Tren de caña con locomotora Plymouth de 50 toneladas, área de Fajardo Development Co. Sugar cane train with 50 ton Plymouth locomotive, area of Fajardo Development Co.
Wilson, Gerald / Tom Lehman photostream. “13,247–Trainload of sugarcane=58.jpg | Flickr – Photo Sharing!”. Photo. Web. 29 Sept. 2014.
<https://www.flickr.com/photos/telehman/2411511593/in/set-72157604526393015/>. Copyright. All rights reserved.
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Mapa / Map Fajardo Development Co.
Eastern Puerto Rico / Este de Puerto Rico
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Email 27 Sept 2014 from Dave Deyo:
Hello Roger:
I note the letters FD on several of the cane car frames, but cannot see a “C” to make it FDC. The locomotive pulling the train is a Plymouth centercab in the original FDC paint scheme. #E446 and E447 on the ATdePR roster have a flare on either side of the cab, so this would have been one of the first four locomotives FDC purchase where the cab met the frame at a 90 degree angle. The number of support stanchions on each section of handrail along both hoods matches the four first centercab Plymouths. I am not sure the third and fourth units going to the FDC came in the original paint scheme, so my first response is to say it is either E442 or E443. The automobile coming at us is a 1957 or 1958 Ford, I think, so it might give some clue as to the date of the photo. See the attached photos on which I made my evaluation.
Looking at my Plymouth records, only FDC Plymouth 50 ton #2 (later E442) was purchased by FDC, and the next three were purchased by and shipped to Fajardo-Eastern Sugar Associates, most likely supporting my theory that the locomotive in the picture was #2 (E442) and may have been the only one painted as seen here. This was built in 1957, while the others were in 1958 and later. The final two big Plymouths were ex-US and Canadian military engines, and the flare at the bottom of the cab where it meets the frame may have been part of the new batches of 50 tonner built.
Dave
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