Beautiful- especially the second photo.

Very nice!

Absolutely Stunning!!!

That loco has always been my favorite meter-gauged south american locomotives.
It won't ever be leaving Brazil ever now that its all restored and cleaned up.

Whatever happened to their 3 Baldwin built 2-6-6-2s? Did any survive?

#'s 203-205? Yes.

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204 which last operated in 1980 (a story in itself) was sold to another railway at Rio Negrinho 400 km away.

It is now back in operating condition but is having a new tender tank fitted.

http://www.amantesdaferrovia.com.br/pro ... e=activity

TH

Image shows loco at Tubarao when it was taken out of storage and steamed for an Australian diplomat who facilitated the acquisition of the Santa Fe locomotives from Argentina.

Beautiful Mikado (looks a lot like the ones on the Sumpter Valley!), interesting railroad overall, and that 2-6-6-2 looks like something we should see here, too. Congratulations on the Brazilians who support steam there!

I wonder where their painting traditions come from, though! Those yellow handrails make sense as a safety feature, but why red rods and all the other red paint on pilot beam, tender frame, and cylinder and valve covers? No criticism intended, but I was just wondering where this aesthetic comes from.

Wow they did an excellent job on restoring it. Beautiful!

I do not know the origins. The colors are what was used in the 1980's.

See this image of the stored 2-6-6-2 Mallet 204 in 1981

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 0179_n.jpg

And the still in daily service 153.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 0010_n.jpg

The big Texan's also carried the same scheme.

https://sphotos-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hpho ... 1806_n.jpg

One more time;

TC #153; http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 692&nseq=2
and; http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q= ... 2491589125

Now compare it to SV #19; http://www.jitterjunction.com/sumpter/102_0295.JPG

Take a look at these side by side, some of the valve gear parts are the same part number. Many of the 3' - 3' 6" gauged ALCO Mikados of the 1920's and later look like these, even the outside framed versions appear to use many of the same parts that these use.

EFDTC no.153 2-8-2, ALCo Schenectady no. 69445, 1941
EFDTC no.155 2-8-2, ALCo Schenectady no. 69447, 1941
EFDTC no.156 2-8-2, ALCo Schenectady no. 69448, 1941
EFDTA no.157 2-8-2 ALCo Schenectady no. 69449, 1941

at #160 baldwin got the order;

EFDTA no.160 2-8-2 Baldwin CN no. 72209 10/1945

There is a newish book titled "Inventario das Locomotivas a Vapor no Brazil" Author; Regina Perez, 2006. ISBN 85-906677-0-7 that lists all 419 extant steam locomotives in Brazil.

For info their email contact was; coordenador@memoriaferroviaria.com.br.
They might be able to sell you a copy.

I don't think there was a lot of refurbishing other than some paint and freshening up. Several of these locomotives were put away serviceable and have operated from time to time for charters. These photos were taken during a huge charter event set up by Bernd Seiler of FarRail. I'm a huge fan of what Bernd Seiler is doing, I don't think maybe Americans are really on board with world steam so his work is not widely known here as it is in Europe. Maybe one day the planets will all line up and I will make it to one of his events.

Wasn't there a bad crown sheet failure (with fatalities) on this line a few years ago?

Lee -

I believe you are thinking of one of the lines American built 2-10-4's. Some of these are still in existence, but have not operated since that accident. The line acquired some used 2-10-2's from another country (Bolivia perhaps?) to replace the 2-10-4's. One of these 2-10-2's pulled a coal train on this same special trip that 2-8-2 #153 was photographed. I am not sure if any steam remains in regular service.

Les