Re: The adventures of a ColoradoNarrowGauge Cowboy and his Baldwin Belt buckel in Brazil

Hey Ya'll in Narrow Gauge Land!
I know, I know it has been almost a year since I posted about the status of our work to save the PerusPiraPora and it's 17 steam engines, 1 diesel engine, 1 rail bus and 212 cars and 18 kilometers of right of way.
As you saw from my other pictures there was alot to do and as it became more obivous that my expat contract with Robert Bosch in Campinas would not be extended, it became very important for me to try to do all that I can to help my PerusPiraPora Family. So what to do I have to show for all my and our passion? Well we started be rescueing the DIEMA German diesel locomotive from the "Deadline" on the 5th of September 2009. See below.


And after a last big push, we managed to start the new diesel engine on Sunday night, 6:30pm on the 9th of May, 2010. What a good feeling to awake a locomotive after at least 30 years... DIEMA start your ENGINE!
Oh by the way I started my own website so that I can post all the pictures of the equipment and work done. Sorry it is still rough but I am working on it. www.thorsteamworld.com

Then my friends transported DIEMA to our center of operations and for my "Going Away Party" on the 24th of May I had the privilege drive DIEMAs' first passenger runs. They continued on late into the twilight which ended the tours since you see the cabin and headlights weren't finished yet. But we all had big grins a mile wide. And as last honour they showed me the new plates that will grace the side of the cab when it returns and DIEMA will now be named "Thor", how cool is that?

[www.thorsteamworld.com]

So now that I am here a half world away I depend on the internet for my information via our blog: [peruspirapora.blogspot.com] And what is happening? Look at the picture below from FRIDAY!


So what is the results of the recovery effort so far? They have transported 1 15ton steam engine (broke the crane), 1 railbus, 6 passsenger cars, 19 rocker dump cars, 7 flat cars, 7 box cars and 2 side discharge gondolas (we have 121, anybody want one, pick-up only...)

Planing and funding are underway for a station/visistors center, disassembly and re-installation of the big engine steel shed from the mine and a display track for the engines that are not rollable. And funding is being applied for the restoration of some of the equipment. The next year could see the beginning of regular passenger operations with 2 steam engines and 2 diesels over 7kms of orginal track...

So please stay tuned the blog has enough pictures and youtube videos. [peruspirapora.blogspot.com]

And if you enroll your email on my website www.thorsteamworld.com I will keep you up to date when I get more of the 20gb of Brazilian Steam Narrow Gauge uploaded or more of my current adventures in Europe. Next month I'm taking a steam trip to the yearly Steam Locomotive Festival at the well known Meiningen Steam Locomotive Shops in Germany. Then in October I'm off to Romania to the Carpathian mountains to visit several narrow gauge logging railroads...

grande abraco, best regards
Thor

Thor Windbergs
Ludwigsburg, Germany

Facebook: Thor Windbergs
Volunteer G&L RR 86-88
Fireman/Engine Watchman D&S 90-94
Member Frankfurter Feldbahn Musuem, feldbahn-ffm.de
Member IFPPC (Society for Preservation of Perus Pirapora Railroad) Brazil www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/brazil54.htm
Member German Standard gauge Group www.eisenbahnfreunde-zollernbahn.de



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/24/2010 04:18PM by Thor Windbergs.