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I finally found the photo of P&Gs Whitcomb #3, not long after bringing it from Central Machete. It is almost virgin here, as delivered to Central San Vicente. This is the same locomotive that is at the Moreau mansion in Moca, after several drastic modifications! I am glad I got at least one photo of it before they decided to make it into a Plymouth (or so it would appear, because the new body came from one). The man standing against the front wall of the cab is Marco Amaro, a walking book of knowledge about PR railroads. He worked at LaFayette and Machete before coming to Aguirre. He knew the history of Central Columbia in Maunabo and that his father worked there and they did have two little German steamers (we now have the information on them, finally). He made several trips to Maunabo regarding repairs to their fleet of small Plymouths Fantauzzi bought for there to replace the steamers. The mill at Maunabo closed in the teens, but sugar was still harvested using the steamers until the Plymouths were purchased and used on the trackwork for the mill. Cane was loaded onto trucks to be taken to LaFayette to be ground. The gauge of the railroad was 24″. The trackwork was fairly extensive, and portable track was also used. The railroad worked until the late 1940s.
Dave Deyo
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Moca, Palacete de los Moreau. Beautiful mansión with diesel engine from Central Aguirre exhibit (P&Gs Whitcomb #3). / Mansión con exhibición de locomotora diesel de la Central Aguirre (P&Gs Whitcomb #3). Fotos Roger Aponte