Steam in Ecuador 2002

The Ecuadorian government has now realized how important their rail system is to tourism and the ecomony. The current railroad management which runs the Guayaquil & Quito and San Lorenzo Railroads has big plans to reopen most of the rail system in Ecuador and have steam locomotives available for charter work on most lines. The high priority rebuilding and repair projects include the following sections: 

GUYAQUIL & QUITO RAILROAD

*** Duran to Milago...........(22 miles & can accept a steam charter now)
*** Bucay to Huigra...........(18 miles) Cannot accept a steam charter yet)
*** Sibambe to Riobamba..(62 miles & can accept a steam charter now)
*** Riobamba to Mocha.....(35 miles & can accept a steam charter now)
*** Cotopaxi to Quito.........(38 miles) & can accept a diesel charter now)

Much of the work has already been completed, but there are still quite a number of sections that needs many more ties and track work to bring the railroad up to a condition that would allow diesel and steam charter trains to run without the danger of derailment. The autoferros (railcars) can go over much of the system now without too much problem. But there are sections that have slow orders down to 5 mph and can just bearly accept a railcar without derailing. By July of 2003 the railroad would like to have the following sections open for all traffic, which includes the railcars, diesel trains and steam charters: 

*** Duran to Milgro
*** Bucay to Quito

(Total of 255 miles) 

The only section that will NOT be open by mid 2003 will be between Milgro and Bucay. The City of Milgro has paved over the rails in the downtown area and they refuse to allow the railroad to dig out the rails. Needless to say the entire fight has ended up in a lawsuit that the railroad has filed against the city. Now only the Ecuadorian courts will decide if the G&Q can reopen this section.  As of July 2002 the railroad is operating the following sections on a regular schedule during the dry season between June and September. 

*** Duran to Milgro: (Daily railcar)
*** Riobamba to Sibambe: *** Over the Devil'sNose Switchbacks *** (Daily local diesel train)
*** Quito to Cotopaxi: (Weekend diesel tourist train)
*** Ibarra to Primer Pasco  ***San Lorenzo Railroad *** 28 miles (Daily railcar)

All steam is available for any charter work. The following steam locomotives are in operating condition and can be chartered at   anytime: 

No. 11 Baldwin 2-6-0 1900 *** Based at Duran ***
No. 14 Baldwin 2-6-0 1901 *** Based at Ibarra ***
No. 17 Baldwin 2-8-0 1935 *** Based at Riobamba *** (Ex-Sibambe & Cuenca RR)
No. 53 Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton 2-8-0 1953 *** Based in Riobamba ***
No. 58 Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton 2-8-0 1953 *** Based in Bucay *** 

SAN LORENZO RAILROAD

This railroad is in bad condition as many slides and washouts closed the line during the wet season between October 2001 and May 2002. Because of some small villages that are located along this line and still does not have any highway connection management decided to make minimum repairs and reopen the section between Ibarra and the small village of Primer Pasco, which is 28 rail miles out of Ibarra. A daily railcar serves this small village. There is a Wye at Primer Pasco so that the railcar can be turned. lso steam locomotive No. 14, a Baldwin 2-6-0 built in 1901 is based in Ibarra and is in good operating condition. No. 14 is available for charter work out of Ibarra , but is only allowed to run no more than 5 miles out of Ibarra. The rest of the line to Primer Pasco is in such bad condition that a steam locomotive would derail. 

JULY 2002

Trains Unlimited, Tours was able to run a successful tour July 13-21, 2002 using charter railcars, diesel and steam. During the 9 day tour their was only 2 derailments, which for Ecuador is some kind of a record. Management had promised Trains Unlimited, Tours that the line between Bucay and the Devil's Nose Switchbacks would be open by July
13. Because of major slide problems a few miles south of the Devil's Nose Switchbacks and a serious railcar accident a few miles south of Huigra this section was not open for the tour. After several meetings with railroad management Trains Unlimited, Tours agreed to pay for steam locomotive No. 17, a 2-8-0 Baldwin built in 1935 to be loaded onto a flat bed truck in Bucay and shipped on the Pan American Highway around the Devil's Nose Switchbacks and put back on the rails in Riobamba. This would then allow the tour to have steam on the Devil's Nose Switchbacks. No. 53, based in Riobamba is not allowed to run on the Devil's Nose Switchbacks because it is a much more heavy locomotive and the track conditions are not good enough yet. Also management required that Trains Unlimited, Tours pay for all repair work to steam locomotives 11, 14, 17, 53 and 58. This work was completed a month before the tour started. Management had told Trains Unlimited, Tours that they could move steam locomotive No. 17 to any location they wanted , as long as they paid for the moving costs. So now No. 17 is based in Riobamba and she is cleared to run charter trains Riobamba to Sibambe overthe Devil'sNose Switchbacks. The move took place just 4 days before the tour started. No. 17 was loaded on a flat bed truck by a heavy crane in Bucay on July 8 and moved out of town on the highway in the afternoon . The highway movement took place all night long and No. 17 arrived in Riobamba the morning of July 9 and was unloaded without any problems. With more and more of the G&Q system being repaired the future looks bright for railfan charters with steam. In time management would like to see the entire system from Duran to Quito back open and available for regular and charter trains. Meanwhile Trains Unlimited, Tours will run a hardcore railfan photographers tour over the G&Q system July 20-27, 2003. Plans call for two steam trains on the Devil'sNose Switchbacks......No. 17 and No. 53 for a grand series of photo run-bys. Railroad management would like to put out the word to all worldwide tour operators that steam charter trains are again possible on the system and they invite any and all tour operators to bring groups to Ecuador for a fantastic train tour. The railroad will cater to hardcore railfan and tourist groups. The general manager of the railroad has said that now "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE" in Ecuador. If any tour operators are interested in getting a railroad tour scheduled in Ecuador please feel free to contact: 

TRAINS UNLIMITED, TOURS: tut@PSLN.com ATTN: Chris Skow (USA)
ADVENTOUR: info@adventour.com ATTN: Marclo Meneses (Ecuador) 

Trains Unlimited, Tours will be glad to help any tour operator get the ball rolling for a tour to Ecuador. Also railroad management has appointed Adventour of Quito, Ecuador to plan and schedule steam tours on the Guayaquil & Quito Railroad and San Lorenzo Railroad. The more tour operators we can get to come to Ecuador the more money the railroad will put back into track work. 

STEAM LOCOMOTIVE PARTS FOR NO. 17: CAN ANYONE PLEASE HELP?

Trains Unlimited, Tours and Adventour is helping railroad management locate some much needed parts for steam locomotive No. 17. The following parts are needed as soon as possible and Ecuador is willing to buy these parts in order to keep No. 17 for many years to come. 

1. Set of driver wheels & tires
2. Two air compressors....9 ½
3. Two intake injectors...Natan-R-10
4. Automatic air value G-5
5. Four triple values with dusters 
6. Independent brake key or level 

Contact Trains Unlimited, Tours or Adventour directly: 

** Trains Unlimited, Tours tut@PSLN.com ATTN: Chris Skow California USA Phone (530) 836-1745
** Adventour info@adventour.com ATTN: Marcelo Meneses Quito, Ecuador