Patagonian pacifics, and other bits and pieces

Main line engines
The principal motive power on all three FCE lines comprised the class 12M pacifics dating from 1910. These were built in several batches by Maffei in Germany (Nos. 330-342?), Cockerill in Belgium (360-364?), and Haine St. Pierrre in France (350???). A number of them worked the Bariloche line whilst smaller groups went further south: nos. 354-5, 362, and 365 were at Comodoro Rivadavia for the line to Sarmiento, and nos. 350-2 and 361 were at Puerto Deseado.

Whilst the arrival of the new locos was awaited a variety of second-hand locos found their way onto these three lines. The 1926 US Dept. of Commerce report (1) lists the San Antonio railway as having 12 pacifics (as mentioned above), 5 Baldwin 4-4-0s, 2 Beyer Peacock 2-6-0s (1890), 1 Baldwin 4-8-2 (1924) and 2 Tubize 0-6-0 shunters of 1889.

A more detailed list of individual locos, drawn from Reg Carter's comprehensive volume (2) and from the 1945 FCE working timetable, is on an appendix page.

Locos initially used 'Cardiff' steam coal imported through San Antonio or, later, Viedma, but eventually most locos were converted to burn oil.

San Antonio works
In 1909 when construction began, the FC del Estado were planning a network of routes from San Antonio west and south. San Antonio was chosen as the main workshop site for this new system and a major facility was built. Of course the network never materialised as planned and even the later narrow gauge to Esquel declared independence and built its own works at El Maiten. The workshops are now largely empty though there are a large number of vehicles outside in the yards.

Classes used in later years
Unlike the other FCE Patagonian broad gauge routes the San Antonio line was eventually linked up via Viedma and Carmen de Patagones to the rest of the Argentinian broad gauge. As such it had heavier traffic, and its loco stock could more easily be supplemented from elsewhere. This was especially true after 1948 when it came under the same management as the FC Sud as the FC General Roca.

Amongst the classes used on the line were the two class 14A 2-10-2s, nos. 500 and 501, built by Baldwin in 1926. These were commonly used for passenger or ‘mixto’ trains to Bariloche. The class 11C and 15B 4-8-0s, and the class 11D 2-8-0s also saw service on the line.

The 1931 explosion
A notable though tragic event in the line's steam history occurred in 1931 when the firebox crown on a Maffei pacific. no.337, collapsed out west of San Antonio near Mancha Blanca. The event was recorded in a series of photos preserved by the footplatemen's union - La Fraternidad - as a salutary lesson. The photos are now on display in San Antonio town museum.

The Maffei batch of pacifics are easily identified by their Belpaire firboxes. Whether this is actually no. 337 or merely just an example of the class is not clear.

The driver and fireman, Señors Araneda & Serra, are commemorated in the photos above right, whilst the firebox crown can be seen above left. The boiler is supposed to have landed many yards away, leaving the loco chassis looking as in the picture below!

An ex- FC Roca 0-6-0 saddle tank still lies in San Antonio works yard in 2000.

Ganz railcars
In 1935 the FFCC del Estado decided to purchase 34 diesel rail coaches from Ganz of Hungary. These were of a variety of designs, mostly for metre gauge use, though two were for standard gauge and three for the Patagonian broad gauge. The latter were delivered each in two parts for ease of unloading at the Patagonian ports (9). Car no. CM3 was delivered for use on the Bariloche line between Viedma and Valcheta whilst the other two went further south. It seems to have been dismantled around 1960.

The photo shows railcar CM3 at the workshops in San Antonio Oeste (10).

Trens Bariloche
In 1937 a second series of Ganz diesel multiple units were introduced to run a prestigious service carrying tourists to Bariloche. These were actually classified as class TB (Tren Bariloche). There were two three-car sets with a maximum speed of 110kmph (roughly 70mph). The power cars were numbered CM10/11 and CM20/21. Each set could carry 44 first class and 88 second class passengers. They ran on the Bariloche line for ten years but were transferred elsewhere after the nationalisation and re-organisation of 1948 (9).

One of the TBs is seen on a trial trip in the Cañadon de Viuda. (Photo by a Ganz official)

Early diesel locomotives
The San Antonio Oeste to Bariloche line was dieselised early on in about 1953, not surprising given the arid nature of the countryside. The earliest diesels were the very distinctive Baldwin products before they dropped out of the competition with GM (EMD) and GE. There were also a number of Baldwin-licensed Cockerill machines from Belgium.

Baldwin RF615Es (DE121s)
50 of these 'shark-nosed' units were ordered, and delivered in 1953-4. The locos were of 1500hp and were built in 1953-4, initially for the Neuquen and Bariloche lines. Originally they were numbered from 5001 upwards, though later renumbered into the 7001 series. Overall dimensions were 14.789m length, 4.000m height, and 3.096m width. Weight in service was 105 tonnes. No 7044 is still in use as works pilot at Talleres Maldonado, and no 7037 is being restored by the Ferroclub de la Seda de Remedios de Escalada.

One of the shark-nosed Baldwins is seen in this photo from the national railway museum in Buenos Aires. The location is the south end of Patagones station and the photo by Marcelo Arcas.

Another 1972 picture by Marcelo Arcas shows Baldwin 7041 at Bariloche. The forward rake of the front end which gave rise to the 'shark-nose' nickname is very obvious.

Cockerill-Ougree 2R616E
Locos to a Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton design were built in Belgium by Cockerill in 1959. These were nos 7052-7101. They weighed 102 tonnes in service and produced 1500hp. Overall dimensions were 17.685m length, 4.252m height, and 3.000m width. Originally they had been built for suburban services but after 1963 they moved out to general use, particularly from Bahia Blanca.

The photo below shows a Cockerill diesel (and a newer GT22) at Bariloche shed in February 1972 (8).

Current diesel power
Tren Patagonico SEFEPA, the present franchise holder running the line, has a small but eclectic collection of diesel locomotives.

Alco /Euskalduna DL500S
SEFEPA purchased nos 2129 and 2176 from RENFE in Spain. They had been built in Spain by Euskalduna but to an Alco design. Whilst both locos are out of use, there have been suggestions in the past that 2129 was to be renovated. Click here to see a drawing by Alejandro Moscaro of these locos.

2176 lies derelict at San Antonio works (7).

Hood units are of varied designs:

MLW/Alco RSD35
6411, a 1200hp Co-Co built in 1963. This one of a batch of 55 built by the Montreal Loco Works for the Ferrocarril San Martin, numbered 6411 -6480. They weigh 80 tonnes. Overall dimensions are 13.818m length, 3.870m height, 2.943m width.

Alco RSD16
8238 is a 1800hp road switcher built in 1958 for the Ferrocarril General Mitre. 55 of these were built in the number series 8226-8280. They weigh 108 tonnes in service. Overall dimensions are 16.002m long, 4.445m high, and 3.089m wide.

EMD GT22CWs
9033, 9070 and 9073 are GT22CWs from EMD/Astarsa, built in the 1980s.

This is one of Tren Patagonico's GT22CWs in an earlier livery.

GT22CW no 9073 at Bariloche loco shed (7)

EMD G22CWs
7904, 7910 and 7920 are G22CWs from the General Urquiza system, regauged by Ferrosur Roca at Olavarria workshops. Click here to see a drawing by Alejandro Moscaro of these locos.

G22CU no 7904 at Bariloche with a train made up of de-engined Fiat railcars. (7)

Three different types of diesel in the workshops at San Antonio. On the left is Alco RSD35 no 6411; in the centre EMD GT22CW no 9070, and on the right Alco RSD16 no 8238. (7)

and DMU vehicles bought second-hand from Spain.

Passenger stock
Whilst the railway remained isolated clearly the passenger and freight cars were likely to remain there. However, after the building of the Rio Negro bridge in 1936 there was much more interchange of vehicles with the rest of Argentina's broad gauge systems. This increased even more when the FC General Roca took over the line in 1948.

The earliest stock is listed in the 1912/3 Ministerio de Obras Publicas report (3). There is also a list in the 1926 report by Rodney W. Long for the US Department of Commerce (4). More detail is given in the appendices to the FCE working timetables. The table below combines information from 1912, 1924, 1934 and 1945.

Existencia de coches Patagones al Lago Nahuel Huapi
Clase Class	Serie y numer-ación Series & numbers	Total de cada serie Total no. in series	Cantidad Capacity	Año de fabric-ación Year of constr-uction	Fabric-antes Makers	Observaciones Notes
Coche motor	3	1	1a - 8 2a - 40	1937	Ganz	Identical to those bought for use on other Patagonian lines and similar to others on FcE lines further north
Coche motor class CD	10-11	2	2a - 48	1937	Ganz	Power cars for 'Trens Bariloche'. 310hp. Wheel arrangement B1-2, ie. outer 3 axle bogie with first two axles driven and inner two axle undriven bogie. Eventually (1960s?) sent for use elsewhere on the Roca system and later on the Mitre network.
Coche motor class CT	20-1	2	1a - 16	1938	Ganz	Power cars for 'Trens Bariloche'. 310hp. Wheel arrangement B1-2, ie. outer 3 axle bogie with first two axles driven and inner two axle undriven bogie. With air conditioning. Eventually (1960s?) sent for use elsewhere on the Roca system and later on the Mitre network.
Coche motor class CA	1-2	2	1a - 28 2a - 40	1938	Ganz	These were the centre trailer cars coupled between one of each of classes CT & CD. Eventually (1960s?) sent for use elsewhere on the Roca system and later on the Mitre network.
Pull-man	O51	1	30 x 1st class	1935	Talleres Tafi Viejo	Converted 1943 in Comedor/Restaurant, see below.
1	??	3	64	1910	HH	New/Nuevos $oro 13,470 each. Reported in 1912 and 1924 reports but not identified by number. These cannot be identified in the 1934 and 1945 stiocklists.
1	P301	1	64	1910	HH	8 x compartments for 8 Transferred from Pto. Deseado by 1934.
1	P302	1	60	1910	HH	Transferred from Pto. Deseado by 1934.
2	S201-2	2	110	1910	HH	New/Nuevos $oro 10,006 each. Three recorded in 1912 and 1924, third one (S203) converted 1929 to Kitchen/restaurant C601.
2	??	2				Ex Andino $oro 3,750 each. Two of these coaches are listed in 1912 and 1924 but neither can be identified in later stocklists.
Mixto	M351	1	32 1a 54 2a	1910	HH	New/Nuevos $oro 10,865 each. Three of these vehicles were reported in 1912 and 1924 but not identified by number. Only M351 can be identified in the 1934 and 1945 stocklists.
Mixto	M352	1	16 1a 74 2a	??	Lanc-aster	ex FC Andino. Transferred from Pto. Deseado by 1934 but gone by 1940.
Comedor	C600	1	40	1925	HH	Recorded in 1934 & 1940 lists but gone by 1945.
Comedor/Rest-aurant	C601	1	48	1929	Tall. Tafi Viejo	Ex coche S203, converted 1929 San Antonio works
Comedor-cocina Rest.-kitchen	C-K602	1	68	1935	Tall. Tafi Viejo	Twin artic. unit on 3 x 3 axled bogies? With bar Americana for 6 seats
Comedor Rest.	C603	1	40	1943	Tall. A. Cord-oba	Ex coche O51, see above.
Dorm-itorios Sleeping	D101-3	3	7 x 2 camas 7 x 2 beds	1910	HH	Converted to sleeping at San Antonio works in 1925 1 compartment with bath
Dorm-itorios Sleeping	D104-7	4	10 x 2 camas 1 x 4 camas	1933-4	Tall. Tafi Viejo
Reserv-ado	R1	1	2 x 1 cama 1 x 2 camas	1934	Tall. Tafi Viejo
Reserv-ado	R500,3	2	2 x 1 cama	1890	Lanc-aster	R503 not in 1934 list, but appears in 1940 list.
Reserv-ado	R502	1	2 camas	1939? (rebuilt then?)	Lanc-aster	Ing. Jefe de Via y Obras Civil Engineer's car Not recorded in 1934 list for this line, but present in 1940. A Lancaster coach numbered R502 is preserved in Puerto Deseado. This presumably the same vahicle though it is not obvious when it was moved there.
Reserv-ado	R504	1	1 x 2 camas 2 x 1 cama	1910	HH	Not recorded in 1934 or 1940 lists for this line.
Servicio Staff	S501	1	6 camas	1890	Lanc-aster	Servicio pagador
Servicio Staff	-700	1	3 camas	-	Glouc-ester	Material rodante, Not recorded in 1934 or 1940 lists for this line.
Furgones pasageros	401-2	2	4 camas (& post compart-ment in 1940)	1910	HH	New/Nuevos $oro 10,006 each. 34.0 tonnes gross. Recorded in 1912, 1924 & 1940 lists.
Furgones pasageros	403	1	6 camas	1890	Lanc-aster	Not recorded until 1934
Furgones pasageros	410-1	2	4 camas	1933-4	Tall. Tafi Viejo	Not recorded until 1934
Furgones de carga 2 axle	551-7	7	10 tonnes	1890	Dyle et Bacalan	Ex Andino $oro 3,500 each. Recorded in 1912 and 1924 reports. No. 551 destroyed by 1934
Furgones de carga 2 axle	558-9	2	10 tonnes	1898	Dyle et Bacalan	Converted from 800 series wagons. Only recorded in 1940.
Furgones de carga	566-9	4	20 tonnes		Glouc-ester	Converted from wagons 702, 722, 708, 718 respectively, after ’24 but before ’34.
Notes: The Lancaster passenger coaches came from the FC Andino at $oro 5,250 each. In 1912 there were 2 1st class coaches. By 1924 there was one mixto and one staff service car. The 1934 list records mixto M352 transferred from Pto. Deseado, reservado R500, and servicio S501. By 1945 there were four Lancaster vehicles but none of them in line service; they were R500, 502 and 503 and S501.

The photo below, taken at San Antonio in February 1972 (8), shows a coach - relegated to 'Reservado' or staff use. It is clearly an 1890 Lancaster-built car as cascaded from the FC Andino but the bogies are different from those on the two surviving Lancaster coaches at Puerto Deseado and Rawson.

Freight stock
Again, the earliest records are in the 1912/3 Ministerio de Obras Publicas report and the1926 Rodney W. Long report. The 1934 working timetable and the 1940 and ’45 appendix lists have also been consulted. The 1952 railway tariff book also provided a list of wagons on this line.

Type Tipo	Nos.	Maker Marca	Quantity Cantidad	Axles Ejes	Carga máxima Capacity Tonnes/toneladas	Notes Observaciones
Plataforma	?? may have been series 1000 or 1100	Nesseldorf/Ringhoffer 1910	35	4	40	New/Nuevos $oro 964.70 each. Reported in 1912 and in 1924 but by 1934 all converted to hacienda wagons (see below).
Plataforma 2400 series	2413, 2418 left in ’34.	Leeds Forge 1907	30	4	40	Ex Pto. de la Capital $oro 1,500 each. Reported in 1912 and in 1924. By 1934 only two recorded, both ‘destruido’, though 3 converted to cubiertos and the other 25 to tanks (see below). Surprisingly no. 2414 still listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books.
Plataforma 2500 series	2500 to 2558	Dyle et Bacalan 1898	59, and 49 left by 1945	2	10	Ex Andino $oro 500 each. 59 of these reported in 1924. By 1934 whole series only used for ballast and 7 recorded as destroyed. 52 recorded in 1940. Nos. 2500-58 still listed in 1952 tariff book.
Plataforma 400 series	400-44	Nicaise and Delcuve	45 recorded in 1924, 1934 & 1940.	2	10	Source unknown. Not reported in 1912, but had arrived by 1924. By 1934 only used for ballast. Nos. 400-444 listed in 1952 tariff book.
Plataforma 7000 series	Orig. 7000-70. 7001-9, 7011-70	Famillereux 1925	Orig-inally 70. 69 in 1934. 49 out of 59 in service in 1940.	4	40	Presumably bought new in 1925. No. 7010 converted to tank wagon by ’34 see below. Nos. 7000-70 listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books. However, 20 of them converted to bordes altos at some point.
Tanques series 30	30-1, 3, 5, 40-4.	Nesseldorf/Ringhoffer 1910	18 in 1912,	4	37/38	New/Nuevos $oro 1,848.80 each. reduced to 16 in 1924, only 9 in 1934 of which only 3 in service (30, 33, & 41 listed in 1940). Nos. 30-33 listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books.
Tanques 2900 series	2961-2	Dyle et Bacalan 1898	11, only 2 left in 1934, both out of service	2	10	Ex Andino $oro 500 each. Not reported in 1924 or thereafter.
Tanques series 2400	2400, 2-3, 5, 8-12, 14-15, 17, 19-20-21, 25-29.	Leeds Forge Co. 1907 ex plataformas see above	24	4	37/25 see note	Plataformas rebuilt with tanks. 8 with tanks from series 30 wagons (ie nos. 2400, 2, 5, 8, 10, 12, 19, 20), others with tanks from 75cm gauge wagons. 2400 listed in 1940 with lower capacity than 2403-2429. Nos. 2403-29 listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books.
Tanques series 2500	2537			4/ 2	40/ 11.8	Only listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books. Smaller capacity on two axles as given in the 1955 book.
Tanques series 2800	2861			4/ 2	38/ 8.5	Only listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books. Smaller capacity on two axles as given in the 1955 book.
Tanques series 7000	7010	Famillereux 1925 ex plataforma see above	1	4	40	Plataforma rebuilt with a tank 'de madera' according to 1934 working timetable. Also listed in 1940.
Tanques series 4500	4500-16 & 4527-36	4500-9 built Talleres Tafí Viejo 1933, and others later. 4512-16 built by Talleres San Antonio?	10	4	38/40	4500-9 only, mentioned in 1934. Nos. 4500-16 & 27-36 listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books, of which 4512-13 & 27-36 used for petroleum.
Cubiertos 600 series	600-14	Nesseldorf/Ringhoffer 1910	15	4	40	New/Nuevos $oro 1,329.70 each. Reported in 1912 and in 1924. All intact in 1934, no. 613 then in postal use. 8 out of surviving 15 in service in 1940. Nos. 600-14 listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books.
Cubiertos 800 series	800-23	Dyle et Bacalan 1898	64	2	12	Ex Andino $oro 500 each. 24 still in use in 1924. By ’34 & '40 only 7, in departmental use, rest used as living vans or scrapped. In 1940 two reported rebuilt to furgon cargas. Surprisingly nos. 802-22 still listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books.
Cubiertos 700 series	700-1, 3-7, 9-17, 19-21 in use in 1934	Gloucester	23	4	20	Ex Andino $oro 700 each. Reported in 1912 and in 1924. By ’34 wagons 700, 5, 9, 12, & 20 scrapped and 719 in departmental use. 14 in use in 1940. Nos. 700-21 listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books.
Cubiertos 900 series	900-39	Bonnefond	40	2	10	Reported first in 1924; by ’34 & '40 only 14 in use, rest as living vans, or scrapped. Surprisingly nos. 904-36 still listed in 1952 tariff book.
Cubiertos 2400 series	2404, 7, 22.	Leeds Forge Co. 1907	3	4	40	Converted from plataformas between ’24 and ’34. No. 2404 in 'auxiliary' use and 2422 in stores use. 3 listed in 1940. Nos. 2404-22 listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books.
Cubiertos 3000 series	3001-15	Famillereux 1925	15?	4	40	New in 1925? No. 3001 recorded in 1934 as in postal service. 13 in use in 1940. Nos. 3001-16 listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books.
Cubiertos 1500 series	1500-19			4	45	Only listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books.
Cubiertos 80000 series	80000-49			4	45	Only listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books.
Cubiertos ventilados	28900-70			4	45	Only listed in1955 tariff book.
Bordes altos 6000 series	6000-19	Converted Tall. San Antonio, from 7000 series plataformas	20	4	40	Only listed in 1940 appendix & in 1952 & 1955 tariff books. Ex plataformas nos. 7000, 20-35, 67-9?
Para auto-moviles 500 series	501-2	Talleres San Antonio 1939 (built or converted?)		4	40	Only listed in 1940 appendix &1952 & 1955 tariff books.
Hacienda 1 piso (single deck for cattle)	1000-19	Harlan Hollingsworth (ex plataformas built 1910 see above)	20	4	40	Converted in talleres San Antonio 1924/9. Nos. 1000-19 listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books, as 'convertibles' in the latter. Similarly described in 1940.
Hacienda 2 piso (double deck for sheep)	1100-39	Harlan Hollingsworth (ex plataformas built 1910 see above)	40?	4	40	Converted in talleres San Antonio 1924/9. Nos. 1100-39 listed in 1952 tariff book as 'dos pisos no convertibles'. 1940 appendix &1955 tariff book lump this batch and the next together as one.
Hacienda 2 piso (double deck for sheep)	1140-53 (or 54?)	Harlan Hollingsworth (ex plataformas built 1910 see above)	14	4	40	Converted in talleres San Antonio 1933. Nos. 1140-54 listed in 1952 tariff book as 'dos pisos no convertibles'. 1940 appendix &1955 tariff book lump this batch and the previous together as one.
Hacienda 2 piso (double deck for sheep)	1200-24			4	40	Only listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books. The latter reference was annotated 'convertibles' by hand.
Hacienda 2 piso (double deck for sheep)	81000-70			4	45	Only listed in 1952 & 1955 tariff books, as 'dos pisos convertibles'.
Servicio		Gloucester	1	4	40	Reported only in 1924
Crane/Guinche		London (sic)	1	3	15	$oro 4,000. Not reported in 1924 though almost certainly present

A mixed collection of departmental stock lies at San Antonio works in December 2000. Several of the bogie vans have been converted into living vans for PW staff.

Oddments
Railways always have unusual vehicles around. Cranes, permanent-way trollies and the like.

These two steam cranes, a large breakdown crane and a smaller machine, are lying around at San Antonio works. The former has been narrowed down to one of three batches by either H. Wilson of Birkenhead or Cowans Sheldon of Carlisle for the BAGS or the BAPR. Apparently the designs of these two manufacturers were more than coincidentally similar in the early years of the 20th century! The latter may be the 15 tonne example recorded in 1912 and is probably by Grafton of Bedford.

Also in the works are a Hornsby portable engine from Grantham in England (No. 7075), once used to provide power in the workshops, and a Shand Mason hand-pulled steam fire engine. The latter is preserved on a plinth within the perimeter fence.

References:
1 Railways of South America: Part I: Argentina. (William Rodney Long (& George S. Brady?), U.S. Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce - Trade Promotion Series No. 32, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 1926.
2 Railways of Argentina (List of all known locos). Reg Carter. Duplicated, spiral bound. 46 Mill St., Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 2RF. UK.
3 1912 report
4 Railways of South America: Part I: Argentina. (William Rodney Long (& George S. Brady?), U.S. Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce - Trade Promotion Series No. 32, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 1926.
5 Libro Nro. 1 - Clasificador y Tarifas Basicas uniformes Published by the Secretaria de Transportes de la Nacion - Ferrocarriles Nacionales February 1st. 1949, second update June 1st 1952. Another update was published in 1955.
6 Chris Capewell, who is a specialist in rail cranes, has written with his provisional suggestions: The larger crane, it is surmised, might be from one of three orders - from H. Wilson of Birkenhead, 30ton capacity for BAPR in 1910-2, or 35ton capacity for BAGS around 1912, or from Cowans Sheldon 40 ton capacity for BAGS, nos 4464-8 in 1925. All of these were mounted on 10 wheeled chassis but there were differences in the number of engines for raising and slewing.
7 The recent photos of Tren Patagonico diesel locos were very kindly provided by Robert Humm.
8 Marcelo Arcas has kindly provided the black and white photos of diesel locos and a coach taken in 1972. Marcelo runs the Rumbo al Sud internet magazine devoted to the railways south of Buenos Aires and particularly the FCS and its successor the FC General Roca.
9 Web-pages on the subject of the Ganz diesel railcars and multiple units are available at: <http://www.geocities.com/matrodante/GPguerra.htm> and <http://www.geocities.com/juanca010/ganz22.htm>.
10 Photo by courtesy of Señor Diego de Bunder of Puerto Madryn, whose grandfather's house was adjacent to the photo location.

26-5-08