Re: Colombian 3 foot RR

The real attraction of the Colombian system at this time is the Tren Turistico that operates from the downtown depot in Bogota on weekends and holidays. Power is one of the three operative Baldwin 2-8-2s built in 1947 - a fourth is reportedly being rebuilt in the Bogota shops at this time. The train takes riders to a rural community some thirty miles away. During the week one of the 2-8-2s can be heard working in the downtown area where there are several yards. Today I heard a great whistle concert as one of the 2-8-2s worked her way across several major road crossings. There is also occasional freight on the same line - I have seen two GE mu'ed 600hp units built in Spain handling a twenty car train of flats hauling tarped bags of cement.
While Colombia has a very extensive rail network, I am uncertain as to how much is in active service at this time. I have resided in Bogota for only several months and it appears that many of the major routes are not in service at this time due to guerilla problems.
I recently noted during a trip that a portion of the line into the Atlantic coast city of Cartagena has been removed and one British built 0-6-0T has been mounted near the old railroad station. I hope to have the time in the coming months to find out more about this interesting 36" system.
C. Owen
Bogota, Colombia