Otomotif Design: unusual

Showing posts with label unusual. Show all posts

Monday, June 28, 2010

A freshly restored 1929 Graham-Paige Sound Train was just shown at the 2010 Amelia Island Concours

Above photo via: http://www.remarkablecars.com/for-sale/showproduct.php/product/23535/cat/4296/date/1277135154 by Douglas Wilkinson, the car is a the Tallahassee Antique Car Museum, 3550A Mahan Drive (Highway 90), Tallahassee, Florida
Phone: (850) 942-0137
Website: http://tacm.com/

Via: http://www.conceptcarz.com/events/eventVehicle.aspx?carID=18238&eventID=557&catID=2283&whichPage=1

This 1929 Graham-Paige Sound Train began life as a limousine, and then was sent to the Indianapolis, IN Harry O. McGee Company for modifications. These modifications included a large public address system. The limousine interior was left pretty much unchanged, but the front-end sheet metal around the hood area was rounded to give the appearance of being the boiler of a locomotive. A large headlight was mounted up front along with a smoke stack, bell, steam dome, and whistle. The chrome-plated bell had a wire running inside to the instrument panel so the driver could attract even more attention to the vehicle.

These vehicles were built in the late 1920s and 1930s for the parent company of Paramount Pictures. They were used for all kinds of publicity situations: to advertise the opening of a new movie in a town or to deliver a star to an opening in grand style with dancing girls riding on the seats located on the fenders.

For my previous post, with 3 different photos of the variety of the Sound Trains: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/12/1929-graham-paige-sound-train-and-mgm.html

For the only thing I've came across about the Trackless Train: http://www.lincoln-highway-museum.org/TT/AA-TT-150.pdf

For a gallery of the San Diego sound train Graham Paige that I just photographed in Sept 2010 http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/09/san-diego-1929-graham-paige-sound-train.html

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Sunday, June 27, 2010

Plaster City, 1947... but what the heck is going on with this 8 wheel double front ended railcar

former curator of the Imperial Valley transportation museum Steve wrote in the comments to inform us about this and said...

This was used for years to transport crews by rail over the narrow gauge railroad (last industrial narrow gauge railway in the state, if not the whole country) between the processing mill at Plaster City California, and the gypsum mine in the Fish Mountains 25 miles away.

With two front ends, it wasn't necessary to turn it around for the return trip. After it wore out it was acquired by the owner of the trucking company that hauled the finished sheetrock from the mill. About 12 years ago the vehicle was donated back to the company.

I can't reply by email to thank Steve because this blog set up doesn't require email addresses to comment. But I can thank you sincerely for providing me and all the readers with this incredible information that likely, you are the only person to know. It's astonishing that of all the people who might have known the information on the railcar, one reads my blog, and took the time to help us all know what this railcars history is.

My compliments, and applause! Thanks for sharing!

Wikipedia has a good article on narrow gauge railways, and confirms the part about the Plaster City line being the last "There is one narrow gauge industrial railroad still in commercial operation in the United States, the US Gypsum operation in Plaster City, California" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrow_gauge_railroads_in_the_United_States

For a post about the coolest old 1920's through 1940's railroad cars:
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/11/inspection-cars-for-railroad-inspectors.html

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Saturday, June 26, 2010

This astounded me, but Chris at Speedseekers frequently finds awesome stuff

Check out the cool stuff he posts! http://speedseekers.blogspot.com/

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Sunday, June 6, 2010

I almost caught up with the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile... but didn't have the opportunity to trail it til I could get a full gallery

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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

I love finding that there are more cool old cars to learn of for the first time, here's a 1959 Willy’s Jeep FC 170

above via: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428585&page=373

I've never seen one live or in a photo, I have no idea why this is so, I've love one of these for a work truck! It'd grab attention like a crocodile in a crowded room.

via: http://www.ewillys.com/?p=31350

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