AI-generated (not entirely realistic) railway images

[Topological]

Post deleted

I would love to know what happened there. It was a railway image (A Cross Country Voyager) and a film poster on a billboard which contained no bad language and an AI version of the House of Commons? I must have missed a rule somewhere?

If I get banned I will get more time to do work.

 

[McRhu]

"A realistic photo of a class 08 diesel shunter removing an intercity liveried class 31 from its passenger train at Glasgow Central station on a wet march day"

Well...

Looks like Gemini is having some issues as about the only thing we have close is that it is wet!

From memory the renowned Glasgow Central Tour museum has a photo of very early diesel shunters in Central Station looking not too dissimilar to the first one there. They certainly weren't 08s although I can't remember much more about the picture.

 

[Topological]

Inspiration for Candy Crush, full circle from commuters to a game to entertain commuters.

 

[High Dyke]

Asked for an unrealistic British train. Hmm.

 

[Topological]

It is interesting that @High Dyke and I both got the same basis for our trains. Being British has given the bigger driving wheels compared to my sweets and cakes version. However, I may suggest the AI messed up because my photo has British style waiting, whilst @High Dyke photo captured people who were clearly happy.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Feb 2026 ==

The lines between reality and fiction are often very blurred. This is why the world needs to be so careful with AI. Points for the least realistic elements of this composition.



== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Feb 2026 ==

Staying in the realm of borderline realistic. Here we see a possibly illegal attempt at the land speed record for a steam train.

 

[Sun Chariot]

A post by Topological on another thread, had a reference to BAE Preston. It got me thinking: imagine if English Electric's R&D teams got their drawings a little mixed up.

I give you... the class 20 Lightning, with its vertical climb-rate far superior to the EE Type 1 D8000 class.
In the distance, their attempt at fitting the afterburners to the EE 8SVT Mk2 engine, was less successful.

 

[quailking14]

This is supposed to be an Alstom Coradia in a hypothetical re-nationalized regional livery on a line somewhere in London. Clearly the AI hasn't adapted it properly to restrictive UK loading gauges!

 

[Sun Chariot]

Staying in the realm of borderline realistic. Here we see a possibly illegal attempt at the land speed record for a steam train.

Oh no. The Mk1s are on BR1 bogies. For a land speed record attempt, one fits B4 on 'em - or, at the least, Commonwealth. Other than that, it fooled me.

If post 729's Class 20 Lightning briefly touches down onto its front bogie, with afterburners full-on, does that qualify for the land speed attempt?
If not, I'll have to modify a 142 - and then (TG music) It's Time to Put a Racer In a Reasonably-Bad Pacer.

 

[Topological]

A post by Topological on another thread, had a reference to BAE Preston. It got me thinking: imagine if English Electric's R&D teams got their drawings a little mixed up.

I give you... the class 20 Lightning, with its vertical climb-rate far superior to the EE Type 1 D8000 class.
In the distance, their attempt at fitting the afterburners to the EE 8SVT Mk2 engine, was less successful.

I cannot help thinking the Mark 2 version of this will have the Class 20 the other way round. It is not the most aerodynamic prototype.

Hybrid train/planes are old hat though:



This was an attempt to enhance the speed record by the same locomotive.

 

[Sun Chariot]

I cannot help thinking the Mark 2 version of this will have the Class 20 the other way round. It is not the most aerodynamic prototype.

But how will the driver/pilot see out!

I use Jezza's method of aerodynamics: "Power - more power - yes, that'll do it"...

This was an attempt to enhance the speed record by the same locomotive.

I always thought Merlin and Griffin pushrod engines heavy. So: using a load of tubes, encased in aerodynamic shroud, should do the trick.
I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

 

[pdeaves]

I cannot help thinking the Mark 2 version of this will have the Class 20 the other way round. It is not the most aerodynamic prototype.

Hybrid train/planes are old hat though:

View attachment 197382

This was an attempt to enhance the speed record by the same locomotive.

What do you put in the prompt to get something recognisable as (based on) Mallard? I seem only to get LMS locos in blue with the name on a headboard!

 

[Topological]

What do you put in the prompt to get something recognisable as (based on) Mallard? I seem only to get LMS locos in blue with the name on a headboard!

AI is a strange beast. I actually used the prompt:

please generate an image of a hybrid LNER A4 pacific and a fighter plane. The front should be from the train and the rear should be from the plane. The hybrid plane-train should be flying through a blue sky

However, as I was typing the full prompt, I accidentally pressed enter. From the prompt:

Please generate an image of

I got

 

[pokemonsuper9]

However, as I was typing the full prompt, I accidentally pressed enter. From the prompt:


I got

I assume it has remembered you asking it about railway stuff in that same one so just guessed what a nothing is!
Seems to be a ruined turntable elevated above the track level!

 

[Ashley Hill]

And now, from Norwich, its the quiz of the week! The Alphabet Day Rangers versus The General Knowledge Fusiliers!

Disclaimer. I do not know what anyone looks like so any resemblance to any member is purely coincidental

 

[Topological]

If you squint right you can see that the host and your avatar are the same guy @Ashley Hill

There are some very round pasties in AI land. I will go for the booby.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2026 ==

I assume it has remembered you asking it about railway stuff in that same one so just guessed what a nothing is!
Seems to be a ruined turntable elevated above the track level!

I think so. I often ask for derelict things too for atmosphere.

I do not know whether to be happy, or sad, that Google thinks of me in that way.

I wondered if there was an Assault Course round in the Big Forum Quiz. Here AI shows the pilot. I must be the guy near the back who got all the questions wrong and therefore started with a big time penalty.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

I think so. I often ask for derelict things too for atmosphere.

I do not know whether to be happy, or sad, that Google thinks of me in that way.

Just to see what happens when it has no chat history to run off, I've booted up Gemini (3) and asked it to "Please generate an image of" and then deleting the chat.
It appears to be semi-random, so far I have gotten:
- A lion standing on a rock (in a savanna)
- A hiker on a mountain looking over a river valley with a small drone hovering on the ground next to them with an aurora in the sky
- A desert oasis with 2 small huts and a campfire, with sand dunes in the background
- the same as ^ but with only 1 hut and camels
and now it just keeps generating variants of the Oasis scene

 

[Topological]

Just to see what happens when it has no chat history to run off, I've booted up Gemini (3) and asked it to "Please generate an image of" and then deleting the chat.
It appears to be semi-random, so far I have gotten:
- A lion standing on a rock (in a savanna)
- A hiker on a mountain looking over a river valley with a small drone hovering on the ground next to them with an aurora in the sky
- A desert oasis with 2 small huts and a campfire, with sand dunes in the background
- the same as ^ but with only 1 hut and camels
and now it just keeps generating variants of the Oasis scene

That is really interesting.

I tried again and got the following. It actually works in the other thread so I am going to double post:



== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2026 ==

My "Please generate an image of" command is stuck in a world of Maglevs. Here we see that the success of CrossCountry's 4-car voyagers has been inspirational internationally.

 

[High Dyke]

Meanwhile, Sulzer power takes on the
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

 

[Topological]

A gentle reminder, all, that your "not realistic looking trains" images are better-placed within the Mad AI thread.

Sorry. I could not resist though. I am sure some would like to see American Airlines planes flying above the Vale of Glamorgan line like that. Though this looks more like it should be a new Tenby International Airport flight

 

[Ashley Hill]

Why didn`t you take ME to see Beautiful Britain? I think our heroine has found out about the illicit barbeque!!!

(AI couldn`t cope with fourth rail)

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Why didn`t you take ME to see Beautiful Britain? I think our heroine has found out about the illicit barbeque!!!
View attachment 197732
(AI couldn`t cope with fourth rail)

Clearly that's a narrow guage platform and a standard guage one using the same middle track.
Not sure where the power is coming from to get that cart moving, it kind of looks like there should be pedals there.

 

[Topological]

Concerned it was the American Airlines plane that made the composition unrealistic I used the same command but without the line about AA.



The fitters are making progress. They have converted the train into a 150/1. Added red around the window, and now identified that the problem must be in the central panel they have installed after removing the gangway.

They also moved over to the platform with the comic reading academics. It turns out they are still inspecting the origin of the pasty story and have not made any movements through the depth of thought.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Feb 2026 ==

Not exactly a 150/2 and so it is to the mad AI picture we must go for this estuary image.



== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Feb 2026 ==

Change the station with 1 letter is fun. However, the merger between South Western Trains and Great Western Railway is clearly unrealistic and Gemini did not get the roof design right.

 

[Ashley Hill]

On a quiet Sunday morning a workman takes a brake from touching up the yellow lines at a popular South Yorkshire station.

 

[D6130]

I wonder if he realises that he's got his size nines in the wet yellow paint? That could lead to some interesting patterns on the platform when he finishes his meal break!

 

[Ashley Hill]

I wonder if he realises that he's got his size nines in the wet yellow paint? That could lead to some interesting patterns on the platform when he finishes his meal break!

Rest day work to clean it up, he`s no fool!!

 

[D6130]

Rest day work to clean it up, he`s no fool!!

 

[Ashley Hill]

Don`t forget, Valentines Day is only a few days away!

 

[Topological]

Rest day work to clean it up, he`s no fool!!

"I have a rest day and I want to paint things black"



There probably needs to be an investigation into methods of working here.

 

[Topological]

Don`t forget, Valentines Day is only a few days away!
View attachment 197891

What about this is not realistic? Surely we are all off for a ride?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Im just wondering what happened in there for him to come out with that expression?