Another fantastic John West photo came through on railpictures.net

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 25&nseq=27

I know the steamer is preserved. I wonder about the diesel? I wonder if whoever was buying the little narrow gauge diesel for the SP knew it was not going to be needed in a year. Maybe they would have just left the steam to run the line out.

I believe the diesel went to a 3' ga. operation in Mexico soon after the SP abandonment.

GOK where it is today......

http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,125310,125310#msg-125310

I believe it has been standard gaged. I do not know of any new news in the past year.

Edit: more recent pic here:

http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,153307,153307#msg-153307

Steve

Note: this John West photo is not the delivery of a brand new locomotive, but rather the delivery of a freshly shopped and painted SP #1. More photos can be found on his web site:
http://www.lifewastedchasingtrains.com/ ... temId=2174

This photo was one of the last days of operation of SP #9. Also, you will find further discussion of this photo on the Narrow Gauge Discussion page:
http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,169569

The locomotive is in Mexico at a now shuttered copper mine. It has been converted to standard gauge. It has been inspected in the last couple of years.

There are several parties in the US who have investigated bringing the locomotive home and restoring it to narrow gauge.

I believe that they are pretty serious, well beyond the "wouldn't it be nice... (stare wistfully into the sunset)" stage, on to serious inquiries, and estimates of work required to re-gauge and restore the locomotive. Apparently new axles are a significant issue. The locomotive is mechanically similar to somewhat common GE 70 ton locomotives, so salvage parts are somewhat available.

Said parties are serious enough not to discuss the project until they have a project to discuss.