Narrow Gauge Railways of Ecuador


In December 1998 - January 1999 I visited Ecuador, a country with a narrow gauge rail network running through incredible terrain. From the remote north western coast at San Lorenzo the line climbs up to Ibarra on the central Andean plateau close to the Colombian border, then south through the mountains to Otavalo, Quito (the capital) and Riobamba. From Riobamba the line again drops down towards the coastal plain, with a branch to Cuenca, the main city of the south. The main line continues past banana and sugar plantations to Guayaquil, a major port and Ecuador's largest city. At the time of my visit the rail network was in a sorry state. The sections Ibarra - Otavalo - Quito and Sibambe - Cuenca had already closed, and the El Nino storms had washed away parts of the line from Sibambe to Guayaquil so this too was not running in 1998, with its future very uncertain.

Riobamba - Huigra

The yard at Riobamba
 
Our transport: Metropolitan Touring's privately owned 'autoferro'
A minor mudslide covers the tracks ahead. The driver slowed down and drove straight into it until the train got stuck, then backed off and approached again. Each time he got a little further until we managed to get all the way through!
 
A fairly rickety-looking trestle bridge.
The railway runs straight down the main street in Ecuadorian towns.
Halfway round the Alausi loops. After passing round the last loop we will continue on the track in the bottom left of the picture.
Approaching the Devil's Nose. The lower switchback is visible further down the mountainside.
This rockslide stopped our progress for over an hour. The large rock was finally cleared with the aid of a jack.
Sibambe station (formerly the junction for the line to Cuenca) viewed from near the first switchback. The train has to reverse down the track immediately below us.
Safely down the Devil's Nose (El Nariz del Diablo) we approach Sibambe station.
Heading towards the coastal plain the air has become much more hot and humid and the vegetation more lush.
Our journey ended at Huigra. Below here the track has been washed away by heavy flooding during El Nino.




Ibarra Depot

Canibalised autoferros
The only steam engine on the northern network still in working order.
These two new diesels (built 1993) are good news for the future of the railway, at least for freight.

The goods yard outside the depot.

Last updated 25/6/01