Great Old Narrow gauge Baldwin in Brazil

tomgears · **Posted:** Fri Jul 16, 2010 12:19 am

This photo came through on railpictures.net. What a fantastic old Baldwin from 1880.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 80&nseq=62

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 16, 2010 4:26 am

Where she ran:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estrada_de ... e_de_Minas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IevDARYkPU

http://www.barkah.org/Travelogues/Brazi ... index.html

Enjoy!

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

Looks a lot like the 4-4-0 Bachmann On30 model.

Steve Singer · **Posted:** Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:14 am

At least one of the 4-4-0s is still servicable.

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:57 am

Imagine all of these were still in service 30 years ago. Anyone remember the Trains cover piece on them around then? I think it was 1979 or 1980.

Anyone know of photos of the sternwheelers?

QJdriver · **Posted:** Sat Jul 17, 2010 1:52 am

I don't have the URL, but no less an authority than Dr. Kirchner, author of the Trains article from 30 years ago, tells me that the best part of the VFCO has been saved and that this is currently the best steam operation left in South America. He says they saved the trainshed, shops, roundhouse, as well as plenty of original cars, and that present day tourist trains operate on the most scenic and interesting section of the old system. Besides the one operable 4-4-0, there are several 4-6-0 and 2-8-0 type Baldwins in service, all of them dolled up real pretty, and that their museum contains other interesting exhibits besides the 30" gauge equipment.

The San Jao del Rei area has a very gung ho tourism develpment representitive, who also makes violin, viola, and cello bows from Pernambuco wood, which is increasingly hard for bowmakers to get here in USA. Every summer, my regular violin maker gets an invitation for us to go down there and participate in some kind of steam festival as orcherstra section players!!! Supposedly they put planks over the turntable pit to make a temporary orchestra pit, too bad we couldn't go again this year and experience this for ourselves. Anyway, the story is that if you go there at this time of year, you can see all three narrow gauge steam classes in service at the same time. There is plenty of non railroad activity and wild partying, too, if you are traveling with family members, or you happen to be the broad minded type....

Anybody considering a trip is welcome to contact me off list.

Everybody work safe,
Sammy