Caguas Tramway Company 2-6-0 Locomotives in USA-Puerto_Rico

Class 1-5 (Locobase 13258)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Volume 31, p.169. See Allen Morrison, The Tramways of San Juan Puerto Rico at [], last accessed on 15 October 2011. Works numbers were 32640-32641 in January 1908, 33096

in December, 36921 in September 1911, 38300 in September 1912.

The American Railway of Porto Rico bought the first two Moguls to use on their 18-mile Rio Piedras-Caguas tramway, which was an electric interurban line. In the event, Caguas never actually operated a tram line and the standard-gauge track was narrowed before any deliveries to the metre gauge. The third locomotive arrived about a year later. The other two were purchased on behalf of the Porto Rico Railway Light & Power Company, which designated them for the Caguas as their 4-5.

Despite the short length and original intent, the Caguas offered challenges to the new engines. The specs reveal that curves could bend as much as 20 degrees (190 ft / 58 metres radius) and grades reached 3%; the latter were to be scaled by one of these engines while hauling 200-215 short tons. The resulting locomotives were relatively large and powerful for the gauge and wheel arrangement.

CTC operated until 1928 as a common-carrier steam railroad. On 13 September 1928, the island, and particularly San Juan, was ravaged by the only Category 5 hurricane ever to make landfall there. The impact was so widespread that much of the CTC was destroyed or heavily damaged.

Four of the five engines were later operated by the American Railroad of Puerto Rico as the 111-113 (the ex-5's numbers wasn't recorded). The 4 was sold to Eastern Sugar Company.