Night patrol

P-61c Black Widow  

(the paint scheme may be more appropriate for the 61b)

I remember learning about these and thinking they were one of the coolest planes of the war.  As is often the case though, the real work was done with the planes available, not the ideal ones for the job.  The US hadn't found a need for a dedicated night fighter prior to the outbreak of war in Europe and this was basically a response to the German attacks during the blitz.  

The first production models were available in October of '43 but flew their first combat missions in mid '44 by which point the P-51 had already put the Luftwaffe on the back foot.  Had it been available earlier, it's extended loiter time could have made a pretty significant difference in the damage done by German bombers.  It did, however, serve very effectively in ground attack rolls during the battle of the bulge. and is unofficially credited with the last kill of the war (in the Pacific.)  

Neat, just a little too late.

Dawn Patrol

SE5a seen at the Air Force Museum in Dayton OH

Slug!

When operating at slow speeds, most diesel electric locomotives can produce more power than they can transmit to the rail, so sometimes railroads will use a slug or calf for switching and local duties.  It's basically a chassis with additional motors and axels (and weight) but no engine.  It uses the excess electricity produced by another locomotive to provide a extra tractive effort.

Honk if you like geese!

Saganashkee Slough, Cook County, IL

Stationary

Railway station in Ballarat Australia.  Still active today!

Hurricane season starts tomorrow

Housed at the RAF Museum in London

Thermodynamics at work

This steam engine is a tandem compound design, with a high and low pressure cylinder.  The high pressure cylinder is the small one, closest to the camera. You can see the insulated steam line leading from there to the steam chest of the larger, low pressure cylinder.  This engine was built, and still operates, in Ballarat Australia at the Sovereign Hill historical site.

Bazaar

The really bizarre thing is that they sell mostly the same made in (insert Asian country) stuff as pretty much every mall and airport concourse I've been in.

Upheaval

Grampians National Park, Victoria Australia  This view is from the early stages of the Beehive falls to Mt. Difficult trail.

This is vaguely reminiscent of the desert varnish I remember from Utah and other parts of the southwestern US, but with a very gray cast to it rather than being nearly black.  It's still quite visible which surfaces are 'new' by the orange and yellow hues.  Of course by new I mean they've probably been exposed a few thousand years or less.  

Driving force

Pere Marquette #1223 by Chinook Pier, Grand Haven, MI