Steam punk, making things look victorian and brass era, steam powered... that's the idea. It has a lot of aspects though, here's a few

1930's France it seems, because just to the left of the motorwheel is a Citreon Traction Avant

Steam powered ditch digger.. .that is a monster

Cadillac tow truck, for more cars converted into tow trucks see: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/12/tow-trucks-were-sometimes-made-from-big.html

Johnny Cash and the 1986 Steam Expo. Very cool. Two times.

the above is the Lanz bulldog, 1 cylinder, compression ignition powered

all of these are just an indication of how cool http://steampunkvehicles.tumblr.com/ is

Chicago's first locomotive, the 1837 Pioneer

This was the first locomotive to operate out of Chicago. Called the Pioneer, it was built in 1837 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was originally used by the Utica and Schenectady Railroad in New York. It was later acquired by the Chicago and North Western Railway and put into service there in 1848. The Pioneer still survives, and is on display at the Chicago History Museum.