A couple videos for the south of the border narrow gauge fans.

204 on the turntable: https://www.facebook.com/13046766596856 ... =n&sfns=mo

Inspection cars running: https://www.facebook.com/13046766596856 ... =n&sfns=mo

GE 917 running (although dark):
https://www.facebook.com/13046766596856 ... =n&sfns=mo

917 with some passengers:
https://www.facebook.com/codefegt/video ... 968164579/

Pretty exciting to see rail going back in Guatemala.

More to come...

Cody Muse

Wow, great news.

204 was the very last steam locomotive that I rode in Guatemala, that in 1977 from
the Mexican border at Tecun Uman to Guatemala City.

She was in pretty decent shape then, valve timing was good, nothing ran hot and she covered the 177 miles without incident.

I hope that there is more to come.

Cool! Railroad Development Corporation still has a page up with a map of their former operation: http://rrdc.com/op_guatemala_fvg.html

I wonder how much track is capable of being operated.

Some people may have a better idea, but to my knowledge RDC doesn’t have anything to do with Guatemala anymore... However their website has some great resources for us South of the Border guys.

Here’s another:
https://www.facebook.com/13046766596856 ... =n&sfns=mo

Cody Muse

Yes, RDC is not involved, but it is nice of them to keep the informative page on their website. The story of how their operation failed is fascinating, I think they were caught off guard by the business practices prevalent in Latin America.

Cody, thanks for posting this, as always. If I ever get to talk to somebody from Guate again, or go back for one of their Hootenannies, I'll be able to fill in the blanks.

As far as RRDC being "caught off guard", it is my opinion that they had a pretty good idea of how things worked in Latin America (and other parts of the third world), and that they didn't go into business in Guatemala without some kind of "coping strategy". These folks aren't stupid.

I will also say, having worked for two different employers during the FEGUA years, and having worked for RRDC, that if they WERE "caught off guard", it wasn't because the old timers and locals didn't try to watch their backs. It was because they only listened to foreigners. Those of us fortunate enough to work for FVG (including guys that started with the FIdeCA) mostly loved our jobs, and wanted for the RRDC investments to bear fruit, believe me.

I can still taste the coffee we made from 204's trycocks, using instant coffee and brown sugar from our former customers on the abandoned Pacific Division. THAT'S railroading, gentlemen.

Short video from a past excursion.

https://www.facebook.com/CableVisionRob ... 4NjU2NjI1/

Happy New Year!
Cody Muse

Now that is an excursion! Would love to see this. Is any of the operation like this now? My only gripe is the obvious one about preferring to hear the engine and track sounds to the soundtrack.

From what I can diserne about Guatemala is a grass roots effort to renew some equipment and trackage with Government support. Since the end of service of RDC and neglect of the Government to protect infrastructure. However major bridges have been scrapped illegally and rails removed. At some point the rebuilding will have to deal with major reconstruction.l The diesel fleet is inactive since batteries were stolen. Much equipment is sitting idle with very little or no maintenance. Only one diesel and trackage inspection equipment seems to be working and they are using trackage in Guatemala City and replacing ties by hand.

Lots of drawing of modern diesel railcars or passenger trains(three foot gauge?) promoting the return. A short 2 km stretch of standard gauge from Mexico has been rebuilt from the International Frontier into Guatemala for transfer of cargo and are using a used diesel marked FVG. All narrow gauge trackage at the border was removed.