The Autoped was an early motor scooter or motorized scooter manufactured by the Autoped Company of Long Island City, New York from 1915 to 1921. The driver stood on a platform with 10-inch tires and operated the machine using only the handlebars and steering column, pushing them forward to engage the clutch, using a leverContinue reading “Awesome Photographs of People Riding Around on Scooters From the Early 20th Century”
Tag Archives: traffic & transport
Cross Section of the Midship Section of the RMS Olympic, 1909
RMS Olympic was a British ocean liner and the lead ship of the White Star Line’s trio of Olympic-class liners. Unlike the other ships in the class, Olympic had a career spanning 24 years from 1911 to 1935. This included service as a troopship during the First World War, which gained her the nickname, OldContinue reading “Cross Section of the Midship Section of the RMS Olympic, 1909”
Monowheel: Failure of the Weirdest Transport Known to Man From the 1930s
The monowheel is one crazy idea from the past that has always inspired and enthralled us from its first appearance in France in 1869. Arguably the most well-known iteration of the strange type of vehicle is the one above, created in 1932 by Dr. J.H. Purves. The motorized monster was called the Dynasphere, and itContinue reading “Monowheel: Failure of the Weirdest Transport Known to Man From the 1930s”
The Infamous Montparnasse Train Derailment, 1895
These incredible photos of the wreck at Gare Montparnasse in Paris shows a very dramatic scene of a train that has crashed through the wall and partially tumbled to the street. The cause? Both mechanical failure and human error. The train was late, so the driver had it pull into the station at a highContinue reading “The Infamous Montparnasse Train Derailment, 1895”
This Is the Last Known Photo of the Titanic Afloat, April 12th, 1912
This photograph is the last known picture of the RMS Titanic on the surface of the ocean. It was taken April 12, 1912 by a Jesuit priest who had sailed from England to Ireland on the first leg of Titanic’s last voyage. This image captures the majestic ship as it leaves Queenstown (later called Cobh)Continue reading “This Is the Last Known Photo of the Titanic Afloat, April 12th, 1912”
28 Color Photographs Showing Street Scenes of London in the 1970s
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a 50-mile (80 km) estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major settlement for two millennia. The City of London, its ancient core and financial centre,Continue reading “28 Color Photographs Showing Street Scenes of London in the 1970s”
Long Before Inline Skates Were a Thing, There Were Ritter’s Aptly Named Road Skates, ca. 1898
Like inline skates, they were meant to free skating enthusiasts of those pesky iceless roads. As an advertisement reads, “Ritter Road Skates allow anyone to practice the graceful and healthful pastimes of speed and figure skating on any road or other suitable surface.” The skates were sold by the Road Skate Co of Oxford Street,Continue reading “Long Before Inline Skates Were a Thing, There Were Ritter’s Aptly Named Road Skates, ca. 1898”
Tuffi the Elephant and Her 1950 Train Jump
In 1950, a 4-year-old elephant named Tuffi was forced to ride a public monorail in Wuppertal, Germany. The animal was loaded aboard as a promotion for the Althoff Circus. This ride was supposed to be a lighthearted affair, but the world quickly learned that pachyderms and monorails simply do not mix. Even though Tuffi wasContinue reading “Tuffi the Elephant and Her 1950 Train Jump”
Montparnasse Derailment: The Story Behind the Incredible Images of the Train That Broke Through a Building in Paris, 1895
These incredible photos of the wreck at Gare Montparnasse in Paris shows a very dramatic scene of a train that has crashed through the wall and partially tumbled to the street. The cause? Both mechanical failure and human error. The train was late, so the driver had it pull into the station at a highContinue reading “Montparnasse Derailment: The Story Behind the Incredible Images of the Train That Broke Through a Building in Paris, 1895”
Mary Wallace: The First Female Bus Driver for Chicago Transit Authority, Beginning in 1974
In 1974, Englewood native, Mary Wallace, drove into history when she became the first woman to drive a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus. Wallace was a popular driver who remained on the job for 33 years before retiring. “I used to work for the Planning & Placement Center when I was going to college, andContinue reading “Mary Wallace: The First Female Bus Driver for Chicago Transit Authority, Beginning in 1974”
