Re: Guatemala 1971
Author: Tom Moungovan
Date: 05-04-2010 - 16:02
ff Wrote:
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> Tom.. interesting your Guatemala experience...
> Surprise... I lived in El Rancho from 1988 to l992
> a block about 4 blocks from the tank and wye...
> That was a fantastic ride from the capitol. Have
> you ever heard of any other 3 footer with 3 wheel
> trucks like their private car...which according
> to records I once saw ..originally cost as I
> recall only about $26,000. Easter weekends..
> trains got up to 11 cars long up til the end of
> FEGUA.. Unfortunately.. nothing is happening
> there now and much of the line to Tucan Uman is
> ..shall we say... stolen.. handy firewood, etc..
> and west out of the Capitol.. so many squaters
> occupied the right of way that the govt wouldnt
> cooperate with RDC to remove them.... as you
> probably know..to start what would have been a
> lucrative container service out of Puerto
> Quetzal..
Holy Toledo, I never thought I'd run into somebody who lived down there when the railroad
was still in operation. Rancho was a neat little town. We got caught by a set of speedbumps
in a rented VW in '71 when Harold Edmonson & I were chasing the mixed local back to the
capitol. He called out "tope" that was on a highway sign and as we both were pondering just
what that meant, the car nearly shook itself to pieces over the bumps.
IIRC, IRCA (later FEGUA) had 3 private cars; Michatoya, Guastatoya and I forget the name of
the 3rd one. You're correct, one did have 6 wheel trucks. I got to ride the Guastatoya on
a deadhead move to the border @ Tecun Uman in '77 and the steward gave me an EMP timetable.