South American railways

[jhb171achil]

Hi all

 

Just wondering if anyone has ever attempted anything South American, e.g. Peru, Brazil, Argentina or Chile?

 

Just been there and the variety would be amazing with steam into the 1990s, vintage dieseels and modern ones, all operating together. Locos and rolling stock of American, Dutch, British, German and other origins, plus home-made stuff...

 

Related to this, is anyone aware of any decent English-language books about these lines, especially those of Brazil?

[Johann Marsbar]

I've done some Argentinian based conversions/scratchbuilds in G Scale in the past, though most of them would give a rivet counting purist heart failure!

 

 

For example, the LBS ex Spanich FEVE Henschels like this...

 

I used a Piko DB218 to come up with this....

 

The freelance "Argentine" style coaches behind were bashed out of those cheap "Train" brand Chinese made (ex LGB) German carriages.

 

[HSB]

There have been a number of paperback books on South American subjects written or edited by Donald Binns and published by Locomotives International or Trackside Publications. There was also a Bradford Barton book 'South American Steam'. Have you tried looking on the Mainline & Maritime website as they often have books on interesting overseas subjects?

https://www.mainlineandmaritime.co.uk/

[TEAMYAKIMA]

I had planned a layout based on the G&Q in Equador. but although I built the layout I chickened out and made it D&RGW instead.

 

Back in the 1980's I did Ecuador x 3, Argentina x2, Chile, Columbia, Brazil and Paraguay x2.

 

Only the steam lines I'm afraid - but absolutely amazing times!

 

If you build a layout would it be a mash-up fictitious country or anything specific?

[stivesnick]

Hi 

 

I have traveled on some of the lines in Peru many years ago (2001) , and also considered building a layout (in N). From that visit I was given a set of hand drawn track plans for the Peru railway system and have a copy of a english magazine called Latin Lines which had some good articles about the current railways in South America. Again from many years ago, visits to Motor Books in London did reveal a number of books on South American subjects.

 

The layout, if built, would have ended up as a fictitious country and based around a zig-zag as a reason to keep train lengths short. American style diesels and a mix of American/ Japanese freight cars. The main problem was finding some coaching stock - the Peru railways coaches are much shorter than those found in America or Europe. 

 

I would say go for it. It the layout makes it to an exhibition, those with an real interest will be delighted and happy to talk and provide useful information. Others will not know if its totally correct or not.

 

Nick

[jhb171achil]

I was thinking something fictitious but would LOOK real..... Been to S America twice and saw the remains in Ascuncion of what had been the Paraguayan railway. 

 

I am am aware that across South America there was equipment if American, German, British, home-made and other origins. I fancy a layout with a one-platform city terminus and dilapidated old Alco or GE diesels battling through the weeds with American-looking freight cars, while an even more dilapidated British-built steam engine (complete with cow-catcher and missing buffer), puts together a passenger train of 1950s steel American design carriages and an old wooden coach which was once a Sentinel railcar, while outside the station wall, El President (in white uniform) arrives in the midst of a revolution!

 

Or something.

 

Thank you for the sources and info, folks.

 

Just back from Chile, Argentina and Brazil, where I saw a few stretches of railway - unfortunately all derelict.

 

A friend of mine in São Paulo had passed on into about the erstwhile line to her town (Franca) which apparently finally expired in 1981. It seems it was standard gauge and the few photos I've seen suggest that in this particular case, all the locos and stock looked 100% American.....