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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Years ago I bought this photo of a train wreck, and I still have no idea where it was taken, or when. Does anybody have an idea what the locomotive could be?

photo of a wrecked locomotive standing in an extremely heavy fog so that no background details are visible at all. A lone man with a hat and long coat stands in the foreground.

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Museo del Ferrocarril @museoferrocarril.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

🗓️ #Octubre en el museo 🚂🛤️🚉 📢 ¡Agenda de actividades! 📌 Feria #EstaciónFuturo: 23, 24 y 25 (entrada libre) ℹ️ www.museodelferrocarril.org/agenda/index...

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Years ago I bought this photo of a train wreck, and I still have no idea where it was taken, or when. Does anybody have an idea what the locomotive could be?

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 26/08/2025

A little more work done.

photo of an HO scale train, showing 2-2-0 locomotive, six wheel tender, four wheel baggage car, and two Camden & Amboy coaches.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Henry Ford's replica Rocket, built in 1929 by Robert Stephenson & Co. It has not been operated since Henry Ford's death. I took these photos while visiting the museum to do research on the DeWitt Clinton and its replica.

3/4 view of Stephenson's Rocket replica, as it appears in the Henry Ford museum.

photograph showing the brass plaque mounted on the locomotive frame, reading "REPLICA OF ORIGINAL ROCKET BUILT 1929 BY ROBERT STEPHENSON & CO DARLINGTON ENGLAND"

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

headlight and sand pipes added

photo of an HO scale model 4-4-0 steam locomotive

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Cats with Jobs ⚒️ @catworkers.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Station Master Mikan comes out to inspect the passengers.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

This is a big mystery. What happened to the 1830's locomotive wheel that was displayed outside of the Redwood Library in Rhode Island for over a century? Going from photos, the wheel disappeared from the library in the 1970s. The library staff have no record of who took it, or where it is now.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

In 1926, the 1893 replica of the DeWitt Clinton and cars was run over the line between Albany and Schenectady to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the charter for the Mohawk and Hudson. Interestingly it performed the run at the same speed as the original.

A "Rail Road" trip of a century ago in and on the coaches drawn by the DeWitt Clinton locomotive. This photograph was taken on the Alfred H. Smith Memorial Bridge during the New York Central's Centennial celebration in April.

Ready to board the Mohawk & Hudson's first train, the DeWitt Clinton, at Schenectady, to take the 17-mile trip to albany.

Charles Stark, Supervisor of Mechanical Examinations in the First District for the New York Central, as "Dave" Matthew, first engineer of the DeWitt Clinton locomotive.

Headed by the DeWitt Clinton, and including the "999" and the newest monsters of the road, ten locomotives were displayed in a spectacular pageant during the New York Central's Centennial celebration.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I want to do a podcast about early railroads, but I'm trying to think who I'd even have on it. Ideally I'd have two other people, one who knows about early railroads, and then one who knows railroading, but not the real early stuff, so the convo can be interesting/entertaining.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Speaking of products built to last: 1916 Corona 3 typewriter still works perfectly. 110 years old, and barring some sort of apocalyptic event, probably has more than 110 years of life left.

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Sir Topham Matt @deskrailwayman.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Another visit to the local garden railway. Really makes me want to build my loco kit, especially after discovering the owner of this line built all the engines himself.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

geared steam locomotive appreciation post

Hedley's Engine, 1813 (as represented in 1825) side elevation drawing of Hedley's "Puffing Billy" as it appeared with eight driven wheels.

Illustration of the Lima built Shay Geared Locomotive, with three cylinders and two trucks (eight wheels total)

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Why is it called a "cowcatcher" if it is designed to push cows aside rather than catch them? A good question, with an interesting answer. Here are two illustrations, and an article from 1835 (containing the first known use of the term "cow catcher" that I know of) which make the etymology apparent.

Side elevation and plan view of Isaac Dripps' cowcatcher as first used on the Camden and Amboy Railroad.The illustration shows a grate like structure supported by a frame mounted on a pair of wheels.

Engraving of a train from 1852 showing a 2-2-0 locomotive fitted with an early cowcatcher, which is in essence a grate like stucture suspended from the front of the locomotive frame, just above the tops of the rails.

The earliest published mention of a "cow-catcher" that I have found, dates to 1835. "...when in the farther part of Mansfield, they run into a drove of cattle, and soon found that their cow-catcher, which they have wisely placed on their night engine, had gathered together two of the herd, and was proceeding with them at a rapid rate, without any damage to the cars, or the knowledge of the passengers, till the engineer saw his new freight, and stopped to discharge. The cow catcher is a lattice work platform constructed in front of the locomotive, so as to take up it any animal with which it may come in contact."

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

One of the more mind boggling claims the AI-sphere is throwing around is that books are datasets for humans, and therefore human learning and reasoning is the same as that of LLMs. Which blatantly ignores everything invented before text, and everything invented by illiterates after text.

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jess m. ☕🍂 @jametc.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

I was trying to get through to one of the staff of this site yesterday but like, this is psychosis. The people who run this site think AI is alive. How do you come back from this

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

The AI people literally have no idea how much harder they've made it for people to do historical research. They look at themselves as heroes and geniuses, and all they've done is make everything an order of a magnitude harder for people who actually care about facts.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

And just for fun, Bachmann's model of the 1893 replica of DeWitt Clinton, vs. my model of the original locomotive, as accurate as I could make it with surviving drawing and construction notes from the 1831 original.

two HO scale models of the locomotive DeWitt Clinton, standing face to face on the same track.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Comparison between the three generations of Bachmann DeWitt Clinton tender drives. The 2026 version is in the middle, the original 1980s mech is on the left, and the c.2000 mech is on the right. The easiest way to spot the worst/original mech is the open space between the wheels.

photo showing three powered tender mechanism made by Bachmann for the DeWitt Clinton HO scale train set.

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jess m. ☕🍂 @jametc.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Please be vocal about not using AI. We have to normalize it. No "I'm not going to say that because it should be assumed. I'm not going to give them this". We don't have time for that shit ideological shit right now. NOW is the time to capitalize on waning favorability. Ppl want human made

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

The oldest thing in my house that currently gets used is now this 1916 Corona 3 portable. Corona was the first company to successfully market a portable typewriter, and it's really an ingenuous lightweight design, that cuts down on the number of parts without sacrificing much functionality.

Front view of the 1916 Corona typewriter. The keyboard has only three rows (or banks) of keys, and each key can print three different characters, by way of using two different shift keys to select either uppercase, or figures.

Early ad for the Corona Portable Typewriter. "Take me with you on your next trip!" "The CORONA is built for strength and speed. This little machine, weighing only six pounds stripped for action, responds nobly to the stimulus of though, putting you en rapport with your flow of ideas."

A 1919 ad for the Corona, from Dodge & Seymour, dealers in Shanghai, China. "The Corona Typewriter is the handy personal writing machine. For years it has filled an important place in the busy life of America and now it is rapidly finding a place in China's new development."

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Ant Dawson @railwayhobbit.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

NEW BOOK!

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Forgive my messy desk, I've got a lot of projects going on simultaneously right now.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Trying out the new DeWitt Clinton mech. It runs pretty much the same as the last generation, but it's world's better than the 1st gen. mech. which is of course the worst performing, and the most common (9 time out of 10, the one you find on ebay). Designing a basic wood tender body for it.

photo of the Bachmann DeWitt Clinton tender, with my HO scale 3D printed model of DeWitt Clinton.

render of 3D model of a wooden tender body

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Good and bad news! Good news: Bachmann have finally put the new DeWitt Clinton powered tender up on their parts site! estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?ma... Bad: I bought one this morning for $45.90. This evening the price went up to $55.90!!!

estore.bachmanntrains.com

TENDER - COMPLETE DEWITT CLINTON (HO 0-4-0) [H415X-TENDER] - $55.90 : Bachmann Trains Online Store!

Bachmann Trains Online Store! TENDER - COMPLETE DEWITT CLINTON (HO 0-4-0) [H415X-TENDER] - MOTOR IN TENDER.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

If you're interested in pre-Wright attempts at heavier than air powered flight, this in depth video on the Whitehead flying machine, from the Deutsches Museum is amazing. www.youtube.com/watch?v=62aK...

youtube.com

Gustav Weisskopfs Flugapparat

YouTube video by Deutsches Museum

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

I used to be really interested in pre-Wright claims to heavier than air powered flight. But the more I looked into it, the more everybody's stories fall apart. It also makes one appreciate just how thoroughly the Wrights the documented their process, in comparison to other claimants.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Youtube recommended a video to me, and the guy used AI for research. The AI told him that something happened that didn't happen, he repeated it in his video, then used an AI generated image in the video to show it happened, and now the comments are filled with people who're mad that it happened.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Design and building process. Started with dimensions of the 1850 Norris locomotive Copiapo, added missing details (stack and cab) from other historic sources, adjusted proportions to fit the Mantua chassis, printed, fitted together, painted, and now good to go.

3D rendering of model of 1850 4-4-0 Norris boiler stack and cab.

3D printed parts fitted to Mantua 4-4-0 chassis.

assembled and painted HO scale locomotive

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Really wishing a podcast had some reason to have a guest with a lot of specialized knowledge about American railroading during the 1830s, because I wanna yap about American railroading during the 1830s.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Books. There is so much in books that has not made it to the internet. Reject AI, visit the library.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

The clock in my office is from the 1920s. The actual oldest object in my house is an 1832 letter from Horatio Allen (the man who ran the Stourbridge Lion on its maiden trip) to B.J. Howland (a board member of the South Carolina Canal & Rail Road Co.).

photo of a clock made by the Standard Watch Factory of Japan

back of the clock showing the paper label of the Standard Watch Company

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

A perfect pairing for your c. 1860 railroad making do with rebuilds of other road's cast off locos.

HO scale models of a Locks and Canals 2-2-0 as it appeared after an 1863 rebuild, and a c. 1850 Norris as it may have looked after an c.1860 rebuilding.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

My version of this for how fast bicycle technology developed? Harry John Lawson invented the bicycle on the left, lived long enough to see everybody riding bicycles like the one on the right.

Photo of Lawson's "rear-driving safety" of 1877, one of the first "safety" bicycles, featuring a front steering wheel, rear driving wheel, pedal treadles, a T shaped frame, and unequal sized wheels.

a racing bicycle of the 1920s, showing chain drive, bent handlebars, equal sized wheels, and a diamond frame, essentially the bicycle as it would exist for the next 100 years.

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Talyllyn Railway @talyllyn.co.uk · 26/06/2026

Ffarquhar Branch is all set up next to Stepney in the Maintenance Shed at Sheffield Park - if you’re visiting the Bluebell this weekend, make sure to drop by! We’ve also got lots of items from our shop for sale too - and all profits keep the Talyllyn running! #HeartofGold

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Photo in my collection of the Sainte Catherine tunnel on the Paris-Rouen line of the Ouest railway. The tunnel was built in the 1840s, unfortunately the castle style tunnel mouth was destroyed by a landslide shortly after WWII. Today it features a plain concrete construction.

photograph showing a train exiting the Cote Sainte Catherine tunnel. The tunnel mouth is ornamental, constructed in the style of a castle with towers and crenelations.

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Killian Keane @littlewhiterabbit.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Some impressions of the Mid West Model Railway Clubs exhibition over the weekend in Limerick

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Jett @jettrax.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

FASTER

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

That time I made a four wheeled coach out of a Mantua passenger car and bobber caboose chassis

photo of two HO scale passenger cars, one a Mantua "1860" coach, and the other a shortened Mantua "1860" coach, mounted on four wheels instead of on trucks.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Got the first print of the 1850's passenger car body. Fits on the Mantua chassis perfectly, and though I say so myself, looks the part.

photo of an HO scale model of an 1850's passenger car

photo of a model of an 1850's passenger train, featuring 4-4-0 locomotive, tender, and passenger car.

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Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Another great old pic. Millholland 4-4-0, with Wootten mods. Anthracite burning firebox sticks right out the back of the cab. Reportedly the steamboat lumps of anthracite burned so slowly the fireman might have as many as 40 minutes to waste between shovelfulls.

black and white photograph of a Philadelphia and Reading 4-4-0 steam locomotive.

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