Alder Gulch 2-8-0's roots are in Old Mexico

The 30" Baldwin was one of several built for a branch of the FC Mexicano deep in the Sierra Madre Occidental. This branch was very long, about 100 kilometers (65 miles).It ran from a desert plain into the high mountains. Its main traffic was lumber, The upper end was very scenic. The Mexicano had a mainline from Mexico City to Veracruz, competing with the narrow-gauge NdeM. It was built with British capital. Eventually it aquired three branches of three different gauges (2 feet, 30 inches and 3 feet). The 30" gauge line lasted the longest, finally being closed in 1957. Somehow its #12 was sold, and made its way to Edaville on Cape Cod, where it was supposed to be converted to two foot gauge. That conversion never happened, and it was sold again when the Edaville collection was broke up some years back. The Alder Gulch line was started in the 1960s with some 0-4-0s salvaged from the ASARCO smelter in Great Falls. Unfortunately a fire scorched both units and the line was idle for many years. #12 was purchased and beautifully restored, getting rid of the low headlight location common on Mexican engines. It is the only 30" gauge 2-8-0 opertating in North America, and is the subject of some very popular models in On30. The Alder Gulch people read the NGDF, and maybe they can make some additions or corrections. I hope to visit Alder Gulch next summer.