Precious Decay photographer Brian captured the long abandoned Orient Express train, as it sits in Rotterdam, Belgium.
The train in the photo series was one of three diesel-electric trains built for the Orient Express line in the 1930s. The train he photographed sits abandoned on an active railway. The original routes included London to Venice and Paris to Istanbul. The Orient Express train would have been a luxurious way to travel when it was first built, but years of neglect and decay have left the train useless and decrepit.
The Orient Express long-distance passenger train line ran from 1883 until 2009, but was shut down due to competition from high-speed trains and low continental Europe airfares.
What's Driving This Trend
- Railway Abandonment
- Opportunity to repurpose abandoned railway tracks and trains for new design and functionality.
- Vintage Travel Nostalgia
- Increasingly popular trend to represent the elegance and charm of vintage travel for modern day use.
- Retro Photography
- Growing demand for aesthetic involving visual nostalgia which can be seen in many areas including photography and design.
Who This Affects Most
- Tourism & Travel
- Offers the opportunity to create new and nostalgic journeys with inspired design and new destinations.
- Art & Photography
- Provides photographers with a unique opportunity to explore a forgotten past and share it with a new audience for products, events, and design inspiration.
- Transportation & Logistics
- The industry can explore new ways of repurposing and retrofitting retired rail equipment and infrastructure for new modes of transportation or industrial purposes.
