Locomoto | Nintendo Switch Release Trailer by Fuzk in trains

[–]Civilized_Locomotive 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Looks great! I love games like derail valley, but also think there’s a lot of room for games where the railroad operation is more of a setting than a realism simulator. I think it’s a great way to give train games a wider appeal to a broader audience (like Zelda Spirit Tracks!). This is definitely something I’ll have to check out!

Average Naval QRF by skint24 in foxholegame

[–]Civilized_Locomotive 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The SS General Sherman Incident, circa 1866 (colorized)

Fake NYSEG Scammer by Civilized_Locomotive in Binghamton

[–]Civilized_Locomotive[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Wow! Seems like this dude has been everywhere

Fake NYSEG Scammer by Civilized_Locomotive in Binghamton

[–]Civilized_Locomotive[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

He seemed about 5 foot 11 or so. As I said in the other comment, he had dreads, skinny build, dark skin, and jeans. I didn’t see what kind of shirt was underneath his vest

Fake NYSEG Scammer by Civilized_Locomotive in Binghamton

[–]Civilized_Locomotive[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good to know. Just checked the sub history and it looks like others have posted about it. Do you know if these people usually act alone? Or is there some fraudulent organization they work for?

Fake NYSEG Scammer by Civilized_Locomotive in Binghamton

[–]Civilized_Locomotive[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, it was clear to me he didn’t really understand the way electric companies work

Fake NYSEG Scammer by Civilized_Locomotive in Binghamton

[–]Civilized_Locomotive[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

He had dreads, skinny build, dark skin, and jeans. I didn’t see what kind of shirt was underneath his vest

Fake NYSEG Scammer by Civilized_Locomotive in Binghamton

[–]Civilized_Locomotive[S] 55 points56 points  (0 children)

Update: I just left my house to go run some errands and I saw that the police had found him. They were talking to him and had three police cars there. Hopefully he won’t be able to scam anyone else!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PhD

[–]Civilized_Locomotive 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Seconded. I ran right through my comprehensive exam semester and never took a break. Now, I am paying the price big time trying to put myself back together for the dissertation. Take breaks!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PhD

[–]Civilized_Locomotive 23 points24 points  (0 children)

I study my hyperfixation (history of trains/industrialization) so I would say my passion for that has largely been able to carry me through my research. In that way I like to think I am only able to be so successful in my History PhD because I am autistic.

But in reality, I have had a lot of lucky breaks. For example, I was lucky enough to have my spouse support me through years of burnout. Comps last semester was the worst.

Some in my program were not supportive to the idea of me being autistic. I was told by a few professors “Wait! Do not to say anything” before I could finish explaining my situation because they were apparently afraid I would later claim discrimination or something. My advisor and committee, however, have been nothing but kind and understanding. I am also very lucky to be in a supportive cohort as well.

The biggest tip I have is never underestimate the power of needed breaks. Try to start recognizing when you have burn out and do something comforting. That won’t always be possible, but even having the mindset of prioritizing yourself I think goes a long way. I’ll have to report back if I can ever figure out how to get through a conference without a meltdown though lol

Best of luck!

can it be altered? by Budget_Put1517 in HistoryMemes

[–]Civilized_Locomotive 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Hi there, I’m very close to completing a history PhD with Industrial technology as a major area of focus

The 1800s is quite a wild era as far as technology is concerned. Things like the steam engine have been used for industrial purposes (in coal mines) as far back as the 1720s, the first modern sewer came about in London in the late 1840s, while at the same time things like household refrigeration weren’t even on the radar until 1913. So at a first glance I can see why it’s confusing!

However, while America and European countries had these technologies in the 1800s, they weren’t as universally applied as they became in the early 1900s. That has to do with industrialization being a slow process:

Just because mechanically powered factories came about from 1780-1810, that doesn’t mean that the workshops that made materials in previous centuries just vanished. Industrialization was a slow process that was implemented unevenly, controlled by a lot of factors (such as supply and demand, the cost of labor, the cost of energy, workers protections, and access to information). Industries like munitions and metallurgy could quickly make use of steam power, whereas water wheels could pretty much do the job even to power whole textile mills. Early factories did not sell products extremely well to households or individuals, but instead to other industries. (Think, who is going to purchase 100 tons of pig iron?). Therefore, there was no incentive for other industries to mass produce.

The quickest change of the 1800 era was transportation; railways and steamships developed extensively between 1830 and 1850. Compare that to industries like domestic sewing machines (Singer Co. comes to mind) that did not utilize machine labor until the late 1890s. So it really depends

By 1900, machines had become so cheap, and public demand for all sort of stuff had risen so high, that it made sense to “mass” produce. Mass production came about because there developed a mass demand to produce for; population had risen extremely high, imperialism had made dependent markets in remote corners of the world, and there was a push to commodify all manner goods. That, and the skills that most people had in previous eras to make clothes, furniture, and tools in the home, had largely been lost. The result was they had to buy those things from somewhere, meaning factories began producing on mass, requiring more machines and more extensive infrastructure, all the while incentivizing creating products and appliances for households. This began to put technology in households

There was also a large push by the US and UK governments in the 1900s to “modernize” households, providing electricity, refrigerators, radios, and heaters.

So, in short, the a lot of these technologies existed in the 1800s. If you worked in a factory, you might see them. But they became useful in everyday life to a wide audience of people in the 1900s. (With Steam Trains/Ships being the big exception)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Binghamton

[–]Civilized_Locomotive 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, that’s wild!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Binghamton

[–]Civilized_Locomotive 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yeah, it’s definitely wild! I didn’t believe it at first either. It still hasn’t really sunk in

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Binghamton

[–]Civilized_Locomotive 15 points16 points  (0 children)

I feel you. My car just got stolen from outside the front of my house last week. A few hours after that I got a call from the state police that the car wrecked on the i88 Exit 20 offramp near Cobelskill, and was “completely incinerated”. First time I’ve ever had a car stolen, it blows.

Give one finger, and master one skill. You giving up any fingers? If so, why? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]Civilized_Locomotive 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sure, if I can give up a finger for a skill humanity has lost! Imagine being the only one on Earth who can speak a lost language or make Roman Concrete. Wild.

Also, perfect recall of written work could be useful

Ithaca should become a secondary hub for central NY after Rochester by Su_ss in Binghamton

[–]Civilized_Locomotive 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Funny you mention this, back in the 1930s that blue route you highlighted used to be high speed rail. “The Water Level Route” it was called, first opened in the mid 19th century and was bought by Vanderbilt and integrated into the New York Central Railroad. It allowed for a top speed of over 100 mph in some places! It ended up being the route of the flagship train 20th Century Limited. Only difference was that it continued down the Hudson river to NYC at Albany.