Metre Gauge at Metan

We hadn't planned to stop at Metan on the General Belgrano metre gauge system in northwest Argentina, but circumstances beyond our control led to us unexpectedly spending quite a few hours there. At least it was steamy.

The plan was to head north from Tucuman to Salta, start of the fantastic mountain line to Socompa in Chile, one of the highest railways in the world, with many tunnels and viaducts plus two spirals and two zigzags. Opened throughout as recently as 1948 it had been worked by 2-10-2s, but we were aware diesels had been reported on the line a few months earlier. Despite that, we hoped there would still be some steam working.

We had a good visit to Tucuman loco shed, after which we went out to Tafi Viejo Works to check the situation there. We walked right round the perimeter and decided that we would have to make an official approach on another day if we wanted to go inside - there was little to see from outside.

Our train was due to depart from Tucuman Belgrano station at 23.19, in the event it left about 30 minutes late. All went well until Metan. We arrived about 03.30 - and were still there at 11.00! There was some problem on the line north, perhaps a failed train on the single track. We decided to detrain and get a bus to Salta.

At Salta not much was going on. Hardly any steam, just two old 2-8-2s shunting and a 4-8-2 on shed, with the 2-10-2s having been transferred to Metan. Diesels had completely taken over trains to Chile.

So that was a disappointment. We stayed the night in Salta and returned to Metan by bus where we arrived at 10.30 and had a four wait until our train to Tucuman.

We noted on the way up Metan loco shed looked pretty steamy and that was indeed the case. As well as a shed visit, our four hour sojourn coincided with numerous train movements to keep us on our toes.

The loco depot housed thirteen 2-10-2s and nine 4-8-2s, all either in steam or under active maintenance.

Here is a summary of movements we saw between 10.30 and our departure at 14.30:

A 4-8-2 departed on a northbound freight at 10.50.

2-10-2 1314 headed in on a southbound freight at 11.04, leaving some time later.

4-8-2 872 was meantime shunting the permanent way sidings.

2-10-2 1353 finished shunting and went to shed.

A diesel arrived from the north on an oil tanker train at 11.26.

Another diesel came in on a freight from the north at 11.45.

4-8-2 886 arrived at midday on an oil tank working from the north.

4-8-2 859 came down from north light engine at 12.15.

A diesel arrived on another freight.

2-10-2 1321 left on a southbound freight at 14.00.

4-8-2 858 left shed facing north at 14.20.

2-10-2 1353 went to the freight yard facing north at 14.20.

A diesel arrived on the Jujuy to Tucuman passenger service, our train, due to leave at 14.25, consisting of several bogie vans and three well-filled carriages.

Our time at Metan had proved fruitful and showed that the metre gauge was busy and still steamy despite some work being dieselised as at Salta.

At Rosario de la Frontera we passed the diesel worked oil tanks we had seen at Metan. Also there was another 2-10-2 1307.

1354 was at Arenal on a northbound freight. A little further on, at Mogotes was 4-8-2 868 off a permanent way train.

The line from Metan was very scenic with viaducts and bridges across rivers in fertile countryside.

We stopped at Tafi Viejo around 18.45 where 1359 had a northbound freight, before arriving in Tucuman at 19.25.

And it was steamy at Tucuman as well. About 20 working locos were on shed there.

There is more on Tucuman and Tafi Viejo in the article 'Night at the Works'.