Thanks to the due diligence of Cody Muse, who sent me a couple of sitonmyfacebook videos by PM, I've been able to find out a little bit about the present day doings of Ferrovias Guatemala. (Not to be confused with operations under Railroad Development Corporation, which ended in 2013).

They have a website: www.ferrovias.com.gt

Not only is there new construction evident with actual standard gauge trains of the FC Chiapas-Mayhab crossing the Rio Suchiate and entering Ciudad Tecun Uman, but there is now an official "friends of Ferrovias" type group actively trying to preserve the narrow gauge FIdeCA/FEGUA heritage.

I couldn't send them a message (to JOIN, of course) because I don't have email, but when I find out more, I'll pass it along. Maybe somebody with a better computer/better connection/better skills at straining useful content out of cyber-sewage, etc can add something interesting to this thread.

I CAN confirm that they saved most of the good part of the yards in Guatemala City, and built new fancy buildings on some of the less interesting parts, and that they're keeping the weeds down (wonder if they still have four guys duck walking between the tracks while swinging machetes side to side for this job). There is also quite a bit of equipment hanging around, but it looks nasty. Of course, the shops are still there....

There seem to be at least three 3' gauge cranes left in Guatemala:

http://internationalsteam.co.uk/cranes/ ... #Guatemala

What is the name of the preservation group? maybe I can dig into it.

John, your entry caused me to remember a very recent negative that I've acquired that
may add a little to your IRCA roster.

It was taken in 1961 in Zacapa (Atlantic Division) and shows ditcher No. 2 also with the large number 3969.

I saw this leave early one Nov. 1971 morning on a work train and it was under steam then.

A helpful RyPNer is setting up an email account for me, so I'll be able to communicate with Guatemala. More to come, and,

Thanks John for your offer as well,

Sammy (El Gato Negro)