International Railroad Discussion > Tourist Steam in Montevideo, Uruguay

A recent Holland America cruise from Buenos Aries, Argentina, around Cape Horn to Santiago, Chile afforded the opportunity to check out two steam tourist operations.

The first was in Montevideo. We arrived in the early morning, and unlike sailing into say, Sydney harbor with its magnificent opera house and the coat hanger (Sydney Harbor bridge). Montevideo greets you with a graveyard of tumbled and forgotten ships! Upon docking, the cruise terminal itself is chock full of brightly painted items that once served the docks, including a Smith Rodley steam crane. In addition there is also the anchor and rangefinder from the German Pocket Battleship Admiral Graf Spee, scuttled by her captain 3 miles outside the harbor in December, 1939, having been damaged three British cruisers in the Battle of the River Plate. Looking at the size of the rangefinder it is hard to believe that something that large and heavy was placed so near the top of the foremast.

The tourist train is powered by an oil fired N-type mogul pulling two Allan passenger coaches and is operated by the Asociation Uruguaya Amigos del Riel. It operates out of a new glass and steel station in Montevideo, not far from the original Central station that was used from 1897 until 2003. Our trip took about 30 minutes and for the most part the ride ran through an industrial section of Montevideo before emerging into the suburbs. Substituting for the lack of scenery was an on-board folklorico presentation. The trip finished up at Estacion Penarol, across from the original steam shops and a 360 degree roundhouse. Alas, a few more miles would have given riders a nice trip into the countryside. Nevertheless, it was worth it just to ride behind a post Victorian era Beyer Peacock 2-6-0 in 2014!

The tourists weren’t the only ones captivated by the train, a fair number of locals paused from their daily routines to snap photos of our passing.

Some specs on the loco are as follows: Built by Beyer Peacock & Company, Gorton Foundry, Manchester, England 1910; Wheel arrangement 2-6-0; Max speed 90 km per hour; Walschaerts valve gear; Weight 84, 667kg; Operating steam pressure 180 lbs. Breaking system, Vacuum.

Next up, “The Train at the End of the World”.

Cheers,
Jack



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/14 12:20 by africansteam.

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Rangefined and Anchor from Graf Spee at the port and a Uruguayan rail car in Montevideo Station.

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The on-board entertainment and a picture taking local!

Arrival at Estacion Penarol.

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Details of the loco.

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More.

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Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee (1861-1914) went down with his ship on December 8, 1914 during the Battle of the Falkland Islands against the British navy. In Punta Arenas, Chile there is a large monument to the admiral at the cemetery in town. Two of his sons were also lost in the same battle when their ships were sunk.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/14 13:41 by masterphots.

Cement train and Roundhouse.

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Very nice images and information, how long was your trip and what of all the ships in different angles in the harbor?
Thanks, Alan

How did you find the Drake Passage ?

agrafton Wrote:
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> Very nice images and information, how long was
> your trip and what of all the ships in different
> angles in the harbor?
> Thanks, Alan

Alan, the trip was 14 days. As to the reason for all the abandoned ships in the harbor I have no clue as I neglected to ask. Pursuant to your question I checked the internet but did not find any useful information.

Cheers,
Jack

That roundhouse has a number of dumped GE shovel nose diesels in the stalls, along with a couple of old doodlebugs and other dumped diesels. A couple of stalls are used to maintain the few diesels the railroad still needs for their freight service. Out back there is a German 2-10-0 in good cosmetic condition, along with an old wooden coach/business car.

NormSchultze Wrote:
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> How did you find the Drake Passage ?

Norm, our captain felt that the Drake Passage was getting to rough so after circling Cape Horn we went back through back through Glacier alley and the Beagle Channel.

The waters en-route to the Falkland Islands were quite rough with 13 foot seas and winds occasionally gusting to 90 mph.

Cheers,
Jack

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I enjoyed seeing these images and reading your account. Thanks.

africansteam Wrote:
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> a Uruguayan rail car in Montevideo Station.

Ex SJ Y1 from Sweden

86235 Wrote:
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> > a Uruguayan rail car in Montevideo Station.
>
> Ex SJ Y1 from Sweden

Thanks!

Cheers,
Jack

Very nice photos, thank you for posting. What is the track gage, standard or 5 foot?
Charlie

1019X Wrote:
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What is
> the track gage, standard or 5 foot?
> Charlie

Charlie, it is standard gaugue.

Cheers,
Jack

At one time the hulk of the Graf Spee was still visible at low tide. Is it still or has it been scraped?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/14 15:42 by DavidMKetchum.

Stephen Cossey, Durango, Colorado offered the following remarks and attached images:

Image 1: On 6th and 7th November, 2014, I rode behind the #120 from Montevideo to a town called Florida, about 102 km in total. Note the Union Jack flag on the front!!
Image 2: The next day we visited the Penarol workshops where they had an 1890 Manning Wardle tank engine in steam for us.
Image 3: The "club" at Penarol is also restoring a 1920s era Brill railcar (now running) which was a home in the country until a few years ago!!!

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Milepost130, extend my thanks to Steven for the look behind the fence!

Cheers,
Jack