Tren del Sur
Encyclopedia
The Tren del Sur — or Train of the South in English
— is a historic narrow gauge
heritage railroad
operating within the U.S.
commonwealth of Puerto Rico
in Arroyo
. It was formed in 1984 to preserve the last surviving sugar cane
plantation line still in existence on the entire island, which was part of a large railroad system that operated around Puerto Rico prior to the 1950s.
old sugar cane
fields on a fifty-minute long guided tour that explained the industry and other historic aspects of it. Most of the original railroad right-of-way is former Ponce & Guayama trackage, which was in regular use up until 1958; a short 4 miles (6.4 km) segment was later revived as the Tren del Sur in 1984. Much of the original equipment abandoned on site also served as historic props along the route.
In 2005, the railroad was temporarily shutdown pending a major restoration project; although all work has been halted in recent years afterwards for unknown reasons. However, the Department of the Interior has plans to re-commission the railroad and extend the system further sometime in the near future.
equipment exists around the grounds of the Tren del Sur. Locomotives that once operated the tourist trains until 2005 comprise of original plantation-era Plymouth Locomotive Works
diesel switcher engines which range from five 18-ton engines to three 40-ton locomotives. The 40-ton Plymouth's are all painted in a direct mirror of the old Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
red and silver Warbonnet scheme, including the yellow Santa Fe "cigar band" logo with the railroad's name painted within it. Engine #18 was the main locomotive used on all tourist runs, it pulled several converted flatcar
s with custom built interiors to allow for seating of passengers. Along the route, many of the sidings are filled with abandoned sugar cane related freight cars.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
— is a historic narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
heritage railroad
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
operating within the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
in Arroyo
Arroyo, Puerto Rico
Arroyo is a municipality located along the southern coast of Puerto Rico and bordered by the Caribbean Sea, east of the municipality of Guayama and northwest of the municipality of Patillas. Arroyo is spread over 5 wards and Arroyo Pueblo...
. It was formed in 1984 to preserve the last surviving sugar cane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
plantation line still in existence on the entire island, which was part of a large railroad system that operated around Puerto Rico prior to the 1950s.
Overview
The railroad took passengers and sightseers across Arroyo'sArroyo, Puerto Rico
Arroyo is a municipality located along the southern coast of Puerto Rico and bordered by the Caribbean Sea, east of the municipality of Guayama and northwest of the municipality of Patillas. Arroyo is spread over 5 wards and Arroyo Pueblo...
old sugar cane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
fields on a fifty-minute long guided tour that explained the industry and other historic aspects of it. Most of the original railroad right-of-way is former Ponce & Guayama trackage, which was in regular use up until 1958; a short 4 miles (6.4 km) segment was later revived as the Tren del Sur in 1984. Much of the original equipment abandoned on site also served as historic props along the route.
In 2005, the railroad was temporarily shutdown pending a major restoration project; although all work has been halted in recent years afterwards for unknown reasons. However, the Department of the Interior has plans to re-commission the railroad and extend the system further sometime in the near future.
Rolling stock
A number of vintage and historic rolling stockRolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
equipment exists around the grounds of the Tren del Sur. Locomotives that once operated the tourist trains until 2005 comprise of original plantation-era Plymouth Locomotive Works
Plymouth Locomotive Works
Plymouth Locomotive Works was a US builder of small railroad locomotives. All Plymouth locomotives were built in a plant in Plymouth, Ohio until 1997 when the company was purchased by Ohio Locomotive Crane and production moved to Bucyrus, Ohio in 1999...
diesel switcher engines which range from five 18-ton engines to three 40-ton locomotives. The 40-ton Plymouth's are all painted in a direct mirror of the old Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
red and silver Warbonnet scheme, including the yellow Santa Fe "cigar band" logo with the railroad's name painted within it. Engine #18 was the main locomotive used on all tourist runs, it pulled several converted flatcar
Flatcar
A flatcar is a piece of railroad or railway rolling stock that consists of an open, flat deck on four or six wheels or a pair of trucks or bogies . The deck of the car can be wood or steel, and the sides of the deck can include pockets for stakes or tie-down points to secure loads...
s with custom built interiors to allow for seating of passengers. Along the route, many of the sidings are filled with abandoned sugar cane related freight cars.
Engine Roster
| Model | Quantity | Built | Numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitcomb Whitcomb Locomotive Works Whitcomb Locomotive Works was founded by George Dexter Whitcomb , of Chicago, Illinois, who started a modest machine shop in 1878, and began the manufacture of coal mining machinery, laying the foundation for the concern that became known as The Whitcomb Locomotive Company.-Beginnings:Mr. Whitcomb... 7-ton |
1 | 1939 | TS 1 | This is a former Whitcomb industrial switcher modified with a custom steam-engine carbody; it currently sits on display outside the main entrance. |
| Plymouth Plymouth Locomotive Works Plymouth Locomotive Works was a US builder of small railroad locomotives. All Plymouth locomotives were built in a plant in Plymouth, Ohio until 1997 when the company was purchased by Ohio Locomotive Crane and production moved to Bucyrus, Ohio in 1999... 18-ton JCD |
4 | The railroad had a handful of these 18-ton Plymouth switchers, though only three are left on site and in disrepair as of 2009. | ||
| Plymouth Plymouth Locomotive Works Plymouth Locomotive Works was a US builder of small railroad locomotives. All Plymouth locomotives were built in a plant in Plymouth, Ohio until 1997 when the company was purchased by Ohio Locomotive Crane and production moved to Bucyrus, Ohio in 1999... 18-ton JCD |
1 | TS 15 | This smaller Plymouth switcher was later moved and put on display outside the Bacardi Distillery in Cataño Cataño, Puerto Rico Cataño is a municipality located on northern coast of Puerto Rico bordering the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent to the north and east by San Juan; north of Bayamón and Guaynabo; east of Toa Baja and west of Guaynabo and is part of the San Juan Metropolitan Area. Cataño is spread over 7 wards and... . It is lettered for the Ponce & Guayama railroad. |
|
| Plymouth Plymouth Locomotive Works Plymouth Locomotive Works was a US builder of small railroad locomotives. All Plymouth locomotives were built in a plant in Plymouth, Ohio until 1997 when the company was purchased by Ohio Locomotive Crane and production moved to Bucyrus, Ohio in 1999... 40-ton WLD |
2 | TS 16-17 | These are two nearly identical engines to #18, both are in disrepair as of 2009. | |
| Plymouth Plymouth Locomotive Works Plymouth Locomotive Works was a US builder of small railroad locomotives. All Plymouth locomotives were built in a plant in Plymouth, Ohio until 1997 when the company was purchased by Ohio Locomotive Crane and production moved to Bucyrus, Ohio in 1999... 40-ton WDT |
1 | 1954 | TS 18 | This was the primary engine used on all of the railroad's tourist runs; it has been inactive since 2005 after the railroad was mothballed. |
See also
- List of heritage railroads in the United States
- Rail transport in Puerto RicoRail transport in Puerto RicoRail transport in Puerto Rico currently consists of a passenger metro system in the island's metropolitan area of San Juan and a small short-line freight railroad in the southern city of Ponce. Its history can be traced back to the mid-19th century with the construction of a limited passenger line...
External links
- Puerto Rico Railroad – Brief information & photographs about the Tren del Sur.
- Travel & Sports: Puerto Rico – "Tren del Sur" Attraction Profile
- Puerto Rico Travel: A Family Adventure Aboard the Tren Del Sur in Arroyo – Tourist article regarding Arroyo and its Tren del Sur.