International Railroad Discussion > A Different Newfie and FCAB in Antofagasta Chle Proper

The afternoon and evening of April 19 continued the intense railroad action on the FCAB in the Atacama Desert. For the second day in a row as we drove to Baquedano we spotted a westbound facing headight (this would happen three days in a row). We exited the highway and saw what I now believe to be train 204, copper concentrates from Santa Gorda to Antofagasta, but as that train had the same power on it as it had when we shot it on April 18, we waited for the train behind it, a sulfuric acid (empties I think) train with three Newfies... the first one in an older goldish paint scheme I only saw on this one engine. We took up position Cuevitas and caught it going through the desolate landscape. We beat it then to where the junction had been with the abandoned Mantos Blancos mine and got some shots of it going past what I'm 100% guessing was a man-made wash of some kind (there's not natural water here, I don't believe). From there, we got way ahead of the train at O'Higgins, only to get our car stuck (stuck on a dirt road in another country - I felt confident all would work out there). Luckily our friends in a second car came and rescued us (shout out to one person who 100% figured it all out). From there, we drove back into Antofasto, catching a Ramal Altonorte switcher at La Negra and the 204 from Santa Gorda passing by Miramonte in  Antafogasta proper at last lght. Finally, while walking to a store after dinner, we happened upon a Port switcher returning behind one of FCAB's freight-truck riding GA8s.

Images one is of the Newfies at Cuevitas.

Images two and three are the same train by Mantos Blancos.

 

 

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Image four is now at O'Higgins. At the time of this shot are car was imbedded in the earth.

Image five is of the old-scheme Newfie.

Image six is of a Ramal Altonorte switcher working at La Negra.

 

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Images seven and eight are of what I think is train 204 coming into the city of Antofagasta.

 

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Finally here is the video of the switcher coming out of the Port of Antofagasta.

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Looks like 1418 is getting close to receiving a white/blue paint job.  Given the gray sealed gondolas, the  train led by 1403 is from the Sierra Gorda mine.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/19 16:10 by utwazoo.

Wow....I noticed 2 trees....both dead.

Chris

When there were still manned stations, the families that lived there planted/kept trees and flowers.  Cuevita used to have stray dogs (as does most of Chile) that would hang out at the grade crossing begging for food.   One came running over to us once with a rock in his mouth.  Poor guy wanted to play fetch-it,  which we did. Probably an abandoned pet.  Made me want to go to a store and buy some tennis balls.   Such is the Atacama.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/19 06:58 by utwazoo.