A little background
I am modelling Argentina’s meter gauge railroads. I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and always was fond of FC Belgrano lines, at its best having 17.000 route kilometers. Beguining in 1966, transition from E.F.E.A. (Empresa Ferrocarriles del Estado Argentino) to F.A. (Ferrocarriles Argentinos) meaning destruction of railroads as an entity. Don’t wish to talk about political facts during military dictatorship between 1966 and 1973. Instead, am trying to model as faithfull as posible in 1:22,5 scale .
Having modeled in H0 scale using several gauge ranges from 10,5 to 12 mm., when I saw WP&Y ALCo RSD 35 diesel loco inmediatly decided a change of scale. Forty RSD 35 (also known as DL 535) were delivered from Schenectady in 1962, so motive power was out of question.
My timeframe and locale dictated that no less than four Alcos were needed and also a similar quantity of GE’s 165 Ton diesel. These GE locomotivas are similar to 90 class on WP&Y, supplied by GE in 1948 (70 strong) from Erie, they are “Erie Builts” Over here they are called “Coopers” for their Cooper-Bssemer prime movers, lately replaced with Fiat engines.
Suposedly, in 1962 began a modernisation plan that involved not only adquisition of Alcos, but also 70 GE Universal series Co-Co U12C model locomotives, both GE types and ALCo share same six wheel trucks.
Begining in 1964, passenger coaches from Aerfer and Pistoia, from Italy, and Materfer (argentine made) began polishing meter gauge rails. Notwithsttanding that, old wood and metal coaches from many manufacturers continued plying all Belgrano lines for two or three decades more.
Belgrano RR was a 1947 almagamation or merger of seven diferent railroads under State (national) control. Former companies belonged to british, french, provincial and state (national) ownership. One of them, Central Cordoba Rail
