A little background
I am modelling Argentina’s meter gauge railroads. I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and always was fond of FC Belgrano lines, at its best having 17.000 route kilometers. Beguining in 1966, transition from E.F.E.A. (Empresa Ferrocarriles del Estado Argentino) to F.A. (Ferrocarriles Argentinos) meaning destruction of railroads as an entity.
Don’t wish to talk about political facts during military dictatorship between 1966 and 1973. Instead, am trying to model as faithfull as posible in 1:22,5 scale .
Having modeled in H0 scale using several gauge ranges from 10,5 to 12 mm., when I saw WP&Y ALCo RSD 35 diesel loco inmediatly decided a change of scale. Forty RSD 35 (also known as DL 535) were delivered from Schenectady in 1962, so motive power was out of question.
My timeframe an locale dictated that no less than four Alcos were needed and also a similar quantity of GE’s 165 Ton diesel. These GE locomotives are similar to 90 class on WP&Y, supplied by GE in 1948 (70 strong) from Erie, they are “Erie Builts” Over here they are called “Coopers” for their Cooper-Bssemer prime movers, lately replaced with Fiat engines.
Suposedly, in 1962 began a modernisation plan that involved not only aquisition of Alcos, but also 70 GE Universal series Co-Co U12C model locomotives, both GE types and ALCl share same six wheel trucks.
Begining in 1964, passenger coaches from Aerfer and Pistoia, from Italy, and Materfer (argentine made) began polishing meter gauge rails. Notwithsttanding that, old wood and metal coaches from many manufacturers continued plying all Belgrano lines for two or three decades more.
Belgrano RR was a 1947 almagamation or merger of seven diferent railroads under State (national) control. Former companies belonged to british, french, provincial and state (national) ownership. One of them, Central Cordoba Railway, (CCR or FCCC in spanish) run from Córdoba city to North, reaching Tucumán, Jujuy, and Salta, connecting with former State Railways and crossing border line to Bolivia in two diferent points and to Chile in Socompa Pass,the so called “Clouds train”.
In second decade of 20th century, CCR adquires from American Car & Foundry a larqe quantity of rolling stock, pass coaches and freight cars. Most coaches were employed on Buenos Aires extensión. Prior to that, CCR solely posibilty to reach Buenos Aires was using Compañía Francesa de Ferrocarriles de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, (C.G.B.A.), whose rails ended at Rosario, in Santa Fe province. C.G.B.A was a french company.
Some of these coaches were standard american designed models, first and second class, externally similar but with diferent seats and washers and water closets. Looking and these coaches, I see that they were very similar to J&S coaches but longer, in fact, a 50% longer, having 18 windows instead of 12 windows as Bachmann models, Soon I realised that cutting one body in half and adding that half to a complete body I could get 18 windows and so I began this kitbash.
In this kind of first installment, you could see prototype plans and a postcard of train with these coaches crossing Cosquin eere built by Alco and Baldwin in 1922 and then agian 60 more in 1948. Long haul tender denotes a 1948 locomotive. Postcard shows locomotive, grey bagagge car, two wood AC&F pass coaches in brown livery and third coach is a Tafi Viejo metal coach with silver and dark blue livery. Note than AC&F coaches have diferent roofes: first coach has original clerestory roof, and second coach was “modernised” with round roof. Also you could see E.F.E.A. markings at left over windows.
Another picture, taken by John West in 1972, show an ALCo 1300 class steam locomotive. Three pass coaches at fron are AC&F modified somewhat, but esentially same coaches we are spoken about.
Next time will show models and kitbashing techniques.
Please, excuse me for my bad english language, over here we speak spanish and I have no education on english, so I am prone to mad mistakes, beg your pardon for that.
Feel free to ask any questions you wish.
Regards from Buenos Aires,
Jorge
Extra - Edited by Peter Bunce, Moderator to remove the extra text that was not needed, and mke the thread easier to read..
I am modelling Argentina’s meter gauge railroads. I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and always was fond of FC Belgrano lines, at its best having 17.000 route kilometers. Beguining in 1966, transition from E.F.E.A. (Empresa Ferrocarriles del Estado Argentino) to F.A. (Ferrocarriles Argentinos) meaning destruction of railroads as an entity.
Don’t wish to talk about political facts during military dictatorship between 1966 and 1973. Instead, am trying to model as faithfull as posible in 1:22,5 scale .
Having modeled in H0 scale using several gauge ranges from 10,5 to 12 mm., when I saw WP&Y ALCo RSD 35 diesel loco inmediatly decided a change of scale. Forty RSD 35 (also known as DL 535) were delivered from Schenectady in 1962, so motive power was out of question.
My timeframe an locale dictated that no less than four Alcos were needed and also a similar quantity of GE’s 165 Ton diesel. These GE locomotives are similar to 90 class on WP&Y, supplied by GE in 1948 (70 strong) from Erie, they are “Erie Builts” Over here they are called “Coopers” for their Cooper-Bssemer prime movers, lately replaced with Fiat engines.
Suposedly, in 1962 began a modernisation plan that involved not only aquisition of Alcos, but also 70 GE Universal series Co-Co U12C model locomotives, both GE types and ALCl share same six wheel trucks.
Begining in 1964, passenger coaches from Aerfer and Pistoia, from Italy, and Materfer (argentine made) began polishing meter gauge rails. Notwithsttanding that, old wood and metal coaches from many manufacturers continued plying all Belgrano lines for two or three decades more.
Belgrano RR was a 1947 almagamation or merger of seven diferent railroads under State (national) control. Former companies belonged to british, french, provincial and state (national) ownership. One of them, Central Cordoba Railway, (CCR or FCCC in spanish) run from Córdoba city to North, reaching Tucumán, Jujuy, and Salta, connecting with former State Railways and crossing border line to Bolivia in two diferent points and to Chile in Socompa Pass,the so called “Clouds train”.
In second decade of 20th century, CCR adquires from American Car & Foundry a larqe quantity of rolling stock, pass coaches and freight cars. Most coaches were employed on Buenos Aires extensión. Prior to that, CCR solely posibilty to reach Buenos Aires was using Compañía Francesa de Ferrocarriles de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, (C.G.B.A.), whose rails ended at Rosario, in Santa Fe province. C.G.B.A was a french company.
Some of these coaches were standard american designed models, first and second class, externally similar but with diferent seats and washers and water closets. Looking and these coaches, I see that they were very similar to J&S coaches but longer, in fact, a 50% longer, having 18 windows instead of 12 windows as Bachmann models, Soon I realised that cutting one body in half and adding that half to a complete body I could get 18 windows and so I began this kitbash.
In this kind of first installment, you could see prototype plans and a postcard of train with these coaches crossing Cosquin eere built by Alco and Baldwin in 1922 and then agian 60 more in 1948. Long haul tender denotes a 1948 locomotive. Postcard shows locomotive, grey bagagge car, two wood AC&F pass coaches in brown livery and third coach is a Tafi Viejo metal coach with silver and dark blue livery. Note than AC&F coaches have diferent roofes: first coach has original clerestory roof, and second coach was “modernised” with round roof. Also you could see E.F.E.A. markings at left over windows.
Another picture, taken by John West in 1972, show an ALCo 1300 class steam locomotive. Three pass coaches at fron are AC&F modified somewhat, but esentially same coaches we are spoken about.
Next time will show models and kitbashing techniques.
Please, excuse me for my bad english language, over here we speak spanish and I have no education on english, so I am prone to mad mistakes, beg your pardon for that.
Feel free to ask any questions you wish.
Regards from Buenos Aires,
Jorge
Extra - Edited by Peter Bunce, Moderator to remove the extra text that was not needed, and mke the thread easier to read..
