Ferrocarril Central Andino

In this time, I don't know why, rail traffic is at a low level so, when I heard the horn of a coming train,
I remembered my early days as a train hunter to quickly drive to the railroad.
This is the result: loco 701 at the head of an empty wagons train returning from the Patio Central to Monserrate shooted at the level crossing of Palla passage in Callao. Ciao

Against the sun (the only five minutes of sun during the day ), but I couldn't leave the opportunity of taking images of rare shunting on the tracks that serve some fuel storage sites at the back of Patio Central in one of the hottest places of Callao, the so-called Puerto Nuevo. To be noted that, until not long ago, those tracks were covered by a coat of waste.


Surely not top-shots but this little happening pushed up my mood in a nasty day.

Ciao

Does the fuel go up to the mines ., Benny?

Frankly I didn't asked, it should be.
But it's strange because there is a refinery along the railroad.
Probably this is a kind of fuel not locally produced.
All in all, the loaded tankers were only two ones.

Ciao

Few days ago, when trying to put on YouTube the Puerto Nuevo Video, I found another video to commemorate FCCA 1023 loco that, was told, has been sidelined in October 2020 because of engine problems (and effectively the last time I saw it has been the last July and was not in good condition). The loco, this one, is a SD 40-2 built by GM in 1966 that passed through many owners and on FCCA was used only between Callao and Matucana because it hasn't clearance for the summit tunnel.
A tear because it has been the first Peruvian locomotive that I ever photographed but its younger sister, 1024, is still soldiering.

Ciao

Instinct, always it....
I was not really close but anything told me to go watching in the Patio Central neighbourhood.
At Puerto Nuevo no sign of life (apart the local "fauna") but, crossing avenida Atalaya, I saw something moving inside the sulphuric acid storage site.
After a good amount of fighting with the trucks to and from the harbour customs I succeeded in coming to the exit of the siding and, after few minutes, I have been awarded with 533 (one of my "black beasts") that got out hauling a rake of empty tankers and the emergency car. Some minutes later I could capture again 533 in front of the Patio Central when, uncoupled the cars, it switched to return inside (the train would follow on later with another loco). Incidentally, when I was trying to park my car, 702 hauling another train sorted from Patio Central and began its journey; it could be nice to shot the two locos side by side but I'm happy all the same: finally I took 533!

And these are the videos: sorry for the scarce quality, I consider myself a discreet photographer but video is something new, but are interesting because of the sound.





For the history, 533 is an EMD GR12 built in 1965 for the Cerro de Pasco mining railroad and, after nationalisation and re-privatization, is now in the hands of FCCA that manages also its native line and use it mainly for shunting or siding work.

Ciao

Good stuff. 533 is a beautiful locomotive.

"a train is coming, where could I shot it? Here there isn't enough space, here too much plants, here there are railings... Damn... It passed... And now?" "wake up and chase it, clumsy! It's a long time that you want to shot it in the Gambetta Alta slums..." "but the train goes straight and me, instead, have to do a great ride with traffic lights, overrides and thousands of driving beast's ..." "Old stupid, in youth era you chased DB 01 express loco at full speed and now you are worried about a slow freight train? Shame on you!" "well, let's go trying...."
And so, a little later, I found myself in this renowned holiday resort, where tea is sorbed with the little finger at the top, to shot 701 at the head of 41 loaded cars (but the line is downhill, effectively the loco only brakes) And this is the (bad) video.


And, as the train was further slowing down, I chased it one more time (better you don't know where I passed....) and took another shot when it was searching its way through the trucks waiting for loading near the Avenida Gambetta level crossing, just before the Patio Central. Ciao

Benny wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 3:19 pm Few days ago, when trying to put on YouTube the Puerto Nuevo Video, I found another video to commemorate FCCA 1023 loco that, was told, has been sidelined in October 2020 because of engine problems.

Instead....
https://youtube.com/shorts/gLIqNpwUGEQ?feature=share

Seen yesterday afternoon with a short containers train.

Ciao

Again instinct...
Having a little of time between two services, I was going to eat a "pan con chicharrón" (an excellent sandwich with pork meat fried in its own fat and sweet potato) but the car seemed to have proper life so I arrived at the Puerto Nuevo sidings and discovered that, after it has been cleared from the coat of waste, it is sometimes used to shunt the mineral concentrate cars that come at Patio Central.
More, although Easter is far gone, the shunting loco was another resurrected: 801, although not my favourite one, disappeared for a long time. This loco is "the sister that had plastic surgery" of 533, an EMD GR12 that had its cab and front nose modified.
Well, these are the images; note, in the second one, the prow of a ship in the background. .

And there are the videos, too.




And finally I shooted also the mural painting on the side of the back entrance of Patio Central. And remained me the time to enjoy my super sandwich!

Ciao

In the late afternoon of Tuesday I was in the Patio Central (Callao) area and, although light was very low, I captured some nice shots.
After having extracted a rake of empty tankers from the sulphuric acid storage site, loco 801 is idling in front of the Patio Central waiting to enter. Indeed the other track is occupied by a train waiting for departure (note how busy is one of the railroaders)... ...that, after few minutes, begins its journey behind 702. Video


After the train left, 801 could finally switch and go inside probably finishing its working day.




But the most juicy thing has been a short chat that I had with an experienced railroader that told me:
1) 801 has been so modified to improve its appearance because, when came the idea of the Lima-Huancayo tourist trains, it was chosen as the motive power for the coaches. Even it was to be painted with a special "inca" livery.
Later, probably someone realised that it was not the best on the steep ramps so, until the pandemic stop, the tourist trains were hauled by whatever big loco was available.

2) there are no more timetables: trains run as needed with the control room in Chosica that regulates traffic.

3) some time ago, one of the two new C40-8Ws came down to Callao with 100 loaded cars in tow. What a show!

Well, hope I interested you (still alive, right?)

Ciao

Thanks Benny. Forums are very quiet at the moment, I imagine every one is watching the Olympics.

Wednesday in the morning I left a client at the Callao navy base and, returning back, I have been stopped by the arrival of the sulphuric acid train.
Obviously, when the crossing has been freed, I rushed to document the event; this is what happens (probably it's easier to understand with satellite view,
https://maps.app.goo.gl/dDjH3FRSfstdxVdM9).
The train coming from Lima crosses Avenida Faucett but, instead of enter Patio Central, follow approximately one mile more along avenida Atalaya and stops before the junction of the acid storage site. Here the incoming loco is uncoupled and temporarily stabled on a dead track recently re-built where, until few years ago, there was the track to the piers (sic...). At the same time one of the smaller motors comes from the Patio Central and pushes the tankers rake inside the storage area. But this work lasts approximately ten minutes during which Avenida Contralmirante Mora, where I was and, more important, where there is an important exit of the maritime custom area, is blocked by the train with the result of a concert of horns kindly offered by the truck drivers as well as the abundant curses of a railfan that wanted to go photograph (all in all I think there is no need to block the crossing but seems they don't care).
After the cut of the rake on the internal tracks and the liberation of the main line track, the first loco return to Patio Central to wait for another working


and the other one begins to shunt the cars for unloading.

At approximately 4.30 pm the loco on switching duty takes a part of the empty tankers and leaves them in front of the Patio Central from where they will follow with the last eastbound train of the day Instead the remaining empties will return with one of trains of the next morning.

To complete the information, every working day the Cajamarquilla refinery (at the end of a branch from Santa Clara, extreme Eastern Lima suburbs) sends a full rake of sulphuric acid tankers to the storage site in the harbour area and approximately every three weeks it is shipped to Chile.

Why I returned to my beloved black and white?
1) because I like it very much
2) with the generally grey Lima weather it seems me that images result better than dull colour ones.

Ciao

Hi Benny ,
Where is the acid train coming from ?
I think a photo of me would probably look better in black and white as well. :

Hi David.
The acid is produced in a refinery in Cajamarquilla,in the eastern suburbs of Lima. The plant is connected to the main FCCA line at Santa Clara station through a three miles branch.

A photo of me, instead, is surely better...completely black to avoid seeing my scary! face!

Ciao