This may or may not be common knowledge, but the Number Nine is blatantly based upon the trains seen in these New York Central System photographs. I've somehow managed to never stumble across this before, so apologies if this is old news. ;)
http://files.ryansgoblog.com/small/nycs001.jpg)
http://files.ryansgoblog.com/small/nycs002.jpg)
http://files.ryansgoblog.com/small/nycs003.jpg)
Cool find, didn't know that :)
Nice find indeed! Quite stunning machines in an ugly kind of way... you can understand why Schafer and his art guys would have used something like this for inspiration =)
I love that first picture. Very industrial in a sort of romantic way.
Cool, I didn't know that either. I have to agree with Shuz. The picture makes me think of Mika Waltari's poems, for some reason.