A few comments in other threads about Wasatch's work on the G&Q in the Andes of Ecuador have raised my curiosity. Live Steam magazine has run articles on this line repeatedly, first in the 1980's, and then starting in the November/December issue of 1999 which I am looking at now.

An interesting photo shows the number plate of mogul #11, which was modified from its common Baldwin format to read instead (in Spanish) "70% constructed in the shops of Duran". I suspect by Wasatch's involvement that these skills are long gone? The shop staff are retired or deceased?

The 1980's issue included a visit to the elderly Chief Mechanic's house, where he demonstrated his own miniature live steam locomotive.

I rode the Devil's Nose train and toured the Duran shops in 2007. The shops were amazing, all of the steam era equipment was in place including a large annealing oven. It's safe to say that at one time they could have done anything there. The place was being watched over by a lone guard who was kind enough to give us the grand tour.

My impression was that little or no staff was on hand who could repair or rebuild steam and the few steam moves taking place were behind steam that was mostly used up but breathing it's last few miles. The place was well fenced and under guard so the metal thieves did not steal everything and the future could hold great potential if the planets all lined up.

It is with great anticipation I follow the reports from Ecuador and great hopes that I can return to ride the entire line behind steam. Maybe the planets are all lining up.

Here is the interior of the backshops. Just waiting for the order to go back to work.

Climb on our web page and you can tour this entire shop in about 20 minutes.

http://wrrc.us

Thanks for the comments. This is an amazing project. New ties, new rail, perfectly graded, lined and trimmed, new depots, new infrastructure. This country has a real desire to do this right!

A small group of them included the WRC staff will be touring the D&SNG later this week. We will post photos of that excursion as well.

You may want to watch our Facebook Page. The shop staff is posting photos of the new boilers.


Kindly,

JohnE.

Why does the railroad fall to ruin, and then suddenly have enormous resources? Political change in the government? International loans? Oil?

Combination of the first two probably. South American countries have been dumping money into infastructure (most notably Brazil) and show no signs of stopping. The sad part is these so called "3rd world" nations are currently doing a much better job at readying their infrastructure for the necessary change away from dependence on oil than we are.

If you look it from the standpoint that when the oil DOES run out having control over possibly the one shop in world that can completely repair steam power in house without outside influences is not a bad idea.

I hope that some of this Latin American rail revival makes it's way to Central America. It would be great if Costa Rica and Guatemala were to follow Ecuador's example.

The concept of the "Peak Oil Theory" has not been proven. It is on very shaky ground and is possibly completely wrong; but that has yet to be proved. It is also very ideologically tied to one political direction.

The question of whether "Political change in the government? International loans? Oil?" is probably best answered with a resounding "Yes." The component of the third is very likely tied in with our own government's policy (the Executive branch in particular) of promoting drilling in other countries (particularly South American countries) and denying oil drilling domestically. But THAT is a completely different subject.

That is also a subject that belongs on some other forum!

Mike

John E. -

Wasatch is building two new boilers, but for which locomotives? The Mogul's from the early 1900's? Or the 1952 Baldwin 2-8-0's? Maybe I just missed it in the video or on your webpage.

Les

The problem with steam revivals driven by external economy/politics is that they tend to be short-lived, with little lasting long term benefits:

1. The steam revival in the Sudan; both steam and the railroad is dead again

2. Rhodesia revives steam when politics requires it, then sends it back to the dead line when things improve

3. The steam revival in Bosnia; not sure if it is still going on

4. Investment by Cuba in "future steam"; only to have virtually the entire network of sugar cane railways ripped out and sold for scrap a few years later.

The situation with the G&Q sounds much more promising; with major infrastructure investments being made. My main concern is having another hurricane wreck the whole system again.

The reason that the money was spent, is the President of the Republic, Correa wanted the railroad rebuilt. He is a follower of Hugo Chavez and believes that the investment in the railroad will bring first tourists and then possible commuter trains for the locals and finally maybe (being the roadbed is now up to class IV or III standards) some sort of freight service. In addition to bringing employment in all the stations and towns along the way that will support the tourists.

The one element that is a variable is the next government? Will the next government be willing to support the railroad if revenue falls below break even. If the tourist trains do not produce the volume of business? However the spending on the infrastructure is now getting the first class treatment.

I was there in May 2012 and posted a report before this new posting. Please reveue those postings and see what photos I had taken in May. Track reconstruction is nearly complete. Soon the tourist dollars will either make this a success or not enough dollars will sink it?

Dale Brown
http://www.wingsandrails.com

Are you saying that the investment is intended to make the railroad profitable?

I had understood that the new investment was intended to put the railroad to work as a freight carrier in addition to the tourist business. What is the actual traffic intention?

The tourist business appeared to be booming and growing back in the roof riding days before the collapse of the infrastructure. Was the railroad making a profit back then?

From a transportation economics point of view, it can't be profitable. However, if they sink a lot of money into it now, it will probably cover marginal operating expenses for some time into the future, maybe 20-30 years. So even if politics change, the line will probably continue operating for some time after this renovation.

This is fairly typical for many modern rail services. They cover marginal operating costs, but can not cover their capital investment costs. The Amtrak Acela falls in this category.

Anyone who has ever ridden the G&Q can tell you that there is zero potential for any real freight business other than local lcl traffic, such as moving farmer's produce to the next market town. This is clearly a political make work project that is being driven by big dreams of the president of the republic.

My advice is, as soon as they start running steam again, go down and ride, because it may not last. I'm just hoping that it gets completed before the next political turnover, although with recent reports about restrictions on the press, it's possible that Ecuador is heading for a Venezuelan style "President for Life" situation.

Michael Allen