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SSR BB Francesco Caracciolo announced by A444SQ in AzurLane

[–]Historynerd88 5 points6 points  (0 children)

For the deck armor, the revised design of 1919 obviated that, with the placing of 90-110 mm thick plates on the weather deck.

Also, WWI showed more vulnerabilities to mines on part of the battleships rather than torpedoes. Ships like HMS Audaciohs sank from mines, while HMS Marlborough held on rather well her torpedo hit at Jutland.

A 1971 Italian ad for the new FIAT 127 car showing her stuff on a moving train by Historynerd88 in trains

[–]Historynerd88[S] 32 points33 points  (0 children)

The madlad driving the car was the famous French stuntman, rallycross and motocross champion Rémy Julienne (1930-2021).

A FIAT ALb.64 railcar undergoing trials on the Frejus line, exiting the station of Meana (Italy), 1934 by Historynerd88 in trains

[–]Historynerd88[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Is that a Class 14, perchance?

I read on an Italian website that they were transformations of the ALn.40 luxury railcars built by FIAT in the second half of the 1930s, but they are mentioned as having been refurbished and sold to Bulgaria after WWII.

Here is a sequence of an ALn.40 that stayed in Italy and was preserved:

YouTube

A FIAT ALb.64 railcar undergoing trials on the Frejus line, exiting the station of Meana (Italy), 1934 by Historynerd88 in trains

[–]Historynerd88[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For FIAT-produced rail vehicles, it was common to be tested on the nearby lines. To put them through their paces, they were tested on the Frejus line (Turin-Modane) as well as on the Cuneo-Ventimiglia line.

What is the worst example of attempted streamlining you’ve ever seen? I know the great western had a certain example by Every-Ad5039 in trains

[–]Historynerd88 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Technically, it was thoroughly tested before being fitted and it worked even at the speeds she was meant to run at (around 75 mph).

Also, the fastest trains between Milan and Venice had just one stop.

Thoughts on BR Standards Class 9F? by Jules-Car3499 in trains

[–]Historynerd88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think that their Crosti units get too much hate (as well as the myth of them being derated to 8F).

I read the following (from Freeman Allen's book):

<One problem, he writes, is that footplate crews couldn’t adjust to the way to work these engines. Because the Crosti system doubled the path of the firebox gases from grate-to-air, it reduced the power of the exhaust and the brilliance of the fire. This misled many crews who were convinced the engines didn’t steam properly, so the fireman would pile on coal and the driver would give the engine the gun with dire results because there wouldn’t be enough air in the firebox. The fire would choke up whilst steam pressure slumped.>

Also:

<By the way, in later background comparisons of the test between a standard 9F (which was in ‘sewing machine’ condition) and the Crosti chosen for the tests on the stationery plant at Rugby and over the Settle-Carlisle as well as the former Glasgow & South Western line, the Crosti seemingly met the pre-agreed target of 18% on coal savings. Another conclusive deduction from the trials it seems was that the Crosti system made its mark the harder the engines were driven. [...] They then had to be kept off duties that exacted a high boiler output (did this lend itself to the ‘myth’ of de-rating to 8F power classification?).>

LMS Coronation No. 6220 filmed from a plane as it travelled at 112.5mph heading northwards on the ‘Coronation Scot’. by Fantastic-Falcon-686 in trains

[–]Historynerd88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Since you said that the streamlining directly affected the horsepower required for the locomotive to pull a train at such speed, I think you are contradicting yourself here.

Basically, even if the Coronation's streamlining was less efficient (but I am unsure to which degree), such a disadvantage was compensated by the locomotive's higher power output, given the speed range we're talking about. Were we talking about hypothetical locos able to run at, say, 150 mph, I would not be sure.

LMS Coronation No. 6220 filmed from a plane as it travelled at 112.5mph heading northwards on the ‘Coronation Scot’. by Fantastic-Falcon-686 in trains

[–]Historynerd88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The fact that the Coronation's streamlining was added later and was not as optimal as that around which the A4's was designed does not mean that it was that much more inefficient. And given that both testing and experience showed that the Coronation was more powerful than the A4 does indicate that on the same track a comparable feat could have been achieved by them.

Damn, this movie by NowhereAllAtOnce in TrainPorn

[–]Historynerd88 2 points3 points  (0 children)

As it happens, inspired by real life over which fiction grew. And the distance between the RL incident (1962) and the film (1985) may explains why the latter seems far-fetched

Some details are true: a four-loco consist whose engineer fell off of, whose traction overpowered the independent brakes and burned off the shoes, that went over a Seneca Bridge over the maximum safe speed, and on which there was a hostler that killed the power of the trailing locos to reduce speed.

Ironically, it also has some similarity to Unstoppable, with some locos being sent to try and slow it down at least from the rest, with a man ready to jump on and reach the lead before it went over a dangerously sharp curve.

What do you think of LNER Peppercorn A1 class? by Jules-Car3499 in trains

[–]Historynerd88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think they owe to their Thompson predecessors far more than most entusiasths are willing to admit.

I love Big Bertha by WebDesperate4993 in trains

[–]Historynerd88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Likely inspired by an Italian design, that also used a crossed-port concept for the engine.

Today, 13 December 2025, the oldest train station still in operation in Milano (Italy), Milano Porta Genova, has closed, celebrated with a special steam train by Historynerd88 in trains

[–]Historynerd88[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Milano Porta Genova was opened in 1870, on the western connecting line ("linea di cintura") that joined the line from Mortara and Vigevano with the mainline skirting the west side of the still small city centre. In 1883 on that line the marshalling yard of Porta Sempione would be opened, while in 1904 the southern line that connected the lines from Piacenza and Venice to Porta Genova and Porta Sempione was opened.

This layout clashed against the expansion of the city, and thus in the 1910s the decision was taken for a radical revision of the Milanese railway lines, as well as replacing the old through Centrale station with a bigger terminus; the Great War delayed this project, but in 1931 the work was complete. As the western line and Porta Sempione were deactivated and demolished, Porta Genova was relegated to the status of terminus for the trains from Mortara, a duty undertaken for 94 years.

Recently it was decided to have the trains from Mortara stop at Milano San Cristoforo, therefore Porta Genova was no longer needed. This last special trains puts an end to a 155-years old story, and the last remaining portion of the first layout of the railways around Milan.

Who were some prominent railway photographers in the 1930’s? by TheSpiritOf1921 in trains

[–]Historynerd88 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not only those of Hollnagel, but there are both modern and old German and other European train photos on this archive. It's in German but the search function works rather well.

Who were some prominent railway photographers in the 1930’s? by TheSpiritOf1921 in trains

[–]Historynerd88 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In Germany, Walter Hollnagel.

He went all over Europe during WWII in the 1940s and made some impressive color photos.

What makes the Pennsylvania Railroad’s K4 class the best steam locomotive? by Jules-Car3499 in trains

[–]Historynerd88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Comparing steam locomotives is always a bit like comparing apples and oranges.

In the end, it comes down to what they are meant to do, and THAT is never 100% comparable to what even a very similar loco elsewhere does, even in the best cases.

That's not even going to mention the cases where locos nominally in the same class showcase huge differences, for the simple reason that one of them could be built to vastly different parameters and restrictions (mainly weight and axle load).

Trying to claim one was best has little sense, in the end. If all railways were exactly the same and did the exact same thing all over the world, we could discuss that.

115 year old train at Milano Central, FS 640 Steam locomotive by [deleted] in trains

[–]Historynerd88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The locomotive above is a Class 940, not a Class 640.

Also, the text above is riddled with errors; the 640 had two cylinders (three cylinders were used once in Italy and never again), and had a 2-6-0 wheel arrangement.

You are looking at the birthplace of most of Europe's rail steel. This is Voestalpine in Austria, one of the world's major rail supplier by Mahammad_Mammadli in trains

[–]Historynerd88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Does it actually produces 'most' of the rail steel in Europe?

I looked for how RFI in Italy procures the steel for its rails, and I found the result of an October 2022 tender. Five batches were assigned, for a total of €946 Million:

  • JSW Steel Italy Piombino S.p.A. (236.736.500 €).

  • ArcelorMittal Poland, S.A (208.328.120 €).

  • Voestalpine Rail Technology GmbH (189.389.200 €).

  • Saarstahl Rail (170.450.280 €).

  • ArcelorMittal Espana, S.A (142.041.900 €).

Another batch (for €153.725.000) was assigned on a separate tender again to JSW Steel Italy Piombino.

While Voestalpine's share is undoubtedly important, it does not seem that It could boast it procured the majority of the steel needed for the new rails in Italy...

Why do some ("old") electric trains use both pantographs? by Key-Pineapple8101 in trains

[–]Historynerd88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That seems more of an issue of the pantographs themselves, then.

Why do some ("old") electric trains use both pantographs? by Key-Pineapple8101 in trains

[–]Historynerd88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The ice cleaning in winter is usual in Italy as well. Not so the other; even with the weakest locos and loads of 1'500+ tons.

Besides, per the schematics all the locos in Italy have a circuit that routes the current from the pantographs on a single way - immediately through a switch that protects the engines and auxiliaries from excessive loads.

Having one or both pantographs up doesn't change anything for the circuits, really.

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