Anyone have an update on the status of the Patagonian NG line?

http://abpr2.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?june02/06-15-02/951030_05Esquel.jpg
ryarger@rypn.org

> Anyone have an update on the status of the
> Patagonian NG line?

Hi Bob,

The Henschel is nice ... but ohhhh that Baldwin!

Wonderful photo!

Attached is the URL for the best site I've found on the subject of Paragonian railways.

Interesting observation:

As several sources state, Argentina had already ordered fifty Mikes from Henschel before the Baldwin order was placed. The reason for the Baldwin order? Henschel couldn't deliver their locos in time.

To get the order, Baldwin had to produce fast. To cut design time to an absolute minimum they probably chose to modify an extant design. They already had something suitable.

IMHO - that something was SR&RL #23 - a BIG 2' gauge 2-6-2 originally built in 1913. It was roughly the same size as the Henschels and had enough space between her front and rear drivers to match the Henschel's 2-8-2 wheel arrangement.

A comparison of all major dimensions on the two locomotives shows most of them to be identical - including the fixed and total locomotive wheelbases and the cylinder sizes. The only notable differences (ignoring a few extra inches in track gauge) are the extra set of drivers and the piston valves over the cylinders (a 1922-era, best practices enhancement to the original design.)

The irony of the situation is the Esquel line was built to roughly 30" gauge because the original German design engineers didn't believe that 2' gauge trains were suitable for the operating conditions found in Patagonia. Never-the-less, the preferred loco for the curvaceous and steeply graded El Mainten - Ing. Jacobacci run is actually a close match for SR&RL #23. Had they known, the guys who ran the curvaceous and steeply graded SR&RL would not have batted an eye.

My thoughts,
Glenn



Railways of the Far South
christensenge@yahoo.com