Report of visit to Argentina, Martin Murray and Chris Halliwell, 24th-30th March 1998
Tuesday March 24th
arrive Ezeiza 8:45, bus to Aeroparque, (NCA 6615 seen on dock line, B809, B821, B823, B828, FSA E707, 7770 outside Retiro) flight to Cordoba, pick up hire car (Localiza, booked through Internet), drive to La Falda, two nights at Old Garden Hotel, still good value.
Wednesday March 25th
Drive to Cruz del Eje. Three locos found in exhibition adjacent to station
- 25 Ct Kerr Stuart 957/06 Class S8 Ex. F.C.Central Cordoba,
- 3025 2C1 BLW 55514/22, error in BLW list. Class B12a Ex F.C.Central Norte
- 4610 1C1 Class 10A ex F.C. Santa Fé This carries plates 4610, but is most likely 4611,
SLM 2022/09, since this number was found on the motion;
see the other 4610 below.
- Steam rotary snowplough, built USA 1900.
The exhibition also contained a buffet car and a small railcar used by the Belgrano medical service. The exhibition dates from late 1996, but already shows evidence of vandalism, since it is not fenced off from public areas.
In the station area were the following eight locos
- 242 2C? Borsig 5872/05. Class B5. Ex F.C.Central Norte.
- 247 2C? Borsig 5877/05 Tender lettered EFEA. As 242
- (182) Ct KS 541/88 Class D1 Ex F.C.Central Norte No number carried
- 504 2C Bors 5382/04 Class B3 Ex F.C.Central Norte
- 4610 1C1 SLM 2178/11 Class 10A Ex F.C. Santa Fé This loco had the number 4610 painted on the buffer beam and headlight. Its plates were on 4611 above.
- 1216 2C1 NBL 17717/07 Class C25 Ex F.C.Central Cordoba
- 9026 2C No number carried. Reported as such in CRJ 97 (NBL 18737/09), but motion 19179 (was 9041) Class F, Ex B.A. Midland
- 10359 2C1 No number carried. Reported as such in CRJ 97 (He 21292/29), but motion 10354 (was He 21287) Ex Prov. B.A.
Away from the station, just off the La Rioja line, the following loco was plinthed
- 4269 1C1 SLM 2110/10. Class 8va Ex F.C. Santa Fé 269.
The workshops were searched, but no trace was found of the two locos from Valle Hermoso,
- 208 Dt Class X4 O&K 4141/10
- 1109 C1t Class D51 O&K 4004/11
The workshops, derelict and overgrown, mainly contained burnt out diesel railcars, but also two rack railcars, Nos 4706 and 4709, plus four diesel locos, 10825, 10827, 10828, and one other.
Drive to Valle Hermoso. Three metre gauge locos from Ledesma sugar factory are here, ownership uncertain. Works numbers from motion.
Drive to Dumesnil, where O&K 12027 was found at the derelict Hercules cement works, owned by the Minetti company. The loco appears complete, but is in poor condition. Efforts to locate O&K 11905 (Ct, 600mm), which worked here and is reported preserved at a nearby sports club, were unsuccessful.
Thursday, March 26th
Drive to Pechos theme park, north of Villa Carlos Paz. This location was previously confused with Mundo Fantastico, which is on the opposite (west) side of the RN38. The loco here, O&K 11372/27, "Malagueño", Bt, 600mm, was under repair. The number 11206 was also found on the motion.
Drive to Villa General Belgrano. Outside the Hotel Bremen is O&K 11206/26, Bt, 600mm, with a plate FA 77.
Via Rio Tercero to Hernando (8274 seen) and D.V. Sarsfeld (8258 and NCA 6634 seen). Overnight at La Carlotta.
Friday March 27th
Drive to Rufino, where San Martin 2701, KS 947/06, Ct, 1676mm, is preserved outside the station. It was plinthed in 1986 to commemorate the centenary of the BAP line to Mendoza, and is in need of fresh paint. Also BAP diesels 2109 (ex RENFE), 6433, 6461, 6478, and 8515.
Drive to Junin, where San Martin 2206, VF 5868/49, 2C1, 1676mm, is preserved at the entry to the works. Also visible in the works was an 0-6-0ST, presumably San Martin 2519, NBL 16945/05, but entry was forbidden by the gatekeeper. In station BAP diesels 6449 and 8406, and ex RENFE railcar.
Overnight with J Garreta near Moreno.
Saturday March 28th.
In J.Garreta's garden are two 4wD (600mm) and two 700mm gauge locos from Ledesma sugar factory,
- 18 E He 28456/59 repainted, good condition
- 16 E He 28454/59 poor condition, accident
-
The third Henschel loco, No. 17, is still at Ledesma, along with some O&K locos (Dt and E). My Henschel list gives the building date of the locos as 1948, but delivery 1959, which is essentially confirmed by the date 1949 found on the cylinder casting. The locos last worked in 1994. No 18 may go to Lujan or a resort near Cordoba.
Drive to Hurlingham station. Two TMS commuter trains seen with locos A916 and B805.
Drive to scrapyard Jesus Ulfe on RN 8. 4wD Poznan 1114/61 derelict here.
Drive to Autos San Blas (owned by Armando Yañez) on Ruta Panamericano, Km 27,5. This location is better described as Don Torcuarto rather than Tigre. Two 600mm gauge locos present:
Drive to Ferroclub Argentino depot at Lynch station (1435mm).
- 21 1C Neil 3854/88 rebuilt ex C "Yatay"
- 41 C Neil 3870/90
- 253 2C BLW 32579/08 being prepared to work special next day
- 3005 1E He 28654/52
Drive to Buenos Aires, overnight with William Murphy.
Sunday March 29th
Drive to M.B. Gonnet, near La Plata, then to Republica de los Niños, a kitschy romantisised theme park built under the direction of Eva Peron in 1956. It has a 600mm gauge line, on which a Ruston 4wD was working a service. A second Ruston 4wD, with Fiat motor, was present, as well as
- Bt O&K 3741/09 ex A.Bastin Construction. Not worked since 1994, but restoration being considered.
Drive to Tolosa, NCA diesels 6610 and 6615 present. To La Plata, Calle 6 and 33, Penal Service Administration building
- Bt O&K 13007/37 very nicely plinthed with three skips. Worked on penal stone railway (600mm) at Sierra Chica 1937-56. Loco carries No. 6, also two original O&K plates; 9313 found on motion (also from Sierra Chica system).
Overnight Hotel Cristal.
Monday March 30th.
Visited sites of Dock Central (broad gauge, overall roof) and La Plata Provincial (metre gauge, large disused yard) stations.
Drive to Empalme Lobos. Four locos derelict in depot
- 3212 2C BP 4764/07
- 3830 2C NBL 17445/06 or 3880 2C BP 4735/06
- 3951 2C BP 5743/14
- 4316 1D AW 741/25
Drive via Tristan Suarez (TMS diesel A601 on passenger, 9003 on freight) to Ezeiza, return to London.
Abbreviations:
- NCA = Nuevo Central Argentino (ex Mitre)
- BAP = Buenos Aires Pacific (ex San Martin)
- TMS = Transportes Metropolitano Suburbano ? (Bs As suburban ex Roca and Belgrano)
- FSA = Ferrovia SA (Bs As suburban ex Belgrano)