AI-generated (not entirely realistic) railway images

[The exile]

Et voila! Gemini AI interpretation of holiday, is Christmas and its interpretation of bankers, is the financial services sort!

@The exile I elaborated on the description input to Gemini AI. These 2 images are its output. Goodness knows why it thinks the second loco doesn't need a tender!

What a good job neither of us mentioned Big Bertha!

 

[Sun Chariot]

What a good job neither of us mentioned Big Bertha!

AI algorithms struggle when they have little, or no, reference data/image to interpret; and I find very few still photos taken "rear train" perspective. So we might find Gemini's AI images cannot render that particular view.

Its reference data throws in some weird results...
I tried generating an image of a Norfolk Southern Railroad GE AC4400CW diesel locomotive, standing in a line of locos in a US freight yard at night, lit by yard floodlights.
AI algorithms did a fantastic job, the image is photo realistic and the loco is spot on (apart from its running number).
But the AI algorithms bizarrely placed a lady stood in front of the loco; the lady wearing a black top and not a stitch more!

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Especially for @The exile
Forty attempts at creating a "from the rear" perspective, but Gemini AI seems lacking any reference material to use in its render. The best I can get, are these weird interpretations...

Oh - I've tried Big Bertha, I forgot it's also the name of a large field gun...

 

[The exile]

Oh - I've tried Big Bertha, I forgot it's also the name of a large field gun...

I was half expecting something from a McGill Seaside postcard!

 

[Sun Chariot]

I was half expecting something from a McGill Seaside postcard!

The AI algorithms are designed, as I understand it, to filter out any interpretation which could cause offence (ergo religious, defamatory, violent, sexual and anything we used to call gentle hilarious vulgarity but of course some do-gooders take offence to...)

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I think I'm guilty of dominating this thread! I'm having far too much fun in thinking of descriptions for Gemini to interpret.
This evening, how about an evocative steam shed, eh? I am impressed with how AI algorithms rendered light and shade.
What do you think, @The exile ?

 

[The exile]

Oh - I've tried Big Bertha, I forgot it's also the name of a large field gun...

I was half expecting something from a McGill Seaside postcard!

The AI algorithms are designed, as I understand it, to filter out any interpretation which could cause offence (ergo religious, defamatory, violent, sexual and anything we used to call gentle hilarious vulgarity but of course some do-gooders take offence to...)

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Jul 2025 ==

I think I'm guilty of dominating this thread! I'm having far too much fun in thinking of descriptions for Gemini to interpret.
This evening, how about an evocative steam shed, eh? I'm impressed with how AI algorithms have rendered light and shade.
What do you think, @The exile ?

other than the fact that everything’s far too clean, very atmospheric!

 

[Sun Chariot]

other than the fact that everything’s far too clean, very atmospheric!

Must be a heritage railway!

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And, as moody as the shed scenes but a more sombre subject. The railway graveyard.

 

[The exile]

Must be a heritage railway!

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And, as moody as the shed scenes but a more sombre subject. The railway graveyard.

Suspect the H&SE might have a few things to say!!!

 

[Sun Chariot]

Suspect the H&SE might have a few things to say!!!

They'd have kittens if they saw post 107, as one flame cutter is literally floating in midair whilst he works...

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Folkestone cliffs =  tick
Misty sea and weak morning sun = tick
Class 73 BR blue hauling a short rake of filthy parcels vans = oh...

 

[MarkyT]

I'd be worried about the structural integrity of that viaduct, too...

I think the AI must have been looking at too many screenshots from Transport fever 2. That unfeasibly flat arch effect is what the game does when you build a masonry viaduct across another road or rail alignment.

 

[Class15]

I think the AI must have been looking at too many screenshots from Transport fever 2. That unfeasibly flat arch effect is what the game does when you build a masonry viaduct across another road or rail alignment.
View attachment 184467

Oh yes, I love that game! But some of the physics is a bit… interesting

 

[MarkyT]

Oh yes, I love that game! But some of the physics is a bit… interesting

There's a mod I use that tweaks braking to be far less sudden and last minute and reserves the forward path further ahead of faster trains so you get more realistic slowing, better priority decisions at junctions, and trains spacing themselves out more evenly. It's almost like a better ARS and a connected driver advisory system so you get a convoy moving steadily at the speed of the leading slow train rather than the fast stragglers racing forward at maximum acceleration only to stop and start at the next red repeatedly. The viaduct thing is solved by splicing in a section of another bridge, in this case, an excellent UK arch truss girder type by modder JK:

 

[eldomtom2]

Must be a heritage railway!

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And, as moody as the shed scenes but a more sombre subject. The railway graveyard.

The AI has some interesting ideas about how smokebox doors are removed!

 

[Sun Chariot]

The AI has some interesting ideas about how smokebox doors are removed!

Its interpretations vary from fairly plausible to the downright ridiculous! On this thread, are a 37 with its driver floating up the nose end: a 37 being flame cut by a hovering workman; and a man inexplicably leaping from a train and aiming his head in a cow's derriere

Class 47s.
There must be thousands upon thousands of photographs in the public domain. Images taken in every conceivable angle.
So surely there is enough reference data to create an AI 47?
Hmmmmmm...

I don't know what is the more vulgar:
1. The HST-APT mish-mash cab design,
2. The livery
3. The boys' magazine...

 

[Topological]

Its interpretations vary from fairly plausible to the downright laughable and ridiculous!
On this thread, are a 37 with a driver floating up the nose end and a 37 being flame cut by a hovering workman. Also a man inexplicably leaping from a train and about to land head-first in a cow's derriere

AI must have richer data of people; and, on the whole, results I've had back are far better far more of the time.
For railway subjects, AI results seem to cope with "ambience" but lack full accuracy. I've set up this thread, for all readers to share our more convincing AI images:

Show off your realistic AI railway images!

I have started this thread after becoming rather too addicted (so my wife says...) to the capabilities of AI and Big Data. There are several AI image generators. I use Google Gemini. These images are created using my own descriptions into AI. Add your realistic AI generated railway themed...

www.railforums.co.uk

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Class 47s.
There must be thousands upon thousands of photographs in the public domain. Images taken in every conceivable angle.
So surely there is enough reference data to create an AI 47?
Hmmmmmm...

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I don't know what is the more vulgar:
1. The HST-APT mish-mash cab design,
2. The livery
3. The boys' magazine...

The nameplate on that HST picture is slightly off.

The magazine seems a very appropriate choice given that said boys are completely ignoring the HST behind them. Something suggests they will get quite a surprise when the train starts up again.

 

[Sun Chariot]

The nameplate on that HST picture is slightly off.

The magazine seems a very appropriate choice

Exactly. You should have seen what the other 50 AI results came out like!

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Tip 1: When constructing a diesel depot, it's advisable to  not build the shed onto all the railway tracks...
Tip 2: When climbing up into the cab of a diesel locomotive, it's recommended to use its cab door and steps; trying to do it commando style, up and over the nose, will lead to injury...

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I asked for an EMT 222 at Belper. The livery's alright, but it doesn't look as real as some on here.

I've started the new thread linked here, for us all to post our realistic AI generated images. I have managed to create a few; but it takes a very detailed description and many tries!

Show off your realistic AI railway images!

I have started this thread after becoming rather too addicted (so my wife says...) to the capabilities of AI and Big Data. There are several AI image generators. I use Google Gemini. These images are created using my own descriptions into AI. Add your realistic AI generated railway themed...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Topological]

Exactly. You should have seen what the other 50 AI results came out like!

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Tip 1: When constructing a diesel depot, it's advisable to  not build the shed onto all the railway tracks...
Tip 2: When climbing up into the cab of a diesel locomotive, it's recommended to use its cab door and steps; trying to do it commando style, up and over the nose, will lead to injury...

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jul 2025 ==


I've started the new thread linked here, for us all to post our realistic AI generated images. I have managed to create a few; but it takes a very detailed description and many tries!

Show off your realistic AI railway images!

I have started this thread after becoming rather too addicted (so my wife says...) to the capabilities of AI and Big Data. There are several AI image generators. I use Google Gemini. These images are created using my own descriptions into AI. Add your realistic AI generated railway themed...

www.railforums.co.uk

I think what is being missed here is that the shed is not actually for a train. The shed is a disguised lab for bionic duckweed and is simply made like a shed so that the diesels do not get upset seeing their replacement every day. The lack of buffers on the lines with the locomotives simply speaks to happier times when there was confidence that trains would stop in the right place.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Hahaha! Yes, some AI interpretations are decidedly "not what I expected"!

 

[Western 52]

My first attempt, using AI to generate a picture. I asked for a British class 37 diesel locomotive pulling coal wagons from a colliery in the snow. Not quite what I got though!

 

[Royston Vasey]

The AI algorithms are designed, as I understand it, to filter out any interpretation which could cause offence (ergo religious, defamatory, violent, sexual and anything we used to call gentle hilarious vulgarity but of course some do-gooders take offence to...)

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Jul 2025 ==

I think I'm guilty of dominating this thread! I'm having far too much fun in thinking of descriptions for Gemini to interpret.
This evening, how about an evocative steam shed, eh? I am impressed with how AI algorithms rendered light and shade.
What do you think, @The exile ?

Steam locos seem to be a strength of the AI, and I think these steam shed examples are tantalising. We only ever see grainy black and white photographs of steam sheds, but this is what they would have looked like, in real life. I'm sure it would be unusual for the locos to be quite that clean, and the renderings aren't perfect, but it's a classy looking piece of GenAI. It's better at steam than diesel locos!

 

[Sun Chariot]

Steam locos seem to be a strength of the AI, and I think these steam shed examples are tantalising. We only ever see grainy black and white photographs of steam sheds, but this is what they would have looked like, in real life. I'm sure it would be unusual for the locos to be quite that clean, and the renderings aren't perfect, but it's a classy looking piece of GenAI. It's better at steam than diesel locos!

Totally agree and thanks. I find that, when I write a clear and really detailed description for the AI algorithms to interpret, a more plausible result gets generated.
Ditto for BR blue era AI images in my thread, link in post 135

@Western 52 try that and see how you get on.

By way of example, the attached 4 images each required me to describe every part of the image in detail. The AI result got the ambience spot on but the accuracy is still not quite there for the "railway bits."

 

[Ashley Hill]

Totally agree and thanks. I find that, when I write a clear and really detailed description for the AI algorithms to interpret, a more plausible result gets generated.
@Western 52 try that and see how you get on.

By way of example, the attached 4 images each required me to describe every part of the image in detail. The AI result got the ambience spot on but the accuracy is still not quite there for the "railway bits."
Ditto for AI images in my thread, link in post 135

The bottom two images and other similar ones in this thread remind me of the images on the birthday cards your great aunt may send you.

 

[Sun Chariot]

The bottom two images and other similar ones in this thread remind me of the images on the birthday cards your great aunt may send you.

Funnily enough @Ashley Hill I thought similar and also the types of pictures on 1000 piece jigsaws.
These steam era images are rendered with a "synthetic" look to them.
Those BR blue era images (my thread linked in post 135) look more "real". I wonder if that is due to the available reference material Gemini uses for data points and AI image construct.

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I asked for a British class 37 diesel locomotive pulling coal wagons from a colliery in the snow. Not quite what I got though!

Google Gemini AI makes decent attempts at what a 37 looks like. My thread (linked on post 135) has a few examples.

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A couple of curious contraptions while trying to create realistic images for my thread. Answers on a postcard, please!

 

[CaptainHaddock]

As I tend to have a surreal sense of humour I asked Google Gemini to create a lifelike image of four otters, a lion tamer and the archbishop of canterbury in full regalia standing on the platform of Norwich station while a steam train goes by driven by two kangaroos in silly hats. This was the result.

 

[Royston Vasey]

As I tend to have a surreal sense of humour I asked Google Gemini to create a lifelike image of four otters, a lion tamer and the archbishop of canterbury in full regalia standing on the platform of Norwich station while a steam train goes by driven by two kangaroos in silly hats. This was the result.

View attachment 184743

What a ridiculous concept................






Norwich has no through platforms!

 

[Sun Chariot]

As I tend to have a surreal sense of humour I asked Google Gemini to create a lifelike image of four otters, a lion tamer and the archbishop of canterbury in full regalia standing on the platform of Norwich station while a steam train goes by driven by two kangaroos in silly hats. This was the result.

Harry Otter and the 'Roo-warts Express?

That trumps my effort on post 118 - a suited man leaping from a flaming train, straight at a cow's bottom, whilst the farmer records it for TikTok on his phone...

 

[Ashley Hill]

Even the Archibishop is holding a whip!

 

[xotGD]

Even the Archibishop is holding a whip!

Fairly normal for a member of the clergy.

 

[MarkyT]

A couple of curious contraptions while trying to create realistic images for my thread. Answers on a postcard, please!

The last one's an assist, pushing a failed freight train in front, if only the class existed, though a 3-pane windscreen without a discernible nose might have occurred in an alternate universe. The other one...

 

[HighlandStorm]

So the Glenfinnan viaduct….

 

[Topological]

So the Glenfinnan viaduct….

Solves the problem of what will replace the 156s