International Railway of Central America 2-8-0 Locomotives in Guatemala

Class 100 (Locobase 15258)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 72, pp.74+, Volume 78, pp. 106+. See also Hayley Enoch, "Cosmopolitan side of Colorado steam", Trains, November 2016, p. 61.(Thanks to Chris Hohl, whose 21 June 2024 email corrected the valve gear description and the engine-tender wheelbase.) Works numbers were 58162-58164 in December 1924; 58224-58227, 58231-58235, 58439-58441 in May 1925; 59129-59131, 59160-59166 in April 1926.

Locobase 15065 shows the first oil burning outside-frame Consolidations to come from Baldwin to the IRCA in 1919. Almost six years later, the IRCA bought three more with slight tweaks to the design that included a 1/2" increase in cylinder diameter and a sizable weight gain. Over the next 16 months, the railroad bought 22 more, an indication of considerable satisfaction with the design (and competitive pricing, no doubt).

Road numbers were not assigned in order, so the renumberings in 1928 resulted in the following sequence in builder's number order: 114-116, 102-103, 117-122, 104-106, 101, 124-123, 125, 107-113.

However they were numbered, the class remained on the IRCA at least until 1952.

The 111 was later sold to Don Drawer of Fort Lupton, Colo, who stored it at the Flying D Ranch. The engine went on display at Breckenridge, Colo. Trains' item on the restoration of the 111 says that History Colorado bought the locomotive in 2007. It was sent to the Georgetown Loop and, beginning in 2013, the Silver Plume shops restored the 111 to operating status. Its first test run occurred on 15 August 2016 after which it reentered service in 2017. In 2024, the 111 (pronounced one-eleven) shared operation duties with another ex-IRCA 2-8-0 (Locobase 15065).

Class 32 (Locobase 14189)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 49, p. 105 and Volume 54, pp. 298+. Works numbers were 39977-39978 in June 1913, 40116-40118 in July, 41590-41594 in August 1914, 52664 in December 1919, 53777-53778 in September 1920.

Although the country field has Guatemala, the United Fruit's IRCA sent two of these wood-burning Consolidations to plantations in El Salvador. Later locomotives were heavier and burned coal (Locobase 15064) and oil (Locobase 15065).

By 1921, the 36 had been converted to oil-burning.

Class 37 (Locobase 15064)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 49, p. 105 and Volume 54, pp. 298+. Works numbers were 41590-41594 in August 1914, 52664 in December 1919, 53777-53778 in September 1920.

Although the country field has Guatemala, the United Fruit's IRCA sent two of these wood-burning Consolidations to plantations in El Salvador.

These 1914 engines had four tons more adhesion weight than the earlier wood-burners described in Locobase , possibly because they were coal-burners.

By 1921, 36 had been converted to oil-burning.

Class 49 (Locobase 15065)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 66, pp.76+. Works numbers were 52664 in December 1919, 53777-53778 in September 1920, 55084-55086 in September 1921.

The IRCA's Baldwin Consolidations wound up burning every kind of fuel. The 1913 and early 1914 engines (Locobase 14189) used wood. The next five locomotives (presented in Locobase 15064) burned soft coal. And this 1919 edition Baldwin's front-mounted oil burner used heavy crude that was to average 15 degrees Baume and not to be less than 14 degrees Baume (a measurement of liquid density in use during most of the steam era.

Both the 41 and 44 went on to post-banana road careers in Colorado. In February 1968, the 44 was sold to the Colorado Central Narrow Gauge. The 40 followed in February 1972. The same sequence would be repeated for the pair's next move. The Georgetown Loop Railroad bought the 40 in September 1973 and the 44 followed in February 1977.

Both were later on display at the Colorado Railroad Museum beginning in 2013. Taken under care in 2017 when it returned to the GLRR, the 40 reentered service after its update In 2024, 40 hauled trains alongside the 111. The 44 ran out of time in 1921 when it was sold and dismantled.