Re: IRCA Steam Locomotives in Costa Rica

Mr. Hefner:
From my San Jose map I could see the (Atlantic) RR station was a museum so we headed for it (late June 2000). We could not get in, it was surrounded by a protective metal fense. I did not take a photograph of the diamond stacked engine because of the fense. Where the tracks crossed the road I measured the gauge with my foot (size 11 shoe) and it came out at 3 and half shoes. I looked at the engine and equipment and noticed now that it was slightly larger and newer than what I saw in Colorado, New Mexico, West Siude Lumper, C&C-Laws CA, Guatemala, et.al. My tourist guide readings tells me the line was began on the Atlantic side , by Jamacian and Chinese laborers and a French construction company. This was in the 1880s and first served the banana plantations and took many years to get to San Jose. The line then went down to the Pacific side-- Puentarena. Go figure, it does not connected to any other CA lines. I believe it's meter gauge or 3 and a half feet.
regards
Pat