iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

I should say the purpose for my Norwegian sojourn was to travel behind Caroline. At 165 years old, she is the oldest main line certified steam locomotive in the world. The youngest vehicle in the set dates from 1890…

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

I was in Norway over the weekend and for reasons unknown trains display how many metres above sea level stations are?

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

It occurred to me the journey I did yesterday could only be possible in China. I was in Wuhan but I’d booked onto a tourist train that left Beijing, 760 miles away, at 1pm. G340 took me to the capital in 3h55m, a metro transfer later and I had plenty of time to board. High speed rail rocks.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Back in the arena for the conclusion of the final. Much busier tonight - should be a cracking finish. #WuhanOpen

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Two World finals ✅ 10 UK Championship finals ✅ 10 Masters finals ✅ Snooker in Germany ✅ Snooker in Hong Kong ✅ Ticking off the final thing on my snooker ‘to-do’ list: seeing a match in China: the all-Chinese #WuhanOpen final. 🇨🇳

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

I realised quite how special Hungarian steam is when the last of the evening’s sun was glinting off the loco as we meandered our way into Budapest. So when state-run railways do go the extra mile it should be celebrated. What a wonderful three days with 424.247.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

State-run railways have no obligation whatsoever to run 100+ year old wooden bodied carriages on the main line or a 71 year old steam locomotive. Let alone charging next to nothing for a three-day tour.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Hungary has the world’s best railway jingle and I will not be taking questions at this time.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

That’s 🇭🇺 added to the list of countries I’ve had a footplate ride on the main line. Always a fascinating experience and something I’ll never take for granted.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Day three with 424.247. Back to Budapest the long way around. Another day of new track, too.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Arrival into Nyíregyháza. It’s baking hot today - 35 degrees and barely any wind.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

424.247 is all set for an afternoon jolly to Nyíregyháza…

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Today’s thought: why aren’t carnival floats electric? I ask this having spent the morning at the Debrecen Flower Carnival which was bonkers, however the constant thrum and smoke from EU2 diesel engines became tiresome. @sniffpetrol.com, any thoughts?

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Szolnok for water. From here onwards it’ll be new track for me…

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

A short stop in Nagykáta. Some spirited running so far, nudging into the mid-50s for quite a few miles.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Spending the next three days going here, there and everywhere around Hungary with oil-burning 424.247:

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

The @diningcar.at menu is very reasonably priced indeed and the food offering - like the rest of the train - aims to replicate menus from the 1970s…

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Travelling on PKP’s “Nieśpieszny” (Unhurried) train today from Zakopane to Warsaw. It is comprised of wonderfully restored 1970s coaches and an electric loco in period-correct liveries.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Quite fun to go from the most photographed steam locomotive in the world as it crosses America to a locomotive that is an everyday sight in Poland in the space of four days…

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Pt47-65 arrived spot on time in Poznan. This not the first time I’ve done this by any means but it is still remarkable there’s real main line steam running in 2026. I was, of course, the only enthusiast onboard.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

The last bastion of real main line steam in the world is still running six days a week in 2026. Pt47-65 is hauling the 1046 Wolsztyn to Poznan all-shacks stopper this morning.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

I’m a big fan of Kansas City’s streetcar network as it is (a) entirely free to use and (b) has good aircon.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Also, top marks to the Amtrak staff flagging 4014 to passengers onboard. The first of a few sightings today…

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

A new Amtrak division for me toddy, as I’m travelling on Train 311, the Missouri River Runner from St Louis. First time sampling the new Siemens Venture stock. Train 22, the on time(!) Texas Eagle to Chicago is on the right in the first photo.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Also visited the National Museum of Transportation on Friday, mostly to see No.4006. It only hit me this morning how many the museum’s exhibits were built at Schenectady Locomotive Works (including all 25 Big Boys). What a crying shame the site is now a casino.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Anyway, I was reunited with an old friend in St Louis earlier today…

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Currently 38,000ft above Canada, typing this onboard an AA 787-9 using free WiFi. Part of me likes being connected during flights but it’s also a shame the days of being uncontactable on planes is disappearing rapidly. Anyway, there’ll be more American trains on this feed in the coming days.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

5043 at Stratford-upon-Avon ready for the return leg to Birmingham. Owing to the fire risk (red status), the 47 on the rear is doing the lion’s share of the work.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

After spending three days with the ‘Big Boy’ and 611, a ‘Castle’ feels tiny (indeed, two of them double-heading doesn’t match the length of 4014). I love Vintage Trains’ Shakespeare Express as it offers affordable main line steam haulage (£25) and pay on the day is possible, as I did this morning.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

What’s better than one large US loco in a trip? Two, of course. A great day yesterday with the only remaining Norfolk and Western J-Class loco, No.611, in Virginia. Incredibly lucky to be able to sample 4014 and 611 almost back to back.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

A childhood dream came true yesterday. Travelled 175 miles with Union Pacific’s ‘Big Boy’ No.4014 between Buffalo, NY and Sayre, PA, including two hours on the footplate. Story - I am the only non-US journo to be granted access during the coast-to-coast tour - coming soon.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

A thoroughly enjoyable few hours spent at the Buffalo display day. Bravo to UP and NS for putting on a fine event. Former BR chairman Sir Peter Parker famously said that steam warms the market for the modern railway. That really does apply in the US when the ‘Big Boy’ is in town.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

And on the approach to Buffalo, NY…

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Union Pacific’s ‘Big Boy’ No.4014 - the world’s largest operational steam locomotive - crossing Cattaraugus Creek in Irving, NY, on the Conneaut, Ohio - Buffalo, NY leg of its historic coast-to-coast tour. What a sight, what a sound.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

I am in Buffalo, NY, for the next few days (some of you will twig why) and its metro system is entirely free to use on the above-ground section.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

Arrival into Union Station last night, around an hour behind schedule.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Crossing Niagara Falls into Canada. Currently waiting for a boat to clear a canal so a drawbridge can go down. New one for me.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Waiting for booked departure time at Niagara Falls, NY. Next stop: 🇨🇦

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Even on idle, the GE unit is *loud*.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

At Albany, there’s a 20 minute stop to detach the rear loco. Gives a good opportunity to go for a wander: the other train photographed a southbound Empire Service bound for NYC.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

The Hudson is looking rather lovely this morning.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

After a brilliant 40 hours in NYC being a tourist (Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty at sunset, Broadway show to name three things), I’m off to Canada for the first time, aboard Amtrak’s ‘Maple Leaf’ service.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

One of the better days at work today. Celebrated the launch of The Chairman’s Train with a run from Euston to Crewe. Travelling along the WCML won’t quite be the same again… Story for @railmagazine.bsky.social coming soon.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Didn't realise Lumo has hired Flying Scotsman and a rake of Mk1s for its new Stirling service. This was posted by an account with 675k followers. *sigh*

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Can't help but be staggered by the numbers quoted in this post by Union Pacific.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

Someone at Thames Valley Signalling Centre is having fun this afternoon.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

I know I say this often, but UK rail users (a) don’t know how lucky they are with open-data powering the likes of @realtimetrains.co.uk, Traksy et al and (b) how generous our delay repay scheme is. No doubt I’ll play ping-pong between HZ and MAV for €4.25 worth of compensation.

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

A lovely evening in Gyékényes. Eleven minutes (booked 20-odd) to take off the Hungarian loco and replace it with a Croatian one…

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Daniel Puddicombe @danielonrails.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Continuing my mini rail adventure today by taking the one-a-day service from Budapest Deli to Zagreb. Surprised to find an (annoyingly modern) Siemens Vectron at the helm, I assume as far as the border. Did see a V46 shunter, though.

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