Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Vaughn MacKenzie
TDR MEMBER
I was doing some thinking the other day (that's scary) but it's dawned on me that we are living in an age where a number of noteworthy and significant mainstays of everyday life are about to (or have recently) come to an end. I am talking about things that have been with us for decades, even generations, that are quietly slipping into the past. By 2010 I believe most of what I'm going to mention will be history.
Since I'm a rail fanatic, I'll start with some railroading stuff:
First-Generation diesel locomotives
There are still quite a few “first generation” diesels grinding their way around rail yards across the country, the ones that were among the first model lines GM introduced in 1939, and were in production until ~1960. E-units, F-units, Geeps, etc. , there are still a number of them in use today that started their careers working alongside steam locomotives.
Of particular mention is the “covered wagons” or “bulldog nose” style locomotives which were commonplace from the ‘40s to the ‘70s:
#ad
At this time, January 2008, there is a small handful of these which have remained in regular service living out their last days in Connecticut on the Metro North commuter rail line. As far as I know they are the last in the nation. . . their days are numbered and could be gone in a month. The oldest of the group is #413 which was built in 1946. . . here it is on a train last summer: YouTube - Metro North F10s #411 and 413 and YouTube - Metro North F10 #413
Next on the RR subject isn't a significant one, but the vintage semaphore signals commonplace in the days of our grandparents are pretty well gone. One RR in Oregon had a lot of them, installed in 1912, which were finally removed in March 2007. They were fun to watch and photograph, but were maintenance intensive due to their mechanical nature and age. Here's a video clip from about 2006 on this line: YouTube - Central Oregon & Pacific Yoncalla Switcher
The last item related to railroading is steam locomotives. . . there are still a number of them continuing in regular service in other parts of the world since their “steam era” never ended. China is one such place, but their goal is to bring their steam era to a close this year.
Now on to other items: your TV and radio works much the same way as those old units your grandparents used to watch and listen to. If you had a time machine you could take your TV back to the ‘50s and have no trouble tuning in I Love Lucy. Same with your radio, on the AM band. On the reverse, I can listen to today's music on the unrestored radio in my '50 Chevy when I take it for a spin. But come 2009 it'll be the end of the road for traditional radio and TV broadcasts, a mainstay we've enjoyed for many decades.
Closely related to TV & radio is the movie industry. How many have noticed some cinemas going to digital projection? The miles of film spooled onto large platters are going to be a rarity soon. What has already happened in the consumer photography market is happening in Hollywood. I'm afraid we'll be kissing 35mm film goodbye. One theatre I like is the Washoe Theatre in Anaconda, Montana . . . all their projectors date to the late ‘30s. In 1938 the Wizard of Oz was the first movie ever shot using color film. . . what one will be the last?
Now back to transportation. . . let's talk boats and planes. . . when flying to Wisconsin last month I couldn't help notice the antiquated cockpit on one of the planes I boarded. I noted the number on the plane and later looked it up to find it was a 31-year old DC9. After doing some checking I found online that Northwest Airlines has several DC9s dating to the late ‘60s. Certainly these old birds won't be serving too many more years as commercial passenger airliners. Here is tail number N750N coming in for a landing last November, 40 years & 1 week after its maiden flight Photos: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-41 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net And here's DC9-30 N601NW ready for takeoff last November, in service since August 8, 1967: Photos: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
In closing, Washington State has the largest ferry fleet in the US. Three of its ferries providing daily service used to serve San Francisco, but were retired when the Golden Gate Bridge opened. It looks like these old boats, built in 1927, will soon be retired for good.
Well guess that'll do it for this post, sorry for rambling
Vaughn
Since I'm a rail fanatic, I'll start with some railroading stuff:
First-Generation diesel locomotives
There are still quite a few “first generation” diesels grinding their way around rail yards across the country, the ones that were among the first model lines GM introduced in 1939, and were in production until ~1960. E-units, F-units, Geeps, etc. , there are still a number of them in use today that started their careers working alongside steam locomotives.
Of particular mention is the “covered wagons” or “bulldog nose” style locomotives which were commonplace from the ‘40s to the ‘70s:
#adAt this time, January 2008, there is a small handful of these which have remained in regular service living out their last days in Connecticut on the Metro North commuter rail line. As far as I know they are the last in the nation. . . their days are numbered and could be gone in a month. The oldest of the group is #413 which was built in 1946. . . here it is on a train last summer: YouTube - Metro North F10s #411 and 413 and YouTube - Metro North F10 #413
Next on the RR subject isn't a significant one, but the vintage semaphore signals commonplace in the days of our grandparents are pretty well gone. One RR in Oregon had a lot of them, installed in 1912, which were finally removed in March 2007. They were fun to watch and photograph, but were maintenance intensive due to their mechanical nature and age. Here's a video clip from about 2006 on this line: YouTube - Central Oregon & Pacific Yoncalla Switcher
The last item related to railroading is steam locomotives. . . there are still a number of them continuing in regular service in other parts of the world since their “steam era” never ended. China is one such place, but their goal is to bring their steam era to a close this year.
Now on to other items: your TV and radio works much the same way as those old units your grandparents used to watch and listen to. If you had a time machine you could take your TV back to the ‘50s and have no trouble tuning in I Love Lucy. Same with your radio, on the AM band. On the reverse, I can listen to today's music on the unrestored radio in my '50 Chevy when I take it for a spin. But come 2009 it'll be the end of the road for traditional radio and TV broadcasts, a mainstay we've enjoyed for many decades.
Closely related to TV & radio is the movie industry. How many have noticed some cinemas going to digital projection? The miles of film spooled onto large platters are going to be a rarity soon. What has already happened in the consumer photography market is happening in Hollywood. I'm afraid we'll be kissing 35mm film goodbye. One theatre I like is the Washoe Theatre in Anaconda, Montana . . . all their projectors date to the late ‘30s. In 1938 the Wizard of Oz was the first movie ever shot using color film. . . what one will be the last?
Now back to transportation. . . let's talk boats and planes. . . when flying to Wisconsin last month I couldn't help notice the antiquated cockpit on one of the planes I boarded. I noted the number on the plane and later looked it up to find it was a 31-year old DC9. After doing some checking I found online that Northwest Airlines has several DC9s dating to the late ‘60s. Certainly these old birds won't be serving too many more years as commercial passenger airliners. Here is tail number N750N coming in for a landing last November, 40 years & 1 week after its maiden flight Photos: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-41 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net And here's DC9-30 N601NW ready for takeoff last November, in service since August 8, 1967: Photos: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
In closing, Washington State has the largest ferry fleet in the US. Three of its ferries providing daily service used to serve San Francisco, but were retired when the Golden Gate Bridge opened. It looks like these old boats, built in 1927, will soon be retired for good.
Well guess that'll do it for this post, sorry for rambling
Vaughn
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:-laf
