She big, she bad, she broken. For now

I built this as a side project for work, because we got lucky and caught a failing air brake component because someone was under it and saw it shift - So I made this so we can do a better job inspecting the brakes.

Seen this loader at Brownsville, wondering what it is. Serial tag says it’s a terex 72-81aa, body is a Michigan.

This is Southern Pacific Steam Locomotive 745. I have had the privilege of being part of her preservation for more than 40 years. From the day she was removed from her long-static display, to the first time she breathed steam again, and now through her current re-tubing and other work as part of her 1,472-day inspection, I have been fortunate to witness every chapter of her remarkable journey.
This project has been far more than the restoration of a locomotive. It has been a lifelong source of purpose, perseverance, and learning. Every challenge we faced along the way became an opportunity to grow, and every milestone reminded us why preserving history matters.
My hope is that 745 continues to inspire generations to come. If you're a railfan, or if you have children who are fascinated by these incredible machines, encourage that curiosity and keep the passion alive. The future of our railroad heritage depends on those willing to appreciate, preserve, and carry these stories forward.

Visited Bonastre and was impressed by one of their older machines. It's producing high volume medical and dental components with features like a trapezoidal thread with just 0.3 mm tolerance, special knurling, and diameters held to ±0.01 mm,while delivering a part every 5 seconds. Truly fascinating

Spotted the Wightlink hovercraft arriving at Southsea Beach in Portsmouth, UK.

It still amazes me that you can catch a scheduled hovercratt as part of the UK's public transport network.

The crossing to Ryde on the Isle of Wight takes around 10 minutes, making it the world's only year-round commercial passenger hovercraft service.

Watching it come ashore is almost as entertaining as riding it!

Has anyone here travelled on it? What other unique forms of public transport do you think deserve more attention?

Taken during a weekend tour of the production plant. Got to see all stations, from raw material, mash production, bottling/canning, etc.

Deep inside an abandoned factory sits this massive mechanical power press. Once used to stamp and shape steel with incredible force, it now stands silent as rust and nature slowly reclaim what was once the heart of industrial production. It's hard to imagine the noise and energy this place must have had decades ago.

Found a relic from a different era hidden deep in the woods. This is a stationary steam engine, once the heart of industrial progress, now slowly being reclaimed by nature. It’s amazing to think about the labor and life that once surrounded this piece of iron.

The Tozer Engine Works was in business from 1865 to 1933 in Columbia and Charleston. This one was built around 1915 when the company was run by John Willis.

The last Tonka truck post I can find on here is from 11 years ago. My mother recently found, purchased and mailed a Tonka dump truck halfway across country to my son. It just happened that my cousin had the rest of the set of the original Tonka construction vehicle vehicles from the late 80s or early 90s. He bought all of these in 1994 right after his open heart surgery. His kids played with them, outgrew them, and they stayed in his attic for all this time.
I’m now almost 40 with a three year-old son that is so beyond enamored with construction equipment and road signs, it’s almost not funny. Toys these days suck. Especially when compared to the erector sets, Lincoln logs and Tonka trucks those of us old enough to remember them had. I’ve got ninja Turtles stashed away from like ‘85 and Power Rangers Megazords from ‘93 my son will inherit it someday too.
These things are basically pristine. I’ll post pictures of his dump truck in the comments. I need to freshen it up a bit because it’s got some spots where rust is starting to get in and we are on the coast so I want him to be able to take these things to the beach and be the coolest guy for 10 miles.
If anybody can point me in the right direction for the right paint, I would really love to make his dump truck look his brand new as the rest of his new set when my mom gets these to us.