As Pat has discovered, Guatemala is not so hot to sell it's historical treasures. However their is possibilities of purchasing used coach trucks or freight trucks in use for restorations in the US.
In Peru, the idea of saving some railroad history is a recent interest. However so much has been vandalized or scrapped, little of any great historical value is left.
What is left for preservation is some broken down coaches, a few out of service Alco Diesels and some forgotten freight cars. In the case of Peru, it was too late to save any significant pieces. Yes there are a few choice items protected. Two narrow gauge engines in Huancayo, two standard gauge steamers of the FCC, one is operational. Also one other standard gauge 2-8-0s is preserved in La Oroya from the Cerro de Pasco line.
Up and down the coast of Peru are few scattered locos that are forgotten and rusting away. Many are now vandalized by the locals that have stripped them of any valuable part not welded or bolted in place. So many are lost to the elements and vandals, so little will tell the tale of it's history.
Maybe that could be the next chapter in the history of the FENDESAL. However El Salvador's future may not be much different. Suddenly Rich Gringos looking for El Salvador's railroad heritage might result in the reverse trend of saving things by the locals. In the end, if no support is ready to protect the collections, it will end up worse off than it is now?
Someone out there must have connections to US Government and could find the right agency that aid in the sale of this equipment. Otherwise the Chinese scrappers will strip the line bare. Remember in Nicaragua it was scrap all the railroad so that nothing was left to compete against the truckers!!!
Back off my soapbox, returning to lurker status.
Dale Brown
