Re: Tracking down the most beautiful narrow gauge Baldwins
| March 20, 2020 10:18PM |
After completing the switching moves, assembling the return mixed train, and turning on the turntable, engine 68 was ready for the run back to Sao Joao del Rei. This completes my photo coverage of the VCO portion of the 1977 trip. I still have a have a series of negatives of the VFCO that are yet to be scanned, so I may add some additional photos to this thread in the future.
As to the fate of the VFCO, the line operated for another 6 years. Here is 4-4-0 21 with the Antonio Carlos mixed at Tiradentes on March 18, 1982 (not my picture, at the moment I can't recall the name of the photographer who shared it with me, sigh).
The shutdown of the Barroso cement plant in 1983, with the attendant loss of limestone traffic, spelled the end of the narrow gauge. The line was dismantled except for the 8 miles between Sao Joao del Rei and Tiradentes. The remaining facilities were then rejuvenated into a museum and tourist operation The depots at Sao Joao and Tiradentes were restored, the Sao Joao roundhouse was rebuilt and 16 of the remaining engines were saved, only 2 being scrapped. New turntables were installed at Sao Joao and Tiradentes ( I am guessing that these are the turntables from Antonio Carlos and Posto PBA). The original Sao Joao turntable remains in the circular roundhouse. 4-4-0 number 1, Baldwin 4-1880, was saved and is on display. Tourist trains have been running on weekends (until shut down by the Corona Virus recently). Videos posted earlier this year show 4-6-0s 41 and 42 in operation.
A roster of EFOM / VFCO engines is shown below. Most of the engines were renumbered over time. The original numbers are in the left hand column, and the current numbers are in the far right column.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/2020 10:20PM by Olaf Rasmussen.
As to the fate of the VFCO, the line operated for another 6 years. Here is 4-4-0 21 with the Antonio Carlos mixed at Tiradentes on March 18, 1982 (not my picture, at the moment I can't recall the name of the photographer who shared it with me, sigh).
The shutdown of the Barroso cement plant in 1983, with the attendant loss of limestone traffic, spelled the end of the narrow gauge. The line was dismantled except for the 8 miles between Sao Joao del Rei and Tiradentes. The remaining facilities were then rejuvenated into a museum and tourist operation The depots at Sao Joao and Tiradentes were restored, the Sao Joao roundhouse was rebuilt and 16 of the remaining engines were saved, only 2 being scrapped. New turntables were installed at Sao Joao and Tiradentes ( I am guessing that these are the turntables from Antonio Carlos and Posto PBA). The original Sao Joao turntable remains in the circular roundhouse. 4-4-0 number 1, Baldwin 4-1880, was saved and is on display. Tourist trains have been running on weekends (until shut down by the Corona Virus recently). Videos posted earlier this year show 4-6-0s 41 and 42 in operation.
A roster of EFOM / VFCO engines is shown below. Most of the engines were renumbered over time. The original numbers are in the left hand column, and the current numbers are in the far right column.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/2020 10:20PM by Olaf Rasmussen.
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.