Steam in the Americas 2012

Argentina Index 

Click below for summary pages for older stories 

• The abortive project to restore Porta's first steam locomotive (18th March 2005)

• San Carlos de Bariloche vintage train (updated 17th May 2011)

• Restored broad gauge Argentine steam locomotives (last entry 19th May 2006)

• Earlier reports on the Esquel Railway (last entry 15th February 2005)

• Heritage Tramway in Buenos Aires (20th April 2000)

Rio Turbio Railway

As a development of the news about the Rio Turbio system in the two paragraphs that follow (7th September 2004), Locomotives International 71 carried a report - since confirmed by other correspondents - that the railway is considering reintroducing steam power owing to the soaring cost of diesel and the poor condition of their locomotives. The country is in a poor economic state and conventional alternatives like buying newer, more fuel efficient diesels is not an option. Shaun McMahon is reported to be working on the project which will see 116 (actually 107) and then 119 returned to service. Shaun has now sent me a news release detailed ambitious development plans for the Rio Turbio system (2nd November 2004), including a possible international link to Chile. Hugh Odom's site has additional news on developments (5th June 2005). Martyn Bane's site also contains an August 2006 press release which confirms that big things are afoot in the south of the country (added 25th August 2006).

Martyn Bane has visited the Rio Turbio system and an extensive report (1st February 2004) of his visit covering the remaining steam locomotives was posted on his own site (some of which now appears on http://www.martynbane.co.uk/modernsteam/ldp/rfirt/santafes.htm), similarly a visit to the FCAF (2nd February 2004). It seems that tourist steam may start to operate at Rio Turbio (11th March 2004). 

Bernd Seiler reports (23rd February 1999) "Steam on the Rio Gallegos system finished some time in 1997 following the arrival of diesels." Ian Thomson (18th October 1999) places it in November 1996 although steam was used with diesels for braking purposes into 1997. Yard shunting will have lasted rather longer and several enthusiast groups have since run steam charters on stretches of the line. Reports have appeared locally that steam may be introduced as part of a plan to develop the area for tourism. Click here for one such (Spanish language) report (3rd June 2000). Click here for more information (link added 2nd October 2000).

The Train at the End of the World (FCAF)

This is a 500mm gauge (narrow gauge or miniature according to your point of view) running out of Ushuaia into a national park in the deep south of the country - it carries large numbers of tourists many of whom arrive in cruise liners. Check out the English language version of their website, some basic information is also available on this site. For an excellent video clip on the railway see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F60Eta_ao54 (7th January 2009)

Currently it has 3 steam locomotives on the roster:

• "Camila" 2-6-2T (Winson Engineering ? / 1995)

• "Ing. L. D. Porta" 0-4-0 + 0-4-0 Garratt (Tranex, Carupá, Argentina ? / 1994)

• "Engineer Zubieta" 0-4-0 + 0-4-0 Garratt (Barries Engineering, Girdlestone & Associates, Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa ? / 2006)  

For some time Shaun McMahon was chief engineer here and as such was involved in ensuring that the steam locomotives were modified to reflect best 'modern' practice as far as was practical. Articles on this have appeared from time to time and are best accessed via the 'Modern Steam Index Page' on this site, although you can access some of the key ones directly as follows:

• Rebuilding steam loco Camila (10th July 1999 - includes pictures)

• A photographic summary of the line and its locomotives with the the tiny first Garratt then ready to re-enter service (latest pictures 8th February 2002).

The Esquel Railway

Fabrice Lanoue spent a week in the country in April 2011, he has produced a two part illustrated report which includes an eye witness account of a spectacular derailment on the Esquel line (updated with a video link, 28th June 2011), click here for the second part (17th May 2011). Following the derailment, I understand that trains were suspended pending an enquiry, Richard Wallace tells me (31st July 2011) that the management had told him that they expected to be running trains again in August or maybe September 2011. Best check before visiting!

Getting up-to-date information on the Esquel operation has never been easy, but Chris Lewis has emailed me the current (early 2005) schedule. I have made this available as a PDF file (15th December 2004). Chris has now (15th December 2005) send me the 2006 timetable too. See also La Trochita's own website www.latrochita.org.ar and contact email latrochita@epuyen.net.ar. David Thornhill points out that the UK's Railway Gazette reported an allocation of just over GBP 1 million to renovate the line, welcome, but realistically this is small beer for such a long line (18th October 2007).  There are some earlier reports available. (last entry 15th February 2005).

Other websites

Anther useful general Argentine railway link is http://delplata.tripod.com.ar (amended 1st September 2001). Martin Coombs has his own site covering the 'Railways of the Far South' (2nd December 2002) including information on several present and former narrow gauge railways. Martin wrote a brief report of his December 2000 but pressure of work meant it was delayed (added 22nd February 2001). 

Older Trip Reports

Colin Churcher has sent me an account of his trip there in 1995. Manfred Schoeler sent me a report of his visit in August and September 1996 with two of his pictures. Steve Brown has put up his own report on a visit to Patagonia (22nd Dec 1998). See also the TUT report (3rd Dec 1998) for details of then current activity.

Other Preservation Items

Fabrice Lanoue spent a week in the country in April 2011, he has produced a two part illustrated report the first of which covers Esquel, the second part covers other locations (17th May 2011). Robin Patrick has provided an illustrated report of the November 2008 RTC trip which included some of the locations above (9th December 2008), while Bill Longley-Cook somewhat later has provided a different perspective (16th August 2009). Neil Edwards was here with a tour group in August 2009 and reports on his brief visit to Posadas for the 'preserved locomotives' (23rd August 2009).

Marcelo Benoit (28th June 1999) has sent the a large number of pictures covering preserved locomotives in the country and I have added a second set of photos (10th May 2000). I have added more pictures of preserved locomotives (1st November 2001) which includes a preserved narrow gauge (Luttermöller to me but the owner says Klien Lindner) 0-10-0 shades of Java, Indonesia. Carlos Alberto Fernández Priotti tells me (15th February 2000) about the official Website of the A.R.A.R. (Asociación Rosarina Amigos del Riel) http://www.arar.org.ar/ where you can be view updated useful information about trains, tramways and trolleybuses in Rosario, Argentina.

Bermuda Index 

Trevor Heath has sent me this link on the Bermuda Railway - http://www.bermuda-online.org/railway.htm - a wonderful look at the remains of another 'long forgotten railway' which includes the remains of an old Baldwin steam locomotive, it is not clear when this picture was taken (9th May 2008).

Bolivia Index 

Chris Lewis was in Bolivia in September 2004 (24th October 2004) and reports noting six steam locomotives in Guaqui on Lake Titicaca. Ian Thomson adds "The locomotives at Guaqui are, for the most part, as in "World of South Américan Steam", from some 30 years ago. The saddle tank is a Peckett. The main changes over the past decades have been: (i) Hunslet 2-8-0 No. 10 was sent to the stillborn Museo at Sucre (although where it is at right now I have no idea), I think bearing the makers' plates from No. 9; (ii) a couple of locomotives have been cut up, Nos. 4 and 6 if I remember correctly, but I'll have to check; (iii) No. 704 was sent to Guaqui from the Uyuni-Villazón line, initially to work tourist trains under an also stillborn arrangement with Wagon-Lits. No. 704, which was built by ALCO was operable until some seven years ago, at least, and I rented it a few times for tour groups. Also operable was No. 9. All the locomotives belong to residual ENFE. I included Nos. 9 and 704 in the list of rolling stock which should be declared national monuments. No. 704 is the only non F.C. de Guaqui machine at Guaqui. The 1939 diesel No. 1 is dumped at Viacha, or at least was when I was last there a few years ago."

Ian Thomson reports on his latest visit (11th November 2003): "In Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Nos. 544 and 796 have been placed in a shed specially constructed for them in the Ferrocarril Oriental workshop area. They are visible from the street. No. 544 is operable, and I am told regularly appears on a local TV ad. The Company seems to be investing quite heavily in refurbishing passenger equipment for tourist charters. All other dumped steam locomotives have disappeared, presumably for scrap, except the remains of an ex-FCAB Vulcan Foundry 4-8-2. I am told that the locomotives dumped at Roboré are still there. Roboré is shortly to become less inaccessible, since a highway is being built, parallel to the railway, between Santa Cruz and Puerto Suarez/Corumbá. Once opened, the Railway will withdraw regular passenger services." Marcelo Benoit questions this last statement (3rd August 2007),  "The railway has invested heavily to COMPETE with buses despite the opening of the road (I cannot call it a highway)." For recent pictures of the steam graveyard at Uyuni, see http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/01/train-graveyard-in-bolivia.html (thanks to Trevor Heath for this one, 5th March 2008, this site cannot be accessed from China)

Ian Thomson adds (29th Nov 1997): "No. 544 took a train, which I arranged for Ffestiniog Travel with the Passenger Manager, from Warnes to Santa Cruz via Montero, on Saturday 22nd November. The locomotive was not in a very good condition. The trip took around seven hours instead of the intended four. Injectors of both kinds were mainly to blame. The train consisted in the ex-FCALP diner and sleeping cars, plus miscellaneous wagons. We nearly got in late enough to take advantage of the sleeper in nighttime mode."

See the TUT report (3rd Dec 1998) for details of the then current activity.

Brazil Index 

Introduction 

Brazil is a nightmare country to cover for the steam enthusiast. Apart from its shear size, 'Inventario das Locomotivas a Vapor no Brazil' by Regina Perez (9th December 2006) lists 419 extant steam locomotives. For more information on this book see http://www.revistaferroviaria.com/memoriaferroviaria/index_ing.htm (address updated 21st October 2008). I can't afford a copy but I am told it is well worth obtaining. However, the percentage of locomotives listed which are anything like operable is tiny and the smaller tourist operations come and go at an alarming rate. Similarly, I know that a fair proportion of websites I have listed are 'dead' but weeding them out from behind the Great Chinese Firewall risks throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Further, many are not maintained and the information is frequently out of date...

I have spent a day using various sources to put together an outline guide to tourist railways in the country (21st October 2008, minor updates 17th December 2009, new line 16th July 2011) and would appeal to those who have recent experience of travelling independently here to let me have comments, reports and some pictures so it can become a useful ongoing resource. Tom Schultz spent 3 days in November 2009 on the tourist railways in São Paulo and Minas Gerais - read his illustrated report (17th December 2009), see also Cliff Schoff's report of his January 2011 visit (12th April 2011).  

The Brazilian Magazine Revista Ferroviaria (http://www.revistaferroviaria.com.br) has an English language (part) mirror site http://www.revistaferroviaria.com/index_ing.asp from which some information on steam preservation may be found (thanks to Henry Posner III for this one, updated 21st October 2008).

Surviving Brazilian Steam Locomotives

I know of no list on the web (and the book mentioned above is bound to have been out of date by the time it was published). Eddie Edmundson provided a long list of surviving steam locomotives in North East Brazil (29th January 2002) and a survey of steam locomotives spotted outside the North East of Brazil (originally uploaded 29th January 2002, Martin Murray added some later observations, 3rd April 2002).  Torsten Schneider updated (17th April 2002) his own summary of steam locomotives/sites in the country - he knows it is incomplete and we would both welcome help in filling in the gaps and adding other locations. Torsten's list includes a large number of web site links (many of which have since died) and valuable access details. (I agree with Torsten it would be difficult to combine his and Eddie's lists!). Some of the better known large steam locomotives are covered in Donna Theresa Christina Survivors (latest entry 10th April 2006)

Sentinel Steam alive and other working steam

What must be the most remarkable story of 2002 was the survival of two active Sentinel locomotives at the Amsted-Maxion wagon works in Cruzeiro (SP province). An illustrated article (showing 166, 0-4-0 Sentinel, one of 8398-8400/1931) appeared in the Brazilian Magazine Revista Ferroviaria in July 2002. Although these have appeared in various preserved locomotive lists, it seems that, in the UK at least, no-one seemed to know that they were actually 'working steam' (4th September 2002). Thanks to Henry Posner III for initially tipping me off on this one. Bought in 1960, the two survivors work in turn (the remains of a third are derelict) normally within the 'raw material yard'. Prior arranged visitors are very welcome to observe them.... They were reported to be still at work in September 2008 (7th October 2008), Neil Smith saw one at work on the FarRail tour in August 2009 (23rd August 2009).

A report appeared in the UK Guardian newspaper on 6th March 1999, detailing the continued use of a 1927 Kerr Stuart at Usina Serra Grande at Sao Jose de Laje, some 250km south of Recife.  This is probably metre gauge 0-6-2T #4 (4193/1927), the system is reported to still have about 20km of track and bring in 20% of the harvest.  Unfortunately, I do not have a sufficiently good copy of the article to reproduce the photograph that went with it. The Dorrridge Travel group was here in late 1999 and I believe they saw active steam at work. 

Although (3rd June 2000) Sergio Matire told me about Tubarão (see below), Torsten Schneider said there is no longer active steam here (17th April 2002):
"By the way since Brazil needs a lot of electric power, the complex at Capivari near Tubarão is working at full power to burn coal to make steam and generate electric power. Since this happens all motive power of Ferrovia Tereza Cristina is working in this, but, yes always we have but - they need more locomotives and also someone remembered the steam locos, 405 and 410 which have returned to work in the line as shunting locos, but on steam how long this will work?? The statistics says that Brazil need electric power at least for one more year, imported from Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia and Venezuela... "

São João del-Rei

This is perhaps the most famous museum operation in Brazil. Cliff Schoff travelled on the São João del-Rei preserved railway in October 1999 and sent me a report (27th December 1999). Cliff paid a return this to the railway in November 2001, you can read his report. (15th Jan 2002) or view the accompanying pictures (26th January 2002).

Other steam preservation items

Things are stirring at Cajamar, where the very considerable remains of the 600mm gauge former Perús Pirapora Railroad are being sifted through by members of the IFPPC (Society for Preservation of Perús Pirapora Railroad) with a view to a partial restoration and operation. Locomotives are now being moved off site for restoration and one has been steamed (7th February 2011). Check out the Society's blog - http://peruspirapora.blogspot.com/ - for regular updates, this site also has many pictures - http://www.thorsteamworld.com (both added 25th January 2011). Sergio Martire reports that trains are running every Sunday between 10.00 and 17.00, click here for a location map. (4th November 2011). John Kirchner has supplied a nice set of pictures which well illustrate this "funky, fun place" (28th December 2011).

For more information check out these sites which have then recent pictures (4th September 2009):

http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1231361 
http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1232511&page=3 
http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,136169,136169#msg-136169 

If this name means little to you then check out this YouTube clip - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-uszh5mnSE.

500mm gauge in my books is about the minimum for a 'real' steam powered railway. Jung 0-4-2T (#1864) which has been stored for many years at the Barranco scrap yard in Curitiba  has been cosmetically restored and put on a plinth with some wagons in front of the building of the scrap yard reports Steen Larsen (11th August 2009), at the same time metre gauge 0-4-0Ts OK # 6589 and Maffei #3874 are both still present in semi-derelict condition. The Jung and Maffei came from Usina Leão Utinga (Near Rio Largo) in Alagoas according to Eddie Edmunson's report. The OK is an amazing geared loco - see http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/org/murray/ok%206589.htm. See also Steen Larsen's 2007 pictures of the other two locomotives (12th August 2009).

Neil Edwards has sent pictures of two metre gauge preserved locomotives at Estacio Ferroviaria, Cruzeiro (23rd August 2009).

Steve Pratt joined a Brazilian Steam Safari in September 2008 and has provided a list of active and other steam locos seen (7th October 2008).

Jose Beraldo has sent me an update of current preservation news (but this was in 1999!) and for a while regularly sent me snippets about preserved steam. Sergio Matire later contributed to this series. Check it out. (latest picture 24th December 2008).  The major preservation site at Campinas has its own web site http://www.abpf.org.br (added 30th November 2001). 

Eddie Edmunson's report of a May 1998 visit to the city of Campos dos Goytacazes in the State of Rio de Janeiro and a live preserved metre gauge Baldwin has reached me rather late! (additional information, 23rd December 2003) and to this I have added picture of unidentified preserved 0-6-0ST and 0-4-0ST in Brazil (20th/28th December.1998). 

Chile Index 

Older reports are now available as follows:

• Miscellaneous Steam in Chile 1998 - 2003 

• Restoration of FCAB 34 (last entry 7th September 2004)

Robin Patrick has provided an illustrated report of the November 2008 RTC trip which included some of the locations below (9th December 2008), while Bill Longley-Cook somewhat later has provided a different perspective (16th August 2009).

Colchagua Valley Wine Train

Click here for reports predating the inauguration (last entry 1st April 2004).

The Wine Train has finally gone into service, reports Ian Thomson (5th May 2004) it has its own (Spanish language) website http://www.trendelvinochile.cl/ (link added 8th November 2006):

"The Colchagua Valley Wine Train made its highly successful inaugural run on Wednesday 14th April. The five year gestation period has been criticized for being lengthy, but it is not easy getting together a project which involved rebuilding 55 kms of abandoned track, two abandoned stations and a 2-6-0 which was last steamed in 1982. The total investment cost came to something like USD 4 millions. Financial support was received from local municipalities, Chilean State Railways, the Association of local wine producers, Greenwich S.A., the Cardoen Foundation, the regional government, and others. Credit is due to all the directors of the Wine Train Corporation, and especially Mr. Carlos Cardoen, President, Messrs. Luis Ajenjo and Nicolás Flaño, present and previous Vice Presidents, respectively, (and present and previous Presidents of Chilean State Railways) as well as to Mr. Jorge Carrasco, Manager of the Project, and his colleagues, Messrs. Domingo Buscaglia and Carlos Vildósola, who coordinated the restoration of the locomotive and Mr. Alejandro Mancilla who helped likewise with the carriages.

President Ricardo Lagos joined the train halfway along its journey from San Fernando, 133 km south from Santiago on the main line, and Santa Cruz, an intermediate station but the one where the main festivities took place. He declared the Wine Train officially inaugurated at a well orchestrated ceremony held at Santa Cruz. Just about everything went right on the day. Two weeks before, on the trial run, the 1913 vintage Chilean built but North British designed 2-6-0 No. 607 had produced a lot of smoke but hardly enough steam to activate the whistle, but on the 14th it did everything asked of it. It was still coal burning which at the end of the summer caused concern that the sparks could set on fire the very vineyards that the Train is meant to promote. But, even though on the day, after a murky start, the sun shone through, there was overnight rain, which eliminated serious fire risk.

Services for the public commenced on Sunday 25th April, but for the first couple of months trains will be diesel hauled, whilst the 2-6-0 is converted to burning oil. Tickets are available at CLP 35 000 each, which includes, in addition to the ride on the Wine Train: train travel from and to Santiago; wine tasting; lunch at the Santa Cruz Plaza hotel; entry to the Colchagua Museum, also at Santa Cruz, and; local transport in Santa Cruz."

What actually happened to the oil burning conversion is unclear, but Colin Young saw 607 still as a coal burner in February 2008 (26th March 2008). In late July 2010, Ian Thomson reported "the Wine Train is currently suspended, as a result of the 27th February earthquake. The quake didn't do too much damage to the track, and none to the Train itself, but it put out of action the places the passengers visited in the destination Santa Cruz area, such as the Colchagua Museum, the Bisquett vineyard installations, the Plaza Hotel, etc.. The hope is to have the Train up and running again come September, but, as it has been loss-making, nothing is absolutely certain. The locomotive and carriages are being kept, under surveillance, in San Fernando." (Added 13th August 2010)

Temuco heritage locomotive depot

There are signs of life in Temuco (see also below); in late 2006, there will be steam specials using Baldwin 4-8-2 820 on certain Sundays between Temuco and Victoria. For more information see http://www.temucochile.com/noticias/2006septiembre/tren.htm and www.museoferroviariotemuco.cl - in Spanish of course but readily comprehensible in your favourite web based translator. Thanks to Louis Cerny for this one (added 8th November 2006). See also the ACCPF website - http://www.accpf.cl/inicio.html. On February 24th 2007, Robert Hedgecock had the pleasure of riding the Temuco railway museum's Temuco - Victoria excursion behind 4-8-2 # 820 ( Baldwin 1938). The trip went well until Victoria when while the engine was being turned for the return trip it suffered a boiler tube failure and the passengers where forced to return to Temuco by diesel railcar or bus. This being Chile I suspect it will be quite a long time before this engine is returned to service as funding for repairs will not likely be soon in coming. However there are several other Baldwin 4-8-2s in the Temuco museum which appear in quite good condition. Also noted on the trip derelict and heavily stripped in the yard at Pua were a pair of 2-6-0s these may be Borsig or North British engines. The station agent said they had originally been intended for a museum in the north of Chile. The next day the entire train returned to Temuco being pulled at very slow speed by French built diesel # 7147 the crew frequently stopping to oil bearing and rods (added 4th March 2007). Trevor Heath tells me that 820 was in action in December 2011 (18th December 2011), Mark Carter points out that the museum's site http://www.museoferroviariotemuco.cl/ advertises regular steam excursions, Tren de la Araucania, which appear to have been relaunched in February 2010 (28th December 2011).

Roger Joanes reports (22nd March 2002):
Temuco: There are fourteen steam locos stored in the former roundhouse here, (and one more at the passenger station). The roundhouse, which also features a steam crane and the skeletons of a few carriages, has previously been open to the public as a museum. Although the museum is now closed, on the day we visited the security guard was friendly and access was no problem.
Valdivia - Antilhué: A steam excursion has run on this freight-only line every Saturday and Sunday during the summer holiday month of February. Departure from Valdivia was at 15.00, returning from Antilhué at about 17.00. The loco is a 2-6-0 dating from around 1913, Chilean-built to a British design. It carries the number 620 (screwed on at the front but the cabside plates were attached with velcro!). The loco ran chimney-first both ways, turning on the loop at Antilhué. Carriages by Linke-Hofmann dated from the 1920’s or 30’s. It is planned to run this trip every Saturday & Sunday during January, February, and early March 2003. Further information on website http://www.tren.cl and open the section Viajes Turístocos. Visiting shipping enthusiasts may also wish to sample the SS Collico, an excursion river steamer, while in Valdivia.
Puerto Montt: By the bus station are two plinthed 2-6-0’s, one no. 606, the other carries no identification.
Castro (Chiloe island): 0-6-0T no. 5057 from the island’s narrow gauge railway (closed 1960) is plinthed at the site of Castro station.

Ferronor

Following quite a few years best described as mothballed Ferronor's 2-8-2 3511 was reported in steam for an art and food festival at Baquedano on 29th July 2009 according to a local newspaper article (11th August 2009).

Santiago Railway Museum

David Pendlebury tell me that he and Chris Cairns have produced a very welcome pictorial guide to the Santiago railway museum - http://www.lcgb.org.uk/html/santiagomuseum.htm following their visit in November 2006 (24th January 2007). There are more than 30 pictures together with a map and other information on the museum.

David Pendlebury tell me that he and Chris Cairns have produced a very welcome pictorial guide to the Santiago railway museum - http://www.lcgb.org.uk/html/santiagomuseum.htm
following their visit in November 2006 (24th January 2007). There are more than 30 pictures together with a map and other information on the museum. 

Colombia Index 

Older reports are now available as follows:

• Railway Touring Company visit in February 2007 (3rd March 2007) 

• Facatativá steam excursions 1999 (last entry 13th September 1999)

• 2004 railway visit (2nd December 2004)

• Independent traveller reports (19th September 2001)

Bogota Steam Specials

The Savanna tourist steam train ("Tren Turistico de la Sabana" (TURISTREN)) has regularly run out of Bogota since 1993 at weekends and on selected weekdays on charter, the company's website is www.turistren.com.co. Company representative Eduardo Rodriguez  first contacted me in June 2001 and supplied information on the stock and operation and also some pictures of the locomotives at work (19th September 2001). For an interesting photogallery of the system see http://www.flickr.com/photos/8334416@N06/ (added 4th September 2009). James Waite was here in December 2011, his lavishly illustrated report describes this impressive operation  (updated 19th December 2011).

Steve Cossey tells me (30th November 2011): "I purchased a derelict 1921 Baldwin 2-6-0 in Bogota Colombia and am having it restored to running order in the workshops at Estacion de la Sabana in Bogota. I hope to have it running again in the original Ferrocarril del Norte livery in March 2012, at which time it will be the oldest operation steam locomotive in Colombia. I have set up a blog site to follow the restoration at http://www.numero8.blog.com." A picture of the locomotive under restoration appears in James Waite's report of his visit in December 2011 (16th December 2011).

Costa Rica Index 

Don't get excited, I know of no live steam here but several visitors have commented on the current situation in the country which includes a tourist train and occasional freight operation. Click here for more information (latest entry 7th November 2005)

Cuba Index 

Until 2002, there was 'real' great American style shortline steam operation during the annual Zafra (roughly December to April with a peak in February/March). By 2004 it was 98% plastic, I believe 2005 was 99% plastic, there was, if anything even less in 2006 according to the various reports received (updated, 17th March 2006). Real steam during the 2007 was almost non-existent, with just one working steam locomotive (and possibly one or more unreported firelesses) - see the Zafra 2007 report (updated 30th May 2007). How RTC can square that with "there are many steam locomotives, all over eighty years old, twenty of which are in daily use during the Cuban sugar cane harvest 'Zafra'" beats me. There were barely 10 real steam locomotives that turned a wheel at all in 2005, it was certainly wasn't true in 2006 and it was even less true in 2007. Of course, if you count steam on the tourist trains you might get a bit nearer the mark. All the previous reports which chart the demise of one of the last great steam experiences in the world have now been transferred to a separate page.

David Greenfield has provided a list of ex-Minaz steam locomotives at three sites in Central Havana (updated 27th December 2011), there is just one which has not yet been positively identified to my knowledge. To which I have appended an explanation of what is supposed to be going on there (3rd May 2009). Trevor Heath sent a photo report showing restoration in progress (4th December 2009). Clive Fletcher-Wood has sent me some pictures (27th February 2011) which shows that the restoration of 1138 has been completed (left below), 1707 is now present (centre below) and that 1163 is still at the Aguada service station although why it carries '457' instead of '4' as it did before is beyond me. Ray Gardiner was in Cuba in February 2011 and reports on restored steam next to the harbour in Havana (updated 27th December 2011). 

Keith Smith paid a tourist visit to José Smith Comas Mill near Varadero which is now officially a 'sugar museum' in November 2010 (two more pictures, 5th January 2011). At Trinidad, Marc Enderby found 1590 formerly at Bartolome Maso on the tourist train (21st May 2011). The number of serviceable locos used for tourist purposes is quite considerable, the following were seen in steam in March 2011 on a PTG tour and are shown on the Railway Herald website (30th December 2011):

Marcelo Salado 1429

Parque Lenin 1431

Marcelo Salado 1549

Patria o Muerte 1563

Jose Smith Comas 1610

Australia 1716

If you want a quick fix of an excellent photographic display of what you may have missed - check out David Longman's Cuba Gallery (28th June 2007). Similarly, my own Those were the days - Zafra Narrow Gauge Steam..., my gallery of Cuban pictures taken between 1996 and 2001 (6th April 2010).

Minaz placed 55 redundant steam locomotives on sale back in 2004. I am not sure how many were ever sold, they didn't include many 'gems' and I believe the price asked did not reflect the poor condition of most of them. I was later told (30th March 2010) that the sale has been 'pulled' and that the locomotives are to stay on the island pending restoration - some have already been moved to preservation sites and given a paint job. For the record you can read the original list (4th September 2004).

And then there was one... By 2008, there was very little left as a memory of the good old days will be the growing museum at Christina Station in Havana and tourist operations at Trinidad and a number of (closed) mills. Yoshi Matsuo tells me that a visit to Manalich mill found the line to the shed overgrown and no sign of 1402 with a Hector Molina reportedly going directly to the loading point (3rd March 2008). Meanwhile ex- Hermanos Ameijeilas 1431 was serviceable at Parque Lenin, normally on Saturdays and Sundays only. Tim Murray adds (17th March 2008): "The 2 standard gauge Manalich locos still in shed but not used this season. Likely to go to museum. They have a diesel (34064) that now goes to the LP. The Trinidad tourist train loco is laid up until at least the end of April. The PTG group had steam at Bartholomew Masa mill. The loco still does patio work on a regular basis and the staff claimed that it would work next season. The 2-8-0 from Venezuela has gone to Patrio o Morte and is working the tourist train. Ciro Redondo has two 2-8-0s in shed 'under repair' including 1829. Three of the other 2-8-0s are dumped at the back of the mill." Alan Pearce and Alan Murray-Rust visited the Havana area and recorded some old friends, some of which stagger on like the Hershey and others which have literally been put out to grass (18th April 2008). A later report (2nd June 2008) suggested that 1402 at Manalich worked early in the season pending diesel repairs, 1204 was active at Prieto near the airport and 1728 at J.M. Perez both on occasions, with the Brasil firelesses more reliable performers.

There have been some tours which have run Minaz steam locomotives on the main line, to say that the results have been mixed would be the politest way of putting it judging from the informal reports I have had. Does all this herald the death of communism in Cuba?

For those with a wider (historical) interest, Wayne Weiss recommends an excellent site on Cuba tramways http://www.tramz.com/cu/tto.html (22nd May 2003), similarly check out a Central Santa Lucia site (Rafael Freyre Mill) - updated 3rd October 2001.

Ecuador Index 

The Guayaquil and Quito Railroad is potentially one of the most splendid train journeys in the world. The days when it could be covered in its entirety by public train are long gone, but as conditions allow trains operate for visiting tour groups on. For example, the RTC group in October 2007 as reported by Steve Pratt (30th November 2007) "We tried to cover as much of the G&Q as possible. Steam: Duran-Yaguachi-Duran (Baldwin No.11); Railcar: Bucay-Huigra-Alausi; Steam: Alausi-Devil's Nose-Palmira-Riobambe (Baldwin No.17); Steam: Riobambe-Urbina-Riobambe (Baldwin No. 53); Railcar: Boliche-Tambillo. Some of the track is in very poor condition, but the tourist railbuses are still running regularly. Next year (2008) is the centenary of the line reaching Quito, so there could be some celebrations, though the practicality of running through the city into the centre of Quito look remote." Trains Unlimited Tours - which has subsequently entered bankruptcy - claimed (12th August 2008) that rebuilding will be almost complete by mid-2009 and that a significant number of steam locomotives will be operable by then, but that has not happened.

However, by mid-April 2009, even the railway had admitted that the repair programme was too optimistic and all the three tours I knew planned had been cancelled, at least for 2009. Read more (updated 18th April 2009). This includes Stephen Lacey's first hand report and recent pictures of what are thought to be all extant G&Q steam locomotives. The next report from Ecuador from Dr. Michael Grimes starts "The news from Ecuador for 2010 is not good." - read it in full (1st June 2010), I have now added a rather more optimistic assessment from September 2010 (14th September 2010), but there is still a long haul left before trains can run throughout.

Click below for reports:

• Adolf Hungrywolf's visit in early 2007 (not for the squeamish, 7th July 2007)

• Torsten Schneider's visit with information on then current travel (24th October 2001)

• Visiting tour groups in 2003 (latest entry 3rd October 2003)

• TUT tour 2002 (22nd August 2002)

• G & Q to be restored! (latest entry 27th April 2002)

• TUT report for details of the then current activity (3rd Dec 1998) 

• Robert Ripperger's rather late report on the bedraggled situation on the G&Q in July 1999 (23rd April 2000).

Other information on railways in Ecuador

• Allan Crotty's site - http://mysite.freeserve.com/hotmetal/index.html. (12th February 2002) 

• Ivor Kelly advises that there is a book on the historical side of the Ecuador Railway "The Redemptive Work - railway and nation in Ecuador 1895-1930" by A. Kim Clark, ISBN 0-8420-2674-6" 

El Salvador Index 

Steam survived here on charter operations. You can read a report of the TUT visit in January 2002 (27th March 2002). However, I have my doubts whether such a visit is still repeatable.

Thomas Kautzor has pointed me at an interesting set of photographs taken here in February 2011 (28th February 2011) - http://gareth1494.fotopic.net/c1944930_1.html (this was a fotopic page and is now history).. Among lots of diesels, this shows Baldwin 8 preserved and steam derelicts at Sonsonate, and most interestingly 12 and 101 inside the roundhouse at San Salvador - these are said to be 'serviceable'. These two locomotives were used in 2002 on the TUT tour, referred to above. The line from San Salvador to Apopa is currently the only operational route in the country with a limited passenger service, there being no freight.

French Guyana Index  

Chris Hodrien has pointed out to me that this site http://www.revue.inventaire.culture.gouv.fr/insitu/insitu/article.xsp?numero=8&id_article=goergen-1575 has a picture of a derelict 0-4-0T at Tigre. More information would be appreciated (7th December 2007). James Waite subsequently pointed out that there is a second locomotive below outside the Guyana Space Centre. 

Guatemala Index 

RDC has now announced suspension of operations in Guatemala (3rd August 2007) citing the government's failure to honour its contract with the company and the failure of its legal system to enforce it. The dispute will now go to the Central America Free Trade Agreement (Cafta) for arbitration. Whatever happens there, this is bad news for the railway, its steam locomotives and especially the people on it who worked very hard to restore and operate it in the last few years. And, in turn, it is bound to have a knock-on effect on any attempts to revitalise other railways in the region. Click here for three articles from US newspapers which include the background to the decision. I have now added (26th September 2009) more links to this page, updating the sorry story but basically it looks like the end of the road for railways in this part of the country.

For some time, RDC (http://www.rrdc.com) operated the 3ft gauge Ferrovias Guatemala (the private company which restored Fegua, Ferrocarriles de Guatemala, to partial operation after its 1996 abandonment) and maintained two steam locomotives in operable condition for special trains for its business customers or tourists. Their operation is described in the links below.

Click below for reports:

• Railway Touring Company visit 2007 (brief report, 3rd March 2007)

• Steam specials 2005/6 (brief reports, latest entry 12th February 2006)

• Steam special 2004 (special extended report with many pictures, 18th January 2004)

• Steam special 2003 (brief report with pictures, 18th January 2004)

• Earlier attempts to run steam specials (last entry 12th September 2001)

The first picture shows 204 doing a bit of real work while on test before the 2004 event and the second why it is such an attractive operation.

Honduras Index

Trevor Heath reminds me that there are at least two preserved steam locomotives in the country, a U.S. built "MacArthur" FCN steam locomotive on display at the train station in San Pedro Sula and Standard Fruit 2-4-0 #9 from 1915 on display (left) near the station in La Ceiba (29th July 2011). At some stage there was a three foot gauge 0-4-0T that is said to be operational at the Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge in La Ceiba, but recent web accunts show only small railcars at work.

Martinique Index 

The island has a number of distilleries which still use steam engines to crush cane, there is no live steam here but there is a 1170mm Corpet Louvet 0-6-0T (1701/1925) at the sugar museum at St. James from Usine Sainte Marie, see http://travelphotobase.com/s/MTQN.HTM for a picture. See http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpet-Louvet which is naturally more comprehensive than the English language version. (All this courtesy of James Waite, 20th May 2009).

A similar locomotive (1665/1925), said to be 1117mm gauge, survived derelict at the former Trois Rivières Distillery in 2004 - this picture is courtesy of Rene van Hoven (http://www.rumpages.eu) - click here for the original report (added 20th May 2009).

Mexico Index 

Trevor Heath pointed me at a January 2009 report on http://www.trainorders.com which stated that the 3 truck shay owned by Compania Maderera de Durango is active and used to switch cars brought by LFCD into their private spur. They also have a Heisler. I asked for a first hand report, now Trevor has supplied one himself - suffice to say not a happy ending story (yet) - http://www.trevorheath.com/livesteaming/mexico.htm (23rd July 2009).

See also my narrow gauge pages for information on tourist steam.

Nicaragua Index 

The Fahr Plan Center (corrected 30th July 2011) has a series of pages on the railways of Nicarague, including FC Muelle de Corinto 0-4-4T No. 1 plinthed in front of the former Puerto Corinto station, now a museum. See also http://www.panoramio.com/photo/18631517. 

:A 4-6-0, FC del Pacifico #21, preserved at the old station in Granada - http://www.manfut.org/granada/AntEstacion.html and http://www.flickr.com/photos/globevisions/651510602/.

There is a third steam loco on the ouskirts of Chichigalpa, on display on the former trackbed of the railway to Ingenio San Antonio, their former No. 5, see http://www.panoramio.com/photo/24055493 (added 30th July 2011, thanks to Thomas Kautzor for this one).

The Selva Negra coffee museum at Matagalpa maybe has an "interesting steam locomotive which was used in the early 1900s to transport coffee from Matagalpa to the ports. ...", it was said to railless so presumably was some kind of traction engine...

Panama Index 

No active steam, but a long submerged steam loco and train have been recovered from a storage reservoir for the Panama Canal (23rd May 2000), with the prospect of more to come.... Mike Clendining has now provided some pictures of the restored engine and the current railway situation in the country (16th May 2007). Glyn Dawson was here in March/April 2009 and reports on two further survivors in the remote Darien region (23rd April 2009).

Paraguay Index 

This was possibly the only all steam state railway left in the world, although in its final days it was very much a rump operation with the main line severed. Interest centred on three features, click on individual links below or here for Neil Edwards comprehensive report from August 2009 which includes the preserved mg locos at Tebucary (23rd August 2009). Subsequently, Asunción resident Renaud Olgiati reported (14th January 2011) - “At the Asunción end, no traffic at all, as the abutment of a bridge 3 km out of town has collapsed, the tourist service to Aregua is stopped until further notice. At the Encarnación end, I believe that all traffic has now stopped, as the rising waters of Yacyreta dam have flooded a section of the track on the Argentine side.” Thanks to Trevor Heath for this one.

Renaud Olgiati reports (10th February 2012) that the works at Sapucay are now rightly considered a tourist attraction and are in part open to the public. Realistic plans exist to re-open the whole railway - read his report.

The magazine Latin Tracks produced a nostalgic article on the closure of the 'working' railway at the end of November 2010 - it is available for download http://www.latintracks.net/pdf/pdffile.pdf (8th November 2011, since when the link has gone dead). The North British Locomotive Preservation Group, http://www.nbloco.net/, is investigating the possibility of repatriating one of the redundant NBL locos (8th November 2011).

• Encarnación - shunting traffic for the link with Argentina (latest report 23rd August 2009), now finished

• Sapucay - the original workshop which ought to be a world heritage site with its ancient machinery and another potential tourist operation (latest report 23rd August 2009)

• Asunción - which has had a regular tourist train on occasions (last reported suspended in December 2006, latest report 23rd August 2009)

Click on the links below for more information:

• Earlier reports (last entry 22nd March 1999)

• Latin Tracks report on the revival of the residual railway (27th July 2004) 

• News about the Puerto Casado railway (latest entry 21st January 2011)

• Steam Trains in Paraguay - some background information and pictures (9th March 2009)

• A gallery of pictures from August 2007 by Tom Gears - alas with no captions (9th March 2009)

This is Ian Thomson's picture of a small mishap.

Peru Index 

Historically there have been a fair few rusty hulks around the country, several of which have been the subject of speculation about renovation to operating condition and one or two have actually made it. However, it seems that realistic steam operation is centred on:

• Andes class 2-8-0 No. 206 normally based in Lima 

• Huancayo & Huancavelica Railroad (latest update 11th November 2010)

• The Surco Park Railway in the suburbs of Lima, see also pictures of Alex Mayes visit in April 2011 (21st June 2011)

One locomotive in Peru which is not going anywhere is preserved in remote Iquitos, a relic of the town's 600mm tramway which closed many years ago. See http://www.tramz.com/pe/ot/ot00.html and http://www.iquitostimes.com/railroad.htm for more information. Chris Walker tells me it's Decauville 445/1906 (17th March 2009).

An interesting website is http://trenesdelperu.blogspot.com which has many historical items (5th June 2011). A relatively recent entry, http://trenesdelperu.blogspot.com/2011/01/locomotora-en-pomalca.html, records that a narrow gauge Couillet 0-4-0T has been restored.

As I am definitely not an expert on steam in this part of the world, I have tried my best to extract information from the various reports to get a clearer picture, but mistakes there will be! Click below for other reports and general information:

• Steve Pratt's October 2010 observations (11th November 2010)

• Dale Brown's Peruvian railway history and news (2nd March 2003)

• Tseng Hsiang's 2005 visit (28th October 2005)

• Robert Whetham' s steam survivors in North Peru (10th April 2006) and Glyn Dawson's update (23rd April 2009)

• Dale Brown's 2003 update (1st January 2003)

• Torsten Schneider general rail visit (24th October 2001)

• TUT tour 2001 - includes general information (19th September 2001)

• TUT report (3rd Dec 1998) for details of then current activity

• Proposed Puerto Eten Railway Museum (latest report 2nd June 2001)

• Other steam items (latest report 2nd June 2001)

Dale Brown who lives part time in Lima reports on the then current scene (2nd September 2000).

Puerto Rico Index 

Thomas Kautzor (8th September 2009) has told me about a new website by Roger Aponte dedicated to the railways of Puerto Rico, 
http://ferrocarrilesdepuertorico.web.officelive.com/default.htm. The list of railways has a number of pictures of preserved/plinthed/surviving steam locos (near bottom of page):  
http://ferrocarrilesdepuertorico.web.officelive.com/P3railroadPRList.htm#Railroads_of_Puerto_Rico.

South Georgia Index 

A short article in Locomotives International included the statement that there was probably at least one surviving stationary steam engine and steam locomotive at the former whaling station of Ocean Harbour. An internet search found pictures of a single cylinder horizontal engine and a steam winch taken in the 1990s - http://www.railwaysofthefarsouth.co.uk/11bwhalingstatio.html. Robert Burton of the South Georgia Association has provided a succinct summary of the situation including a picture of a steam locomotive (14th October 2007) - I have yet to see a positive identification

Surinam Index 

Ton Mulder has sent me some pictures of dumped steam locomotives in this former Dutch colony. I have now posted these and added some background information supplied by Chris Walker (more information 1st May 2000). Ton now reports (16th May 2001) that a Dutch business has signed a letter of intent with the Surinam Government to reactivate up to 90km of the line which

Well, that was the theory. In practice, Hans Scherpenhuizen tells me he visited Onverwacht on 26 January 2005 (report added 21st March 2005). The situation was more or less the same as depicted in 2000. No restoration had taken place. The station canopy had collapsed, which means the rolling stock was left in the open to disintegrate. One engine seems to have moved to a plinth at the adjacent road to the station: the 0-4-0 unidentified tank engine. Here are two of the pictures he sent, the second locomotive is Breda built 'Para'.

Uruguay Index 

Active steam in Uruguay is mainly provided by the locomotives of these three organisations:

• The Association of Uruguay Railfans (AUAR) whose home page is http://members.tripod.com/lfu1/AUAR.html.

• Railway Studies Circle of Uruguay ("Círculo de Estudios Ferroviarios del Uruguay", C.E.F.U.) http://www.cefu.com.uy/, email cefu@adinet.com.uy. Click here for alternative official information on CEFU

• Indare narrow gauge museum - 27 steam locomotives but just one is operational (minor updates, 17th February 2005)

This page naturally concentrates on 'live' steam as opposed to 'preserved/conserved/stored' steam. I added photographs of surviving steam locomotives in Uruguay courtesy of regular correspondent Marcelo Benoit (updated 9th May 2006), you can contact Marcelo on  marcelobenoit@redfacil.com.uy.  Try http://members.tripod.com/lfu1/index-24.html which links to all Uruguayan railway pages. Tabaré Bordach of  CEFU had previously provided information on other remaining narrow gauge steam locomotives (updated 3rd August 2007) 

A word of explanation about the two preserved Uruguayan N class 2-6-0s. For some years (1991 to 2005) CEFU's 119 masqueraded as 120. Now the real 120 has been restored by AUAR it has been given its true number back, but in some images on this site it will obviously carry '120'. Simple? As a result, I have tried to describe her as 119 (120), but is possible that some references have escaped my attention. On the left is the real 120 recently restored, in steam on 28th April 2007, an absolute charmer at a mere 97 years old (picture by Marcelo Benoit added 3rd August 2007).

As part of my streamlining of this page to make it more manageable, I have set up 4 separate pages to cover the more recent news of the four most significant preserved steam locomotives. Note that sometimes more than one of them operates on any particular occasion and some duplication of text (but not pictures) may occur in these pages.

• CEFU ANP 3 (updated 3rd August 2007)

• CEFU 119 (120)

• AUAR ANP 1

• AUAR 120 (updated 3rd August 2007)

Earlier reports of steam in Uruguay between 1999 and 2003 are covered in a separate page. Marcelo Benoit has provided a pictorial record of steam activities in Uruguay in 2007/8 (6th March 2009). Marcelo Benoit reports that 2005's Heritage Day celebrations on September 24th and 25th (added 22nd October 2005) included AUAR's steam crane exhibited by ANP on Montevideo Port dockside.

Little has been heard from Uruguay for some time so I was very happy to receive a report of Fabrice Lanoue's brief stopover in the country (17th May 2011). Following this, Marcelo Benoit has sent me a summary of steam activity covering 2009, 2010 and the early part of 2011, basically N120 has been the backbone of the steam programme, sadly CEFU 3 has still not worked for a while, click the link for the full illustrated report (9th June 2011). CEFU's 119 has now steamed, see a short video of a test run in April 2011 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8artIIed0gw (9th July 2011).

Steam Cranes

The links on this page have been amended to reflect the addition of dedicated steam crane pages on this website. John A. Taubeneck has sent me his list of surviving railway steam cranes of South and Central America (updated 19th February 2012). I don't normally cover North America on these pages, but I am prepared to make an exception for such an esoteric subject and have now added John's list of surviving railway steam cranes of North America (updated 17th February 2012)