Changes over 39 years

I thought this comparison of similar engines over a 39 year period might be interesting. Both are Baldwins from a 1922 order of 25 engines for the Esquel 75 cm ng. line in Argentina. The picture of No. 3 was taken at El Maiten in 1973, the picture of sister No. 4 at Esquel in 2012. Since they are different engines, it is hard to say what happened when, but note the older picture shows a wooden cab, no cutting lever on the pilot, different headlight, and some miscellaneous changes to plumbing and hand rails.

I guess the lesson here is engines do change over time, which in one sense is mechanically necessary, appropriate, and no surprise. But it also raises issues about things like historic preservation, documentation, and accuracy. Change like this is often necessary, but perhaps it is useful to ensure it is documented and recorded accurately.....before we loose track. The changes above were obvious to me because I was seeing everything at once, but when we see engines frequently, as we do at the C&TS, the gradual changes can go unnoticed and undocumented. Perhaps the Friends are already on top of this.

No. 3 in November 1973:


No. 4 in March 2012:


The nice modern shop at Esquel probably reflects the fact the railroad did not reach Esquel until 1945.

My pix from my recent trip to the Esquel line (the Carson and Colorado south!) can be found HERE.

JBWX



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2012 12:28PM by John West.