Update on Ecuador - 2010 a disaster!

The news from Ecuador for 2010 is not good.

Despite piling millions into the system it is actually worse than before they started.

The situation currently is as follows - and please correct me if I am wrong on anything and some miracle has occurred since I wrote this - as regards anything for 2010, if you intend going there.

Duran to Yaguachi - Nothing.

Yaguachi to Milagro - Forget it.

Milagro to Bucay - Not even track.

Bucay to Huigra - Not passible. Working on repairing storm damage, maybe OK by end of 2010.

Huigra to Sibambe. Unless the train has wings - to jump the rivers without bridges - and a pretty heavy blade in front - to remove the landslides - forget it.

Sibambe to Alausi - Currently closed, working like hell on landslide damage. Maybe back by mid-June.

Alausi to Riobamba currently passible Palmira to Riobamba due landslide between Alausi and Palmira. Hopefully all the way through late 2010.

Riobamba to Urbina. Passible. But for what?

Urbina - Ambato - Latacunga. It is presumed that there is still track under one metre of earth but uncertain. Forget it.

Latacunga - El Boliche. What you might call in the air - literally. The ballast was removed, the track suspended almost half a metre above the ground to replace the ballast and oh! dear! seems like somebody stole the ballast.

El Boliche to Quito (Chimbacalle). recently rebuilt and operating occasionally.

Ibarra to Primer Paso. Daily service - I think!

The good news is that five steamers, Nos. 11, 17, 18, 53 and 58 are in the workshops being totally rebuilt with a target date (equadorean target, that is!) of January 2011 for returning to service and this has to be good news long term as they will arrive. Personally I would expect about three available for March 2011. As far as I know there is no currently serviceable steam as the "big bang" repair programme took everything out at once.

Other bad news is the withdrawal of all Metropolitan Touring trains (Chiva Expresses) which was over half the passenger trains, mainly due to the fact there was nowhere for them to go. They are three fine railcars and one can only hope for their coming back into regular use when service resumes.

So there is the sad story but there is a chance things will work again in 2011 and the railway management are really trying. But they got "famous" spanish consultants and we all know what the Spanish did to Ecuador the last time.

Finally, it galls me to see people like RTC offering tours on their websites which they have not a cats chance in hell of delivering. It gives everyone a bad name.Who do they think they are kidding?

So lets keep our fingers crossed and hope that 2011 will deliver something. It will happen but when is the question?

Dr. Michael Grimes

Following some photos I took in the good old days!