Dieselpunks.org | April 30, 2012
Yes the Retrofuturism themed monthly magazine for Spanish speakers, produced by the collective of creatives Mercenarios de DIOS, came again with a dieselpunk themed issue.
Just take a look at:
http://el-investigador-magazine.blogspot.mx/
Or visit our facebook page
Steampunk Workshop | April 30, 2012
I love this blimp lamp from Flaminio Bovino ! At first I thought this was a render–and we don't publish those here–but on closer examination it appears that the trusses are actually water-jet cut from steel and the brass bit are hand turned. It's real!
Not only real, they are for sale. I want one!
More info on the website. (larger image behind the cut.)
Dieselpunks.org | April 30, 2012
I actually didn’t know that today (April 30th) is International Jazz Day, so any jazz content in the May edition of Pilsner’s Picks is strictly coincidental. However, everything except for the Klezmer music and the Hoosier hokum qualifies as jazz, in one way or another. Sorry that I haven’t included any tracks by that great Traditional New Orleans Jazz musician Bruce Springsteen— but at least it’s all free.
http://www.pilsnerspicks.blogspot.com/
Mage Ingeneur | April 30, 2012
Since I last posted I have been renovating, shop fitting and trying to get some guitar practice in! We have created a great space in the blue mountains to start selling my ‘steampunk’ which has been requested by a number of people. I am hoping to have the first few pieces in the next few weeks which I will post here. Anyway please stay tuned and if you are creating anything I would love to hear about it!
Dieselpunks.org | April 29, 2012
While viewing London on Google,especially the area where the Olympics are,I found a rather interesting building. Now called the Warton House Office Centre, it’s the old Yardley Fragrences building.Notice in the pictures the Lavander Girls logo on the front of the building
It seems to be getting a new lease on life due to the Olympics,good show London.
Bandnerd51
Steampunk Tribune | April 29, 2012
An odd circumstance has emerged in the Steampunk community, with one of the musical standard-bearers of the genre. Seems that the industrious individuals from the World Steam Expo have a dilemma - they are seeking to invite the very talented Steampunk musical group “The Men Who Will Not Be Blamed for Nothing“, but… their lawyers were informed by some bureaucratic individuals that they were not “artists of ‘international acclaim’/'extraordinary ability’”)! Seems that bureaucracy efforts in getting in the way of the Free Market is still alive and well – so a bit of persuasion is necessary to help “The Men Who Will Not Be Blamed for Nothing” to make it across the “pond” to perform!
In an effort assist bringing the group to the World Steam Expo, I’m hoping to spread the word to change the pencil-pusher’s notion of talent to recognize their excellent work. To do so, and taking the pertinent sections of the notecard forwarded to me from Mr. T. Downey, the head of Guest Relations with the World Steam Expo, they are seeking support from the Steampunk community to provide ample support of the group’s unquestionable talent. I would encourage a brief note to Mr. Downey, at guests@worldsteamexpo.com, to find out what else can be done to help, and as always with the bureaucracy, written support is certainly encouraged! I’ll be working on my own bit, but with a bit of Steampunk elbow-grease from the Steampunk community, this outstanding group will be performing selections from their albums this coming May! For more details, again, please contact Mr. Downey at guests@worldsteamexpo.com, and as always, consider adding a visit to the World Steam Expo to your itinerary next month!
Dieselpunks.org | April 29, 2012
Another diesel train featured in our old Flying Americans article: the GM&N (later GM&O) Rebel.
Here is its story, told by Marty Bernard @ American-Rails.com.
The Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad, famously known as The Rebel Route, gained its celebrated slogan from the small fleet of passenger trains known as Rebels, with the most famous of these trains called simply the Rebel. The GM&O is not well remembered for its passenger services, which is likely due to the fact that it bailed out of the Deep South passenger market in the 1950s due to stiff competition from the Illinois Central and Louisville & Nashville. However, its small fleet of Rebels made enough of an impression that they are still remembered by many in the railroading ranks and those who were lucky enough to ride aboard them.
Similar to the Chessie System in the east, the Gulf Mobile and Ohio of the Midwest and South was a short-lived railroad whose legend continues to live on today. The GM&O wasn’t created until the early days of diesel power and it was gone by the early 1970s. However, during its roughly 40 years of operation it was a fierce competitor and although always surrounded by giants it held its own in many of the markets it served, which is not surprising as the railroad is also known as The Rebel Route.
What became the classic Rebel passenger train actually has its beginnings dating back to GM&O predecessor, Gulf, Mobile & Northern which has the distinction of inaugurating the first southern streamliner, the Rebel in 1935. While this train may not be as well known as the Super Chief or Empire Builder it brought about two drastic upgrades to passenger rail operations. First, the original Rebel was a three-car streamlined “trainset,” similar to that of the Burlington’s famous Zephyr 9900. However, along with including more boxy streamlining than the Zephyr, the Rebel also had the ability to interchange or add cars (unlike the Zephyr and many other articulated, streamlined trainsets debuting around the country during that time which were rigid, semi-permanently coupled trains). The Rebel also featured on board hostesses, perhaps the very first train to introduce such services.
Steampunk Magazine | April 28, 2012
Next weekend in San Antonio, Texas is AetherFest. This will be our first time at AetherFest, (and my first time in San Antonio), but after meeting the organizers at other events across the country, we’re excited as hell. I (Margaret Killjoy, the current editor) will be performing as an accordionist for the first time in years, as part of my new solo project Best Before 1886.
Warren | April 28, 2012
Greetings one and all.
Please be aware that this weekend we’ve moved to a new web hosting server, so do let me know if you spot any teething troubles with the new server (links not working, etc.).
Regards,
Warren
Dieselpunks.org | April 28, 2012
Igor Sikorsky is remembered as an aircraft designer well ahead of his time. But at least once in his long career, he was unfashionably late.
As early as in 1913, he designed world’s first four-engine bomber (initially destined for transport &.research). Nine years later, he built an advanced two-engine transport, the S-29A:
This spacious twin-engine biplane was used for charter flights and then starred as the German Gotha bomber in Howard Hughes’ Hell’s Angels. The S-29A was destroyed during the filming, with one casualty.
But the future film star (or rather a death angel) was still alive and kick… eh, flying when Sikorsky started to build his next big bird. The S-35 (above) was designed as a twin-engined transport with a range of about 1600km. In the spring of 1926 Capt. Rene Fonck, a French First World War fighter ace, persuaded Sikorsky to redesign it in an attempt to win the $25,000 Orteig prize for the first non-stop New York-Paris flight. It became a very different aircraft, with three engines and vastly increased fuel load.
The S-35 received French built, British designed Gnome-Rhone Jupiter engines of 420hp each. They were extremely clean, with minimum bracing. It had a wing span of 101 ft and a slender fuselage with an 18 ft undercarriage. Top speed was 159 mph; cruise 129 mph.
Note the tails; one has the French flag and the center one has the American flag. The first test flight, by Fonck and Igor Sikorsky, was made on 23 August 1926. Later, pilot Frank LaVista of the Department of Commerce reported that the aircraft handled very well, could climb on two engines, and lost only 15m of height while flying at 132km/h for 35 seconds on one engine – literally, hovered like a dragonfly.
Jettisonable auxiliary landing gear was fitted to the S-35 for take-off on its transatlantic attempt, at an overload weight of 8400kg, on 21 September. Fonck insisted on having a radio operator, Charles Clavier, and veteran Sikorsky mechanic Jacob Islamoff, in addition to his co-pilot Lt Lawrence Curtin of the US Navy.
Steampunk Tribune | April 28, 2012
Dieselpunks.org | April 27, 2012
One of France’s most impressive and highly successful cars – the Renault 40CV Type NM des Records aka the Montlhéry Coupe:
In the 1920s, vehicle manufacturers were locked in an all-out race to set new records, a fashion encouraged by the construction of speed rings. In France, the Montlhéry ring built in 1924 set the stage for many a confrontation, with the last word going to the stopwatch.
Renault was among the front-runners in this ongoing sprint. It relied primarily on its 40 CV flagship model with an enormous engine of over 9,000 cm3!
(Photo by cbilleque @ Flickr)
Made to race
The first campaign involved a 40 CV Open Tourer. Almost a production model, this car set a lap record of 178.475 kph in 1925. It also set a world record with 3,384.74 km covered in 24 hours at an average speed of 141.03 kph. The difference in speed can be explained by the many stopovers to refuel and – more particularly – to change tires, of which one hundred or more were used up by this particularly heavy vehicle.
(Photos: renault.com)
These figures did not satisfy Plessier and Garfield, the pilots and engineers responsible for the operation. In 1926, they launched an NM Type 40 CV car on the speed ring. This single-seater model was more streamlined than its predecessor and placed the radiator behind the engine. At the same time, the 14 people responsible for fuel stops received special training. The aim was to get the job done in no more than 50 seconds. The modified vehicle went on to cover 50 miles at a speed of 190.013 kph and – above all – smashed the 24-hour record by covering 4167.57 km at an average speed of 173.649 kph!
After more than 15 years of faithful service (from the CG Type to the NM Type), the 40 CV took its retirement in 1928. It was replaced by the new executive models developed by Renault, the Vivastella and Reinastella.
Before bowing out, the 40 CV earned its sporting colors and entered the legend of motorsports as the “record-breaking 40 CV”!
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