Extra photos of the FC Central del Chubut in the 75cm gauge era

1 Puerto Madryn muelle

A 1960s view from the landward end at high tide.

From the opposite end, and surprisingly showing just two narrow gauge tracks as well as the rails for the overhead cranes.

Unloading goods onto 75cm gauge wagons.

A very clear view of the scissors crossover.

A line of vans, seemingly of two different shades or colours.

Unloading pipes onto plataformas.

It seems that in later years tractors were used for shunting.

Cars being transferred from a ship onto flat wagons for the brief journey to the shore.

The right hand wagon is a converted double deck sheep wagon, adapted for general use.

As the track on the left appears to be already reduced to 75cm gauge, these rails must be outward bound on their way to some other user, perhaps the Río Turbio railway in 1951.

A naval vessel alongside the end of the muelle with a plataforma under one of the steam cranes.

A high level view from the bridge of a ship, showing two crossovers between the parallel tracks along the length of the muelle.

Another view with a naval vessel.

A much earlier view showing the two sidings beneath the cranes.

Early in the 75cm gauge era there were just two overhead steam cranes, both on the same alignment on the north side of the pierhead.

2 Puerto Madryn station.

The town side of the station building is show, with a welcoming party for a visit by the Minister of Transport. The suspicion must be that the banner across the front of the building was hiding the old stone inscription 'FC Central del Chubut' which have been embarrassing on such an occasion after the takeover by the FFCC del Estado.

On the other side of the building little has changed bar the narrowing of the tracks, so this pictures must date from the 1930s or later.

A special occasion at Pto. Madryn station, possibly showing the railway's staff. The most interesting feature is the van on the left. The roof level suggests that it began as a standard Familleureux 'cubierto' but it has been given a double roof and large air-catching ventilators at each end. This might well be for the carriage of perishable goods requiring a cool atmosphere.

A line of vans at Pto. Madryn station, with a caption implying they they may well be carrying caolin (china clay) from the excavations at Las Chapas. This was a major traffic on the line in its latter years.

3 Other locations

A Baldwin at Trelew station, identified by the water tank in the background.

A Baldwin with a long special train, supposedly at an imaginary 'Desvío Km9' but probably at Desvío Km 93 between Rawson and Playa Unión.

Baldwin no. 10 with a group of staff.

The cab of Baldwin no 12, with the early FCE style of number-plate.

Another view of the cab of no. 12.

The crew stand beside an unidentified Baldwin, at a similarly unknown location.

One of the Henschel tank locos in a yard somewhere.

A group of young ladies on the verandas of a pair of coaches. Note the 'segunda' sign on the left hand coach, later replaced by the coach number on the original signboard.

The track towards the muelle (behind the camera) at Pto. Madryn, probably during the 1950s judging by the cars in the background.

The following two pictures show the aftermath of a culvert collapse, probably on the Rawson branch. A Henschel is seen at the head of the offending rake of wagons, though whether it had crossed the culvert before the collapse or is part of the rescue efforts is not clear. However, the use of a Henschel on the FCCC means that this is almost certainly an event that occurred in the early '20s whilst the extension work was under way, for in general Baldwins ran the FCCC thereafter.

A view from behind the tender shows the catastrophe that awaited the loco crew when they looked back.

A passenger train stands at one of the smaller stations. The box on the wall may well be a postbox.

Passengers get ready to go home after a day at the beach in Playa Unión. This photograph was found on Jorge Cerigliano's Facebook page. The destination board is mounted on the side of the left hand coach below the windows rather than above as was more usual. The second coach is labelled ESTADO indicating that it is the era before the nationalization of the British-owned railways.

This is another view at Playa Unión of the preparations for departure of the train back to Trelew. Even at this early date (1930s?) there are folks well enough off to have the use of a motor car for leisure activities. (1)

This modern view shows the settlement of Alto de las Plumas. There is no trace of the station now. The main settlement which it served, Bajo de las Plumas, is several hundred feet lower down in the valley and not on the steppe.

Resources
1 Found in the Gaiman museum.

23-2-2018