Steam specials in Guatemala 2005/6

Click here for an extended report of the 2004 event.

Louis Cerny reports (21st March 2005): "On March 18th 2005, 2-8-2 204 handled a Ferrovias Guatemala special train for shippers and invited guests. It ran from the base of the mountains at El Rancho up the steep grades to Guatemala City with a consist of one tank car, two open cars for passengers, and three enclosed passenger cars. The locomotive was unassisted and made the 9-hour trip without problems except for some slipping after a brief shower. 2-8-2 205 is also said to be still operable, and there are still several presently inoperable steam locomotives on the property." 

A private tour group chartered 204 in early 2006, organiser Ronald McElrath reports "Now at the end of Guatemala tour, 16 persons, four days trains with two behind the 204, and sightseeing diversions in Antigua, and to view closed facilities in Escuintla and the partially collapsed pier at San Jose, which  nevertheless is still used for fishing. The trip went reasonably well, but the track is still excruciatingly slow (10 to 15 MPH mostly). Locomotive needs work, but it did the job with minimal slipping on grades up to 3.7%." Slow but steady is the motto here, the railway has just completed a full year with no injuries/accidents to personnel (12th February 2006).