection.
Tropical Motif: The design incorporates a "tropical Art Deco" setting, often utilizing pastel colors and materials like glass block and terrazzo.
Original Purpose: It opened as the Barbizon Apartment Hotel, offering "modernistic" appointments, a spacious lobby, a tropical landscaped patio, and a rooftop solarium.
Naming Inspiration: Like several other Miami Beach hotels of that era, it was likely named after the famous Barbizon Hotel for Women in New York City to attract sophisticated travelers from the north.
Military Use: During World War II, the Barbizon, along with hundreds of other South Beach hotels, was repurposed by the U.S. Army Air Corps to house soldiers undergoing training in Miami Beach.
Preservation: In 1979, the hotel became part of the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property to the Art Deco Historic District.
Modern Status
Today, the building has been converted into the Barbizon Beach Club, a residential condominium complex.
Function: It primarily operates as privately owned condos, many of which are used for short-term vacation rentals.
Location: It remains a fixture of the "South of Fifth" (SoFi) neighborhood, situated directly across from Lummus Park and the Atlantic Ocean.
Amenities: While it no longer operates as a traditional full-service hotel, it features a ground-floor restaurant and bar known for its lively South Beach atmosphere.
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
www.google.com/search?q=what+is+the+architectural+style+o...
apps.miamidadepa.gov/PropertySearch/#/?address=240%20KROM...
www.google.com/search?q=how+many+floors+does+the+barbizon...
www.google.com/search?q=history+of+the+barbizon+hotel+sou...
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
I'm aware that many (who am I kidding, all but one :P ) of all of you who follow me are unfamiliar with Hernando, so I've tried to lay this out as simply as possible, mostly courtesy Google Maps... and if you want the really streamlined version, and you have access to flickr on desktop, check out my photo notes instead!
I-55 is the major interstate through DeSoto County, and I've mentioned before that it's planning to undertake a major expansion project in the coming years to accommodate higher traffic. Two other interstate projects are in development in the area as well. One of them, I-69, is incomplete in MS as a whole, but as far as I know is pretty well done locally; it travels east-west along the same route as SR304 north of Hernando before meeting I-55 at a cloverleaf interchange. At that cloverleaf, an east-west route (not yet opened) continues, but I-69 detours and shares the same north-south route as I-55. The planned east-west extension of SR304 is to be co-signed as I-269, what will be a “beltway” around Memphis and its metro suburbs including DeSoto County.
Last week MDOT held a public information/hearing-type event where citizens could come in and see their plans for the interchange to be constructed at I-269 and McIngvale Road. Previously, MDOT had said they were not going to construct an interchange there, despite the new interstate having no other direct way into Hernando. The top right inset photo shows this: the lime green “1” is an I-69 exit onto Tulane Road (formerly Odom), west of town; the “2” is the planned I-269 exit onto Getwell Road, east of town; and the “3” is the existing I-55 exit onto Commerce Street, the lone interstate access to Hernando proper, and one that is in need of a major overhaul (long story short, what was once one lane each way was forced into two, creating a tight squeeze for Commerce traffic under the I-55 overpass). Of course, the cloverleaf in the top center of that pic is where I-69 meets I-55. MDOT considered this to be entrance enough into Hernando (as well as citing some sort of “distance between exits” rule), but I think you'll agree entering another interstate is not the same as entering a town. A more direct route was necessary, and finally, after years of pushing, our city has convinced MDOT to construct an exit ramp on McIngvale Road in the northeastern part of town: the general site within the lime green circle on that top right image.
The main image on the left is an enlarged version of the site itself, complete with my rendering of MDOT's plans for the exit. (A way more official looking rendering was provided at the event, but it didn't include as big of a picture as I wanted to in this shot.) The orange lines represent the on- and off-ramps from I-269 onto McIngvale Road as planned by MDOT. MDOT agreed to take on this project... if Hernando agreed to realign and five-lane McIngvale. That's where the yellow line below the interchange comes in.
For the most part, a road named Swinnea follows a largely straight route from the state line southward to Nesbit/North Hernando, though not all parts are connected. McIngvale Road follows the same north-south route through Hernando proper, and initially terminated on the north end at Green T Road just south of the planned I-269 route. Some years ago, a road was constructed between Swinnea's end at Pleasant Hill Road and McIngvale's end at Green T, named after the latter. The two halves of McIngvale do not align, however. To fix that, Hernando has come up with a broad (that is, not yet set in stone, but likely nonetheless) plan for a realigning extension of the McIngvale Road on which the exit is to be located: straight south behind Hernando Hills Elementary School before meeting up with the existing McIngvale Road prior to a stoplight with Byhalia Road south of there. I imagine that'll roughly follow the yellow line I've drawn.
That leaves the bottom right inset photo. While searching all this out, I discovered the land bounded by the existing portion of McIngvale to the west, Green T to the north, and Byhalia to the south and east is one large (albeit stalled) planned unit development dubbed Madison Lakes. As you can see, that's a rather large swath of land! That inset pic is an early plan for the area I was able to dig up from someplace or another on the internet (circa 2005 or prior, since HHES had not yet been constructed). I just thought it would be interesting to include, plus it shows there was a plan to realign McIngvale even back then: in that case, meeting up with the existing portion north of the school rather than south of it.
...as if that wasn't enough stuff to share, I also included old Kroger and Walmart logos in the zoomed-out site pic on the top right for fun so you can see where in town they're located. You sure can see how large that Kroger construction site is from far away!
(c) 2016 Retail Retell
These places are public so these photos are too, but just as I tell where they came from, I'd appreciate if you'd say who :)
Streamlined "Mallard"
Number 4468 Mallard is a London and North Eastern Railway Class A4 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive built at Doncaster, England in 1938. While in other respects a relatively typical member of its class, it is historically significant for being the holder of the official world speed record for steam locomotives.
Mallard was designed by Sir Nigel Gresley as an express locomotive to power high-speed streamlined trains. Its wind-tunnel-tested,[1] aerodynamic body and high power allowed it to reach speeds of over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), though in everyday service it was relatively uncommon for any steam hauled service to reach even 90mph, much less 100. Mallard was in service until 1963, when it was retired, having covered almost one and a half million miles (2.4 million km).
The privately-owned Alco PA enroute to Spencer, NC for the Streamliner-Shin Dig is rolling behind the locos of BNSF train Q-SSECHC as it passes through Chana, IL on Sunday morning.
Streamlined body of the Swedish Saab 93B.
SAAB made cars from 1947 - 2011.
Specifications:
Manufacturer: SAAB, Trollhattan, Sweden
Engine: 748cc, 3 cylinder, 2-stroke
Transmission: 3 speed with freewheel
Power: 33 hp / 4200 rpm
Top speed: 120 km/h
Lenght: 4,01 m
Weight: 810 kg
Southern Railway operated Norfolk & Western J-class 4-8-4 modern streamlined Northern steam locomotive # 611, is being cleaned, maintained & serviced in the yard at Atlanta, Georgia, May 1983. The locomotive is being prepared by numerous employees for its next day assignment to a railfan excursion train.
Old Greyhound Bus Station in Jackson, Tennessee. The Art Moderne style building was built in 1938. The Jackson Greyhound station with its blue and white porcelain panels is a great example of the streamlined bus stations built across the country during the 1930s. The station was a "half-way station" due to it being roughly half way between Memphis and Nashville. The last bus used the station in 2018.
The Greyhound Bus Station in Jackson was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 (NRHP District No. 92001871).
Belly bomber? Belly tanker? Belly anything?
Body from abandoned aircraft on four wheels with mad engine?
The modern looking streamlined Peugeot 402 series was presented at the 1935 Paris Motor Show. In the early 1930s revolutionary aerodynamic theories were applied for the first time to mass produced cars. Avant-garde cars like 1934 Tatra 77 and the 1934 Chrysler Airflow gained a lot of positive attention. The 402 was Peugeot's answer to its direct competitor the streamlined 1934 Citroën TA.
The 402 was developed by the Département Études Carrosseries, under supervision of Henri Thomas.
The Peugeot 02-series was also called Fuseau-Sochaux.
The 402 series replaced the predecessors 401 and 601 (from 1934-1935).
Many body variants were available.
The 402 B with an increased engine, followed in Summer 1938.
Besides several Art Deco details, the headlamps placed behind the grille were very remarkable.
See also: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peugeot_402
2142 cc L4 petrol engine.
Performance: 60 bhp.
C. 1200 kg.
Production Peugeot 402 series: Sept. 1935-July 1942.
Production Peugeot 402 B Berline this version: Oct. 1938-June 1940.
New French (painted) reg. number: Autumn 1973 (Dept. Meurthe-et-Moselle).
Seen in Musée de l'Auto en Lorraine, officially called Association Lorraine des Amateurs d'Automobiles de Collection (ALAAC).
See also: www.musee-auto-lorraine.fr
Velaine-en-Haye (Meurthe-et-Moselle, Fr.), Allée des Mérisiers, Oct. 27, 2019.
© 2019 Sander Toonen, Amsterdam/Halfweg | All Rights Reserved
I bought this little engine on Ebay this evening. (seller's photos) I really like the running characteristics of the Broadway Limited "Hybrid" models, so for the price I couldn't pass it up.
The BLI imported models are brass and die cast construction, the boiler and tender structures are fabricated sheet brass, while the frame of, both, the engine and tender is die cast metal. They come factory painted and equipped with a can motor with flywheel drive, sound, smoke and complete lighting and run on DC and DCC systems. They are excellent models for the cost.
Scale: HO
Category: Steam
Type: STREAMLINED
Road: New York Central (NYC)
Whyte: 4-6-4
Description: DREYFUSS HUDSON J-3A
Importer: BLI (Hybrid Series)
Catalog: 1146
Year(s): 2014
The Aerotrain was a streamlined trainset introduced by General Motors Electro-Motive Division in the mid-1950s.[1] Like all of GM's body designs of this mid-century era, this train was first brought to life in GM's Styling Section. Chuck Jordan was in charge of designing the Aerotrain as Chief Designer of Special Projects. It utilized the experimental EMD LWT12 locomotive (U.S. Patent D177,814), coupled to a set of modified GM Truck & Coach Division 40-seat intercity bus coach bodies (U.S. Patent D179,006). The cars each rode on two axles with an air suspension system, which was intended to give a smooth ride, but had the opposite effect.
The two Aerotrain demonstrator sets logged over 600,000 miles (970,000 km) and saw service on the following railroads:
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway;
the New York Central Railroad;
the Pennsylvania Railroad; and
the Union Pacific Railroad.
In February 1956, the Pennsylvania Railroad introduced the Pennsy Aerotrain between New York City and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, operating it for nine months. Pennsylvania Railroad's schedule was timed so that westbound passengers traversed Horseshoe Curve at lunchtime, while eastbound passengers traversed the curve at dinner time.[2]
The same year, Aerotrain No. 2 was leased as a demonstrator to the New York Central, and operated between Cleveland and Chicago.
In March 1956, the Aerotrain made a series of experimental runs for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in California as a San Diegan consist, running between Los Angeles and San Diego. Its use in permanent service were later abandoned because the entire trainset had to be turned around at each end of the line, and the train required helper locomotives on the Sorrento Grade north of San Diego.
In the summer of 1957 the Aerotrain was operated by the Union Pacific as the City of Las Vegas, running between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The train was eventually relegated to Chicago commuter service on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad.
GM's "lightweight with a heavyweight future" was introduced at a time when US passenger train revenues were steadily declining due to competition from airlines and private automobile travel. Although it featured an eye-catching, streamlined design, the Aerotrain failed to capture the imagination of the American public. The cars, based on GM bus designs and using an air cushioning system, were rough riding and not very comfortable for passengers. The design of the locomotive section rendered routine maintenance difficult and time-consuming. The locomotive unit was also underpowered. Eventually, both trainsets were retired in 1966 after only a decade's use. The Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri, and the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin each have one of the locomotives, and two of the cars.
Disneyland operated a scale version of the Aerotrain, known as the Viewliner, from 1957 to 1959 (see below). Since 1958, the Washington Park and Zoo Railway in Portland, Oregon has operated a scale, diesel-powered replica of the Aerotrain (dubbed the Zooliner) to transport zoo visitors.
Stromlinienwagen means ‘streamlined car’. This single seater 3-wheeler was built by Kaiser Fahrzeugbau in Aschersleben, Germany about 1935. This car was powered by a rear single cylinder NSU 501 OSL motorcycle engine driving the single rear wheel by chain. There were more types that had covered or uncovered wheels and one or two seats The engines (NSU or Columbus-Horex) were ranging from 200cc to 600cc. Max speed of this car was 120 kmh.
Modified and colorized black and white photo.
Blackpool 'streamlined' Burlingham bodied Leyland PD2, No228 (DFV128) swings onto the Promenade in sight of the Woolworths building, and the famous Tower in September 1963.
From an original 35mm slide taken by transport photographer Geoff Gould.
There was no denying that the Cord was a seductively styled icon from the streamlined era of automotive design. It was a case study in "Form Follows Function", seamlessly flowing from hood to tail.....ready to fly as effortlessly as its figurehead.
Built in 1938 by architects Samuel Lipson (1901-1996) and Peter Kaad, the Hastings Deering building (now housing a Woolwoths supermarket) represented the latest trends in European ‘International Style’ of architecture. The building was a new corporate headquarters for Hastings Deering Ltd., a name synonymous with the motor industry and Ford vehicle sales and service for over 60 years. The building featured spacious car showrooms, fully-equipped workshops and office space. Occupying an island site between Crown and Riley streets, Sydney, it cost approximately 125,000 pounds to build.
“With no attempt at grandiose, this building may be regarded as an excellent example of modern commercial architecture. Straight forward, efficient – functional, if you like – it is admirably suited for the purpose … it undoubtedly adds an important new architectural contribution to the city of Sydney.” Building, 26 April 1938
Streamlined and modern, the building pioneered a number of design and structural innovations in Sydney at the time. The elevations were simple horizontal bands of walls and steel framed glazing, and the rounded columns were set back from the external walls, so as to emphasise the sleek curved lines.
A revolutionary system of banked spiral car ramps for cars to enter the building and move efficiently between floors, made the best use of limited space on the site. Large flat floor slabs on each level and coffered ceilings were supported by mushroom-headed column construction.
Source: State Library
The Portland Art Museum is pleased to announce The Shape of Speed: Streamlined Automobiles and Motorcycles, 1930–1942, a special exhibition debuting at the Museum in Summer 2018. Featuring 19 rare streamlined automobiles and motorcycles, The Shape of Speed opens June 16 and will be on view through September 16, 2018.
The concept of streamlining has fascinated people for generations. Beginning in the 1930s and extending until the outbreak of the World War II, automotive designers embraced the challenge of styling and building truly streamlined cars that were fast and fuel-efficient. They were encouraged by the confluence of aircraft design with the sleek shapes of fast railroad locomotives; new advanced highways such as the Autobahns; and events like the 1939 New York City World’s Fair, which showcased futuristic design.
The Shape of Speed presents a select group of rare automobiles and motorcycles that demonstrate how auto designers translated the concept of aerodynamic efficiency into exciting machines that in many cases, looked as though they were moving while at rest.
The Museum will display 17 cars and two motorcycles—the best of that era’s streamlined offerings—from Europe and the United States. Engineering drawings and period photographs will show some of the aircraft, railroad, ship and yacht designs that influenced the automakers.
Featured designers and engineers include European streamlining pioneer Paul Jaray, along with Richard Buckminster Fuller, Norman Bel Geddes, Raymond Loewy, Harley J. Earl, Hermann Ahrens, Georges Paulin, Joseph Figoni, Dr. Wunibald Kamm, Otto Kuhler, Jean Bugatti, Hans Ledwinka, Gordon Buehrig, and others.
In contrast with the decades following World War II—when advanced aircraft and rocket designs propelled carmakers toward fanciful and impractical designs—the automobile designs in the pre-war period were more organic, emulating the classic teardrop shape thought, at that time, to be perfect for cheating the wind. The results were brought to life in cars with then-startling shapes that looked as though they were ready to be embraced and caressed. Even if they weren’t noticeably faster than their predecessors, they looked fast. In a few cases, the conservative public balked. Sales of well-known brands slipped, then recovered as consumers tentatively embraced and then accepted this brave new look.
The design influence of streamlining was felt far beyond automobile styling in this period. The school of architecture now known as Streamline Moderne had an effect on the shape of radios, appliances, transport trucks, and railroad locomotives, along with such disparate items as table flatware, water pitchers, toasters, pencil sharpeners, and cocktail shakers.
A few of the automotive marques featured in The Shape of Speed include Mercedes-Benz, who have restored one of the carmaker’s Stromlinienwagens (streamlined cars) from 1938, along with Bugatti, BMW, Alfa Romeo, Voisin, Talbot-Lago, Delahaye, Cord and Chrysler. In addition, The Shape of Speed includes two motorcycles: a radically streamlined Henderson KJ and a BMW concept R7 motorcycle that was developed in the mid-1930s, lost for decades in a missing crate, recovered in 2005, and completely restored.
The latest exhibition in the Portland Art Museum’s design series, The Shape of Speed is guest curated by Ken Gross, former director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Gross previously curated the Museum’s 2011 exhibition The Allure of the Automobile, which enthralled visitors with its lavish presentation of automobiles as kinetic art—a form of rolling sculpture. With this new exhibition, the Museum opens the door to another fascinating exploration of automotive design.
“The Shape of Speed celebrates great design that moves us,” said Brian Ferriso, The Marilyn H. and Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Director and Chief Curator of the Portland Art Museum. “During the Great Depression, the forward-leaning, beautiful designs of streamlined vehicles were aspirational, inspiring a sense of hope for the future. We look forward to bringing that excitement to Portland again.”
The Shape of Speed: Streamlined Automobiles and Motorcycles, 1930–1942 is accompanied by a range of related programs and events, as well as a catalogue. For more information and updates, please visit portlandartmuseum.org.
Organized by the Portland Art Museum. Guest curated by Ken Gross.
'37 Fords are extremely popular as hot rods, owing to their streamlined looks, big production numbers, and V8 power. But four-door versions are relatively uncommon - fewer produced, lower survival rate, and less interest from hot-rodders. But the same virtues apply, and Ford's then-radical style shift looks just as good today as it did in the fall of 1936.
Although Henry Ford was not particularly interested in style, his son Edsel was - and Edsel's working relationship with Ford designer E.T. "Bob" Gregorie yielded many beautiful products in the 1930s - including the 1937 Ford lineup.
Gregorie had already been designing for Ford since 1931, but the 1937 Fords began a run of spectacularly stylish cars he would design including the Lincoln Continental, the 1939 Mercury, and the 1939 and 1940 Fords.
Compared with the outgoing '36 Fords, which were rounder but not fundamentally all that different from the 1933-1934 cars, the 1937 models were radically streamlined, with headlamps faired into the fenders and that swept-back grille. Underneath, however, the cars weren't that different from what had gone before - although the body construction was now all-steel (the old fabric roof insert was eliminated) and a smaller 2.2 liter V8 was now optional.
Unfortunately the pairing of Edsel Ford and Bob Gregorie didn't last - Edsel died of stomach cancer in 1943 and Gregorie departed the company soon after. He returned briefly at the request of Henry Ford II, but left again by 1947, instead focusing on designing yachts for the rest of his career.
©2015 A. Kwanten.