2005: Train Graveyard - Pulacayo - Bolivia pictures on Worldisround

2005: Train Graveyard - Pulacayo

Can someone tell me about any of these trains? Where built, year, any special significance or really cool features? I would like to have a deeper appreciation of what I saw. I really liked some of the wheel arrangements and configurations of the engines and water tanks.

Continuing on with the trip report:

Our next stop was just 22 kilometers east of Uyuni at Pulacayo, an almost ghost-town-like place with 700 inhabitants. Although there is little mining done today, much of what remains reflects an active mining town of the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries. In its heyday Pulacayo was the richest silver mine in the world and home to a vibrant community. Pulacayo is important to Bolivia's social history because the Revolution of 1952 took place here. The "Thesis of Pulacayo" declared workers and miner's rights and overthrew the existing social structure throughout Bolivia. Victor Paz Estenssoro was the leader of this revolution and graffiti commemorating him & the MNR (National Revolutionary Movement) is written across the side of one of the buildings in the old mining center: "Victor-Paz MNR fueron los que te dieron dignidad libertidad de sindicalizarte para tu bien personal y de tu flia". This building happens to be the town's bowling alley, the first bowling alley in Bolivia. Pulacayo also hosts a large train graveyard. These locomotives had served an important role and carried silver from Pulacayo to the Chilean port of Arica. One of the trains here is linked to Butch Cassidy and contains gunshot holes from a famous train robbery. The first and smallest train engine in Bolivia, which is only about seven feet tall to the whistle, is here. Pulacayo has a wonderful ambience: although, the city is lived in and well maintained, most buildings are empty. Before leaving Pulacayo, I saw a yellow-rumped siskin and added it to my birding list.

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Come visit with me at http://travelerstogo.com/ by posting your follow-up questions in the Carribean, Mexico, Central & South American forum. My alias is Sharon Mc1, and I am the destination moderator for that forum -- I love talking about travel!

I recently wrote a practical travel guide for the Peruvian and Bolivian high Andes. I had a great deal of fun writing it, and particularly enjoyed writing the restaurant reviews. Here is the link:

http://p104.ezboard.com/feuropetogofrm21.showMessage?topicID=40.topic

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Articles in this series include:

Miami, Jupiter, & the Everglades (Florida) http://www.worldisround.com/articles/141804/index.html

La Paz, Tiwanaku & Valley of the Moon (Bolivia) http://www.worldisround.com/articles/141500/index.html

Oruro Carnival (Bolivia) http://www.worldisround.com/articles/141977/index.html

Sajama National Park (Bolivia) http://www.worldisround.com/articles/143197/index.html

Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia) http://worldisround.com/articles/143714/index.html

Train Graveyard - Uyuni (Bolivia) http://www.worldisround.com/articles/141742/index.html

Train Graveyard - Pulacayo (Bolivia) http://www.worldisround.com/articles/141647/index.html

Along the Road from Uyuni to Potosí (Bolivia) http://worldisround.com/articles/143868/index.html

Potosí (Bolivia) http://worldisround.com/articles/145509/index.html

Sucre (Bolivia) http://worldisround.com/articles/182068/index.html

Tarabuco (Bolivia) http://worldisround.com/articles/182063/index.html

Jatun Yampara (Bolivia) http://www.worldisround.com/articles/169005/index.html

Lake Titikaka (Bolivia) http://www.worldisround.com/articles/261030/index.html

Copacabana (Bolivia) http://www.worldisround.com/articles/261498/index.html

Along the Road - Copacabana (Bolivia) to Puno (Peru) http://www.worldisround.com/articles/261584/index.html

Cusco, Sacsayhuaman & Lima (Peru) http://www.worldisround.com/articles/270254/index.html

Butch Cassidy Train

Butch Cassidy Train 2

train 1

train 2

train 3

train 4

train 5

train 6

train 7

Smallest Train Engine in Bolivia also the First

article published 3/3/2005

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A Book and Photo CD Rom
Here's a shameless plug for my book:

The Pulacayo Mine and Railway (Bolivia) ISBN 97809555501 (March 2007), UK price £8.50 + £1 postage. Reviewed and described in detail on Amazon UK. It's based on two visits to Pulacayo in 1998/2002 and includes all known details of these locomotives and 120 colour photos on an accompanying CD Rom.
— Jerry Graham, November 14, 2007

For Ian H...
No, I don't. I have a good friend who is a steam engine fanatic, so I posted all the pics I took. Glad you liked the photos. Bolivia's train graveyards are quite fascinating.
— Sharon McAllister, June 8, 2007

Hunting Hunslets
Sharon, only just found the photos, fascinating place. There is another loco just in right hand side of train 4 (photo 6) did you have a photo of it?

Thanks
— Ian H, June 7, 2007

Pulacayo Locomotives - 5
*Smallest Train engine in Bolivia also the first.

It *might* have been the first loco in Bolivia but I wouldn't want to confirm that. Reduced height machine for mine working. The works plate attached is off something completely different. It's almost certainly Belgium and made in the 1870s or 80s, perhaps by a company called 'Couillets'. Impossible to find any substantial information but, how good to see such an old machine in such a nice condition. It probably came from a Chilean Nitrate plant in the Western Atacama.

I hope the above is of some interest to readers. Pulacayo is a fascinating place for Railway Enthusiasts and I continue to watch from afar until my chance to visit.

Ian Bull - June 2006
— Ian Bull, June 26, 2006

Pulacayo Locomotives - 4
*Train 6.

Built for the FCAB in 1884 by Robert Stephenson & Co. (Yes - Stephenson as in 'Stephensons Rocket'). It's either their No. 2449 or 2450. It was originally a tank loco but in the arrid climes of the Atacama those tanks did not hold enough water. It was probably converted to a tender loco before the FCAB sold it to the Huanchaca Co. I don't know when it was sold but almost certainly in the earliest days of the Pulacayo - Uyuni line. The tender appears to have been lost.

*Train 7.

Rear view of 'Train 3'.

Continued...
— Ian Bull, June 26, 2006

Pulacayo Locomotives - 3
*Train 3.

Built by Hawthorn Leslie (works No. 2947) in England for the FCAB in 1912. I do not know when it was sold to the Huanchaca Co. but it's surprising that it was sold atal. These were very successful machines. Some were built as tank engines and this is the only example of either tank or tender type not to have been converted to metre gauge by 1928. (The FCAB was 2 foot 6 inch until then). Most of the metre gauge conversions continued working until the 1970s and many, perhaps all, are believed to survive. These engines were designed to run on coal imported from the UK, it's now an oil burner.

*Train 4 & 5.

See Train 3 - same loco.

Continued...
— Ian Bull, June 26, 2006

Pulacayo Locomotives - 2
Part 2...

*Butch Cassidy Train.

This is almost certainly Baldwin Loco Works No.10998. Built in 1890 for the FCAB and sold to Huanchaca in about 1892 to help build the line.

*Butch Cassidy Train 2.

This vehicle is not on its original chassis but closely resembles a small passenger car that ran on the line. The design would have been for staff rather than passengers. Presumably it's a 'pay car'. Thus the robbery connection.

*Train 1.

This was built by 'Rogers' (later part of the 'American Locomotive Company' - ALCO) in 1900 for the FCAB. Rogers No. 5544. I do not know when the FCAB sold it to the Huanchaca concern. I'll describe the loco behind it below (Train 3).

*Train 2.

This was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Huanchaca Co. in 1895. I don not know its 'works No.' It was named "Playa Blanca".

Continued...
— Ian Bull, June 26, 2006

Pulacayo Locomotives - 1
Here are a few notes to help identify the old locomotives that survive at Pulacayo. Many thanks must go to Sharon McAllister for providing such excellent photographs. These notes use Sharons nomenclature.

As there is a 1000 character limit I shall have to post this in several sections.

The 2 foot 6 inch gauge railway from Pulacayo to Uyuni was opened in April 1889 by the 'Compania Huanchaca de Bolivia. It linked there with the Ferrocarril de Antofagasta y Bolivia. Always known as the 'FCAB'. This was the 'main - line' in the region. The last train to the FCAB ran in 1965.

Continued...
— Ian Bull, June 26, 2006

Brief comments?
Ian, where are the comments... could you try again or email them to me at SharonNRayMc at sbcglobal and that dot net thingy.

Thank you!
— Sharon McAllister, June 26, 2006

Brief comments on Locomotives at Pulacayo, Bolivia.
— Ian Bull, June 25, 2006

Wonderful ambiance
Pulacayo does indeed have a wonderful ambiance. It's a really spiffy; yet, almost ghost-town-like atmosphere. Although, the city is lived in and well maintained, most buildings are empty. I suppose it is the absence of the fabulous mining industry which truly boomed in Pulacayo and then disappeared that gives it the ghost-town feeling. I saw the bowling alley and cinema, ladies' club meeting building and much more. This had to be a happening place in it's day! And, very important to Bolivian history, it was the birthplace of the miner's revolution of 1952.

I understand a Canadian company has now purchased the mine and Pulacayo might again become a much more bustling town.
— Sharon McAllister, March 10, 2005

Seven feet tall to the whistle!
Hi Jhonny, Thank you for all your comments! We did go to Potosí and saw the twin engine that you mention at the Casa de Moneda. I did not realize it was a twin to the one in Pulacayo until you mentioned the fact in your posting. This small train engine is so small that it is only seven feet tall to the whistle. Thank you for sharing the history about how this engine was used.
— Sharon McAllister, March 10, 2005

TRAIN 2? was the first
in the picture Train 2 ... this was the first train in bolivia.. is very old and the model too. but this train have a twin.. and this is in the museum of the silver coin.. or house coin.. in Potosi.. 5 hours fron Pulacayo
— jhonny torrico, March 8, 2005

First bowling in South America
Pulacayo mines was in the past ..the second most important mine in the world.. XVlll century for this reason the best ingeniers was working fron many countrys.. and for give then more confort in this village in middle of Altiplano(high desert)the owners give then a Cinema..tennis courtyard, golf and the first bowling...
— jhonny torrico, March 8, 2005

Pulacayo el primero
the small train was for croos the mine with minerals fron Pulacayo village to Wanchaca (place when the mineral was process)to 5 kilometros.. the amazing is this train was crossing 3 kilometros in the mine.. this year i will back for cross the same way ..walking.
— jhonny torrico, March 8, 2005

i have the same pictures
hi i fron bolivia.. but now i live in ontario Canada.. i have almost the same photos, and i was with the same questions.. i was working like a tourisen guide, let me know your feelins i will send you some history about the amazing Pulacayo.. i love this town.. when you will now some history will be the same with you
— jhonny torrico, March 8, 2005