Nostalgia & History > Some More Panama RR---Pt 7

Here's three more views from 1967, all taken around Gamboa which was located at MP30.21,
(Panama RR's timetable location), south of Colon.

Photo 1 shows northward train No. 10 in the capable hands of handsome Alco RSC-3 #903;
taking the siding for its meet with No 9, which is where I'm riding. I always thought this
Yellow and Pullman-Green, with red accent stripes, paint scheme was a befitting dress---much
more dignified than the brighter and simplified Yellow and Blue which replaced it on the Alcos,
but not the SW1200's, during my time in the 'Zone'. The head brakeman, after lining his train
into the siding has taken his position "on the point" of the 903 in preparation for "lining out" at
the north switch. That building, on the left with the tower remains today, while the depot which
was beyond the south switch, and is hidden in the photo by the trailing cars of No 10, has been
leveled. 

Photo 2 shows the longest bridge on the railroad at an elevation of 98.6 feet above sea level, (A.S.L.).
Built in 1907-08 as part of the anticipated realignment of the original, 1855 railroad grade, the 1,300 foot
long bridge consists of one riveted span, seen toward the southern end, and several various length girder
spans. It crosses the narrowest point on the Chagres River, left, where it empties into Gatun Lake, which
is kept at a constant 85 feet (A.S.L) by virtue of Madden Dam, built upstream of the bridge; forming the 
largest man-made lake in the world in 1913. 
That one-way vehicle lane on the upstream side of the bridge provided a route for motor vehicles to cross
the Chagres until 2018 when a new bridge was built, just out of frame to the left. Vehicle flow was governed
by traffic lights on each end of the bridge.  
I know John White, seen in Pt. 6, slowed his train while passing over the bridge but I don't remember now,
if I ever knew, by how much. A 2009 Panama Canal Railway (PCRC) track chart shows a 20 mph speed limit
for their trains between MP 30 and 30.3, (PCRC's mile post location of the bridge). Most impressing is the the
elevation of the bridge; shown to be 98.6 feet A.S.L. while the level of water is normally maintained at
85 feet, A.S.L. which gives us some idea of the depth of the waters to the right in this view.

Photo 3: We're about half way over the bridge and this view shows the north end of the Culebra Cut, (until 2020,
Gaillard Cut), a 7.8 mile trench cut into the Continental Divide to complete the Canal between Gatun Lake and the
locks at Pedro Miguel. The railroad will crest the 'divide' in about 4 miles among those hills on the left at a dizzying
elevation of 278 feet, just north of appropriately named "Summit".

Charlie



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/25 20:42 by cewherry.

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Another enjoyable look at the Panama RR.
Gonut

I have enjoyed the Panama RR photos very much. I know today the railroad is busy moving containers across the country account of ships being too wide for the canal or because water levels are not deep enough for a fully loaded ship to pass. I have seen a number of boxcars in the photos that have been posted on T.O. What was the freight traffic moving back in the old days?

Thanks Charlie for another roundof interesting pictures and narrative.

Larry

Thanks for those, Charlie.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

1019X Wrote:
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".... I have seen a number of boxcars in the photos that have been posted on T.O.
What was the freight traffic moving back in the old days?"

Good question. I don't remember ever seeing a freight train, one with a caboose, (which I believe
at one time they did possess but, by my time didn't), and freight cars out on "the road" while riding
back and forth on my weekend jaunts.  

On one occasion, while returning to the Pacific side from Colon, our passenger train stopped at Cristobal,
a freight yard only, to pick up a few freight cars---handling them to Balboa Yard while making the regular
passenger stops en route to Panama City. I have photos of one of the 600 class SW1200's idling in front
of what appears to be the yard office tower at Balboa Yard and other photos of various freight cars, none of
which appear to be younger than 15 years old, many with arch-bar trucks, all of which appear to have seen
better days.

Looking at a Panama RR employee timetable from 1953; available on wx4.org, we can see tonnage ratings
for locomotives---diesel and steam, which indicate the road did run some tonnage trains; example: 900 series
Alcos as seen in my photo of 903 at Gamboa, were allowed 1250 tons between Gamboa and Summit with 
under 31 cars; 1150 tons when over 30 cars--so at least there was the possibility of some good sized trains.
Keep in mind, those Alco's did not have M.U. capability---at least in 1967-68 when I rode them. 

I'd have say the few freight moves the road provided in my visit to the 'Zone' seem to have been in the 
service of the Panama Canal Company for maintenance of the Canal or in the case of the railroad for 
infrastructure upkeep---ballast, ties etc. Nothing as we seen today with PCRC's inter-modal traffic.

Charlie  



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/25 18:53 by cewherry.

4' 81/2" or 5' gauge?  5-foot guage seems so simple and smarter.  A little bit more width for more stabilty while hauling heavy loads.

I'll never understand why the U.S. went with the weird number, vs. 5'.