Contributions of the group History of Science

Piper "Cub" at the Air Force Museum

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Sat, 23 May 2026 19:30:51 +0000

Taken at the AIr Force Museum, Dayton, Ohio. This observation plane is hanging from the ceiling of the vast hangar.

Image processed with GIMP.

Spy Satellite Target

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:32:00 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

Taken in the desert near Casa Grande, Arizona. These markers are located close to the RV park where we spent many winters.

The "target" is a group of concrete pads in that shape. There is a benchmark in the exact center. The operators of the spy satellites would take photos of these markers, and then check their locations against the exact positioning of the benchmark.

Image taken with phone and processed with GIMP.

The Handle

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 19:55:45 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

This is taken through the front window. The handle seen here was used by the carman to operate this trolley car that used to run in the streets of Los Angeles. It, and some other units operate regularly on the streets of the museum compound.

It currently is part of the collection of the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, California.

Image processed with GIMP.

3rd & Gramercy Only

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 19:55:39 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

Sign on a trolley car that used to run in the streets of Los Angeles.

It currently is part of the collection of the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, California.

Note that the sign can be replaced or removed entirely, depending on the status of the trolley car.

Image processed with GIMP.

Telescope and Library, Melk Abbey

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 20:28:05 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

Taken during our visit to Melk Abbey on our Danube River cruise in 2010.

Taken with Nikon and processed with GIMP.

Big Boy 4012 at Steamtown, Scranton, Pennsylvania

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 17:38:04 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

We've had the pleasure of seeing the "Big Boy" locomotives over the years. Some were in static display, such as 4012 shown here at the Steamtown facility in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Others were seen at other locations inside and outside.

As we've noted several times, we have viewed the restored 4014 as it passed by on its various publicity runs in recent years.

Image processed with GIMP

"Big Boy" Steam Locomotive (#4006) at St. Louis Museum (1992)

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:25:28 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

Scanned from an old print. We were even visiting rail museums back in the 1990's. This is a static display. The similar locomotive 4014 was static during my teen years, later restored, and is now being run on the UP system for publicity.

Print professionally scanned and much correction with GIMP.

Other Big Boy images in PiP.

Counterweight

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 17:25:40 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

This huge mass of concrete is the counterweight for the Mystic Bridge (Connecticut). See PiP.

The bridge was built in 1922.

Taken with the phone and processed with GIMP.

Antennas

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 15:15:48 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

Near Soccoro, New Mexico.

This is the Very Large Array (VLA), an amazing set of radio telescopes.

We were fortunate that they were offering an "open house" that day, so we were able to view the computers, etc in the control area, as well as walk around some of these awesome structures.

They are managed from a railway specially constructed in the desert.

Image processed with GIMP.

VLA is near Socorro, New Mexico:

public.nrao.edu/visit/very-large-array

VLA Antenna and Locomotive

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 15:21:43 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

The antenna units at the Very Large Array are managed on railroad tracks. You can see one of the locomotives in this photo.

Image processed with GIMP.

The VLA is located near Socorro, New Mexico:

public.nrao.edu/visit/very-large-array

Enter Front (HTT)

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 14:56:13 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

An old Los Angeles trolley car under restoration. The table at the right has many of the needed tools.

This was taken in one of the work sheds at the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Southern California.

Image processed with GIMP.

Mystic Bascule Bridge (HFF, H.A.N.W.E.)

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 21:41:35 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

Taken during our visit to Connecticut. The sunlight seemed to be at just the right angle.

This bridge was built in 1922. The big wheel pivots the bridge, but it needs the help of a very large counterweight (concrete).

Image taken with phone and processed with GIMP.

HoS[24] / bri[24] - Skerne Bridge {1824} [HWW]

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 16:51:18 +0000

StoneRoad2013 has posted:

The Stockton & Darlington Railway built this bridge in 1824 to cross the River Skerne, and it is still in use ! [the wing walls / abutments are later]. It was cleaned and cleared of vegetation in 2020.
In 2021 it became a Grade 1 listed structure, commemorating it's importance as a railway structure - and joining a very select club [only seven other members] as a Grade I listed railway bridge.
.
there are more details on wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skerne_Bridge

4014 Passing By

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 21:28:26 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

You can see some of the cab crew in action.

Image taken from frame of 4K photo series, processed with GIMP.

Steam Locomotive Jupiter (HBM, H.A.N.W.E.)

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 16:50:58 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

Operating replica steam locomotive Jupiter at the Promontory Point historical area. This is the site of the "Golden Spike". These locomotives are run every day, out in the morning, and back to the barn in the evening.

The color scheme of the locomotives was designed by a Disney artist.

Image processed with ImageMagick.

GG1 in Elkhart (H.A.N.W.E.)

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 19:24:12 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

The New York Central Railroad Museum in Elkhart, Indiana, is well worth a visit. They have some excellent equipment outside.

Sadly, this GG1, one of the most stylish locomotives of the 20th century, needs some loving care.

The exterior of these locomotives was artist-designed, the electric locomotives operating for many decades where electric power was available (primarily New York-Boston corridor).

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Railroad_class_GG1

www.urhs.org/locomotives#/prr-4877-4879

Image processed with GIMP.

Union Pacific #1242

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 14:35:24 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

Cheyenne doesn't just have the Big Boy steam locomotive. They have preserved UP steam locomotive #1242 in Lion's Park.

Image processed with GIMP

4004 in Cheyenne, Wyoming

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 18:05:19 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

"Big Boy" locomotive in a park in Cheyenne. Just a mile or two from this static display are the Steam Shops of the Union Pacific, in which the only running "Big Boy" (#4014) is worked on.

Image processed with GIMP.

"Big Boy" 4004 in Cheyenne, Wyoming

nobody@ipernity.com (Robert Swanson) — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 16:13:42 +0000

Robert Swanson has posted:

This "Big Boy" is in static display in a park in Cheyenne. Just a couple of miles away are the Union Pacific Steam Shops, where another Big Boy #4014 was restored to operating condition, and is maintained by Union Pacific.

This is a wide panorama, click on image to view larger.

Image processed with GIMP.

IoM[2] - Camera Obscura

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Sun, 30 May 2021 22:10:48 +0000

StoneRoad2013 has posted:

One of the features of Douglas Head - This green and white building, as indicated, is a "Camera Obscura" ...
The other item to the left is the lantern belonging to Douglas Head lighthouse

I haven't yet managed to get in this one, but I did visit the one on Clifton Downs, Bristol, a number of times in my youth.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton_Observatory
I thin that they are an interesting, if limited, technology, much favoured by artists and the Victorians, sadly there are only a few still surviving.

There is an extensive explanatory item here :- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_obscura