Re: ECUADOR RAILWAYS ARISE FROM THE DEAD - How two Japanese lost their heads!

The G&Q had very little freight business once good paved roads allowed trucks to transport goods from the coast to Quito and the other cities of the interior. For at least the last 30 years of operation, the G&Q provided cheap, albeit slow, transport for the poor. The very poor rode for free, or at least very cheaply, on the roofs and in the third class box cars. There was a market train that ran twice weekly between Bucay and Alausi that transported vendors to market, but primarily the G&Q seemed to be a government jobs program.

With an incredibly steep main line (5.2% ruling grade), sharp curves and running through geologically unstable terrain, there is almost no chance that the railroad will be able to attract any freight business. A truck can get a load to Quito in about 1/3 of the time it would take the railroad to get the same load there.

Of course, it was one of the greatest tourist rides ever. The current scheme to reopen the line seems to be based on the hope that tourism will make the line pay, but I suspect that it's primarily a jobs program designed to help the current president get re-elected. Whatever the motivation, I wish them well. It's an amazing line!

Michael Allen