How A Steam Locomotive Works

Unlike modern machines, the steam locomotive – which underwent few fundamental changes in 125 years of development – openly displays many of its parts. This mechanical honesty has long captivated onlookers and invited study, but many still wonder just how it all works. In fact, entire books have been devoted to the subject.
Full story at trains.com website.

Australia's Railway Gauge Fiasco

When railways were beginning in Australia, the three major Australian colonies at the time failed to follow advice from the British Government to adopt a uniform gauge in case the lines of the various states should ever meet. In time they did meet, with dire consequences for passengers and goods handlers alike.

Lost Railway Lines

Australia, like many other countries around the world, experienced a flurry of railway building activity during the latter half of the 19th century. First came the main lines, followed by branch lines that soon riddled the countryside, but like most industries that enjoy a boom, it was followed by a bust. The advent of the motor vehicle brought a new, cheaper and often more convenient way of transporting both goods and passengers from point A to B. Most major lines managed to survive, often by re-inventing the services they offered, but others, along with the branchlines, fell by the wayside. Today, their culverts, tunnels, bridges and embankments that dot the landscape are often the only reminder of an era when rail travel and steam trains were king. The closed lines featured here are just a handful of the many railway lines and services that didn't make it into the 21st century.