USA & Canadian Railroads (incl. all North Americas)

[trisonic]

We've always said that this section will include all North America countries.

 

(See listing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America ).

 

Please feel free to include any photos, layouts, models of anything from the list in this section. I'm rather partial to the railways of Honduras, myself............

 

Expect a Cuban thread, shortly.

 

Enjoy, particularly if you learn something new!

 

Best, Pete.

[k-59]

How about the Panama Canal Railroad? Double stacks and passenger trains all in an classic paint scheme. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal_Railway

 

https://www.google.com/search?gs_rn=17&gs_ri=psy-ab&tok=B6QRgeWoPwov6X4TMevwEg&suggest=p&pq=panama+canal&cp=15&gs_id=c&xhr=t&q=panama+canal+railway&safe=off&biw=1366&bih=643&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=Ew29UeviFc3eyAHc7YCQBw

 

http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?offset=0&where=%7C%7CPanama+Canal+Railway+Company%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C1%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7CPanama+Canal+Railway+Company%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C

[DaminKeenan]

Wow!  Never heard of the Panama Railway.

 

Reading about it on Wikipedia, it looks like it'd be an interesting prototype to model.

 

- Damin.

[jamie92208]

I'll pick up the baton with an odd ball.  El Salvador.  I've been twice in 2007 and 20010 and the first time ended up getting a ride on the recently reactivated system in San salvador, a cab ride and a tour of the shops, courtesy of my hosts.

 

I'll have to get some more dumbed down but here is the first one.

862 an 800 hp GM BB with one central traction motor with cardan shaft drive to the bogies. It's running round it's 4 coach train at Apopa the northern terminus of the commuter operation from San Salvador.  The guy in the cab was one of 4 heavily armed trasnport policemen who rode the train incase of problems with squatters whose shanties had got very close to the tracks in the 5 years that services were suspended.

 

More to follow in due course.

 

Jamie

[PhilH]

Are there some rails there somewhere?

[trisonic]

Looking forward to the first proposed layouts of the extended area of North America... I know there is at least one on the way (which is why I started this thread for encouragement).

 

Best, Pete.

[trisonic]

Howzabout Costa Rica?

 

Here's your started for ten:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transport_in_Costa_Rica

 

 

Best, Pete.

[pH]

862 an 800 hp GM BB with one central traction motor with cardan shaft drive to the bogies. It's running round it's 4 coach train at Apopa the northern terminus of the commuter operation from San Salvador.  The guy in the cab was one of 4 heavily armed trasnport policemen who rode the train incase of problems with squatters whose shanties had got very close to the tracks in the 5 years that services were suspended.

I presume they've not got the horn working yet, and that's why they're using the dog?

[298]

Looking forward to the first proposed layouts of the extended area of North America... I know there is at least one on the way (which is why I started this thread for encouragement).

 

Best, Pete.

 

I'd better get on and do something about it then...

 

The reason why I asked was because the prototype used off the shelf US equipment, was built by a US Chocolate company, and is famous for the longevity of American cars still in use there today...

[trisonic]

No Pressure!!!!!!

 

Best, Pete.

[jamie92208]

Howzabout Costa Rica?

 

Here's your started for ten:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transport_in_Costa_Rica

 

 

Best, Pete.

Soon as i can get near my copy of Photoshop I'll put some of Costa Rica on.  I managed a conducted tour of the shops in Limon.

 

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

As promised a few more from El Salvador, a country with many problems but full of warm hearted, hard working and generous people who I have a lot of time for; at least the ones that I met. I was over there with a church group to build an earthquake proof house, which took us 8 days. One of the interepreters turned out to be from a railway family and she arranged for me to ahve a trip to Apopa and back on Christmas Eve 2007. We travelled out in the coaches then back in the cab. He grandfather, a retired driver then met us and took us round the roundhouse and shops.

Here 851, another GM is parked in the station area with one of the unrestored coaches behind it. It was used for the second trip in multiple with pur loco as extra stock was added, including a water tank for dust supression. down.

On both parts of the journey you couldn't help but be affected by the shanty towns that have grown up alongside the track. Apparently they were mainly built by refugees during the civil war but have stayed. Several houses have garages in them and the cars just drive along the traccks to the nearest road. Out train did stop at nearly every road junction to let people on boad to take produce to market to try and get it sold in time for Christmas. This included live poultry, looking appropriately lugubrious. The train then stopped alongside the market to let them off before reversing into the station.

Running round at Apopa. The coaches had almost all got adverts on them to help sponsor the resumed commuter service.

The roundhouse seen from the station.

A variety of power

A German built machine that ws out of service.

A rather nice steam loco, one of 2 that are still in working order. They were willing to do steam excursions but didn't know how to get into the market. I tried to sort something out but nothing came of it.

 

It's well worth a visit if you are ever in Ssan Salvador. Security is definitely getting easier but having local guides certainly helps.

 

I'll try and get some Costa Rica ones on later.

 

Jamie

[roundhouse]

Jamie

 

Superb shots.

 

One place i must add to the list of places to do!!

 

Ian

[jamie92208]

Jamie

 

Superb shots.

 

One place i must add to the list of places to do!!

 

Ian

If you ever want to go send me a PM and I'll give you some tips. Better still we might be able to have a pint and chat about it at Wakefield.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Now for Trisonc's request.

 

In 2006/7 we did a cruise from Acapulco round to Barbados via the Panama canal. To the utter disgust of SWMBO I managed to find quite a few railway related things on the trip. Apart from the Panama Canal Railway and the railway interest on the canal itself, I managed to find rails in Costa Rica and Trinidad and in Costa Rica we called at Limon and even managed to ride 'The Banana Train' which took us from the docks along the coast to a banaana plantation where we transferred to a coach for a tour of the plantation and a trip back to the ship.

We set off from the docks going inland and then climbed over a headland and down towards the sea at Port Moy.

here there was yard below us full of old cars and a glorious assortment of scrap.

Suddenly we started passing a big banana procesing plant and I snatched this photo of a loco at work shunting the yard. I later found out that the trains ran from south of Limon to the procesing plant.

At one point we stopped near to the beach and saw a gale brewing, that we were going to sail into that night. The crew were very obliging nd whenever some wildlife was spotted they stopped the train and reversed so that we could take photos. The train was fully air conditioned as none of the windows shut so photography was very easy. The loco is a GE U8 (I believe) a standard export model re engined with a caterpillar engine.

When we stopped I found that there was this lovely little caboose at the rear.

Then it was back to the ship. Where SWMBO told me that her sandals had broken and we had a formal night that night. After much discussion this gve me an excuse to go into town on my own. More to follow!.

 

Jamie

[JCL]

I hope this helps someone.

 

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/SearchResults.asp?searching=Y&sort=3&search=Mexico&show=300&page=1

 

A list of items in Mexican colours, or locos in US colours that were sent to Mexico and could be reliveried.

 

These went to Venezuela but would need repainting http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=Venezuela

 

I saw a Mexican layout at Supertrain in Calgary. It was very good, but could have relied a little less on stereotypes. It's always great seeing layouts in magazines that are based outside of the US and Canada so I'll definitely keep looking in this forum to see what happens.

 

Disclaimer - I use the site above, but that's about all!i

[jamie92208]

Costa Rica Part 2

 

As mentioned above SWMBO had a problem with her sandals. She was tired after the morning excursion so

I offerred to walk into town and buy her a new pair. This was apparently unnacceptable due to my gender, lack of taste, lack of colour sence..... etc etc. After examing the offending footwear I suggested that some Evo Stik might do the trick. What she didn't realise was that on the cruIse company map of Limon I'd seen what looked like a railway workshop on the far side of the town centre. Anyway I was finally trusted to attempt the repair so set off into town. (I was probably the only passenger from the ship wandering round

Limon on my own) I followed the map and after avoiding getting mixed up in a huge funeral

i found some railway lines across the road.

The loco and stock from the morning was there. Anyway I wandered on and walked down the side of the works. I got invited into a very noisy 7th day adventist sevice but politely declined and took this picture.

A little further on this caught my eye.

I then turned round and went back to the main gates and got collared by a spanish speaking security guard (Complete with pistol and shotgun.) My lack of Spanish didn't help but I was able to say that I spoke English and wasn't North American, I was then beckoned inside and obeyed for obvious reasons, but he was friendly enough and let me take this photo.

This was the loco from the morning obviously poorly sick.

Anyway I was taken to the manager office who spoke good English. He couldn't have been more welcoming when i told him I was a British railway enthusiast. This map was on the wall of his office.

Not very good but Limon is centre right. with Port Moy just above it then the line Northwards along the coast that we had travelled. He told me all sorts. The story of Incofer (Costa Rican Railways) is that several colonial era lines were eventually combined into one system that went from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the capital. One part from Limon to the capital had even been electrified in the 1970's but appraently the locals realsied that when they had a power cut at home it was safe to steal the cable. Then if IIRC the mid 80's a bad earthquake severed the line to the capital as it climbd through a gorge from the coastal plain. Limon is now the HQ of the separated part and they have had to make do with whatever stock was on hand when the earthquake struck. They obvioulsy have very limited resources but are doing their best and trying to make money from the banana trade and running cruise ship excursions. Anyway after all this I was told that I could wander around the shop complex at my leisure.

This is part of the complex. It receives 13m of rain each year and the gaurds all wear wellies. I wandered around taking photos and another gaurd intercepted me then insisted on taking me everywhere once I mentioned the managers name.

This was the main running shed showing the appalling conditions they work in.

This French Built DMU was in the shops, there was another one outside.

There was a lot of other stuff around but I didn't have a flash gun with me. Anyway after a reasonable time I went and said my goodbyes and thanks and then walked back into town along the line that connects the works to the main line.

To finish the story I found an ironmongers and managed to buy some Evo Stik and when I got back to the shhip I was able to mend the sandals and Cinderella was able to go to the ball so some brownie points were earned.

 

All in all a great day and some great railway memories.

 

Trinidad, Alaska and Panama still to come at some point.

 

Jamie

[trisonic]

I can't find Evo-Stick in the USA!

 

Nice post, Jamie, thanks...

 

Best, Pete.

[roundhouse]

Jamie

Superb photos and a very interesting post.

I presume you had to explain that it took ages to find a shop selling EVO Stick!

 

Ian

[jamie92208]

Jamie

Superb photos and a very interesting post.

I presume you had to explain that it took ages to find a shop selling EVO Stick!

 

Ian

Of course plus the explanation of having to find a cash machine as I only had dollars etc etc.  I did end up with a couple of thousand Colones as evidence of the purchase.  The shop was fascinating.  I had to go to a counter to pick the goods.  They were put on one side and I was given a chit to take to the cashiers, then pay.  That took some time becasue of the cash machine visit, then take a receipt back to another counter to collect the goods.   Everyone was very helpful and I felt no unease walking round the town on my own.

 

Jamie

[CraigZ]

OK I'll bite

 

In a previous life I traveled to Mexico every so often...little time to railfan but one trip it sort of worked out.  These three photos were taken in June of 2000 in Orizaba in the state of Vera Cruz

 

A very clean and I think nearly new GE AC4400 leads a train that's derailed back in the yard...

 

Said derailment has stopped this train outside the yard...looking at the track are derailments a surprise?  I think not...

 

Stuffed and mounted outside the old passenger station in Orizaba - the line up the east face of the mountains was electrified at one time.

 

And a couple of days later while in Toluca I happened across a pair of high nosed GP38s working a local.  Yes, those one's in Kansas City Southern colours...the KCS owned TFM then and now...