Paraguay - 4-6-0 No.286

In the late 1980's Porta was contracted to work for the Paraguayan state railway system. In Paraguay all steam is wood fired. Working on an ex-Argentine locomotive 4-6-0 No.286 Porta and his small team set about some fairly basic modifications. Perhaps the most important of these being the implementation of a Lempor exhaust ejector and a Gas Producer Combustion System (GPCS) firebox. Thus on No.286 Porta was able to demonstrate that GPCS was not just suitable for coal. He knew this already from work elsewhere in South America but this was the first attempt to "permanently" setup such a system. The locomotive was out-shopped in 1988.

Porta suffered many problems in Paraguay which ultimately lead him to leave before the work was completed. It was to remain the one and only job he walked out on in his life. For a good idea of some of these problems readers are referred to page 508 of David Wardale's book 'The Red Devil and Other Tales from the Age of Steam'.

Despite the problems it is reported that No.286 would use just 30% of the wood an unmodified engine would consume to produce the same power.

It is believed that No.286 is currently (March 2007) dumped outside at Sapucay works.

More to follow.

4-6-0 No.286 in the works at Sapucay. Date unknown but likely to be 1988, photographer unknown.

A line drawing of 286 pre-modification. The loco was originally built by Kerr Stuart in the UK in 1914.

No. 286 leaving Asunciòn on 01 November 1998, ten years after modification. © Ian Gordon Fairleigh, courtesy of Shaun McMahon.

Recommended viewing: DVD- Paraguay Steam by Dashwood Productions. Available in the UK from Camden Miniature Steam Services. This DVD, filmed in 1991, features about 15 minutes of Kerr Stuart 4-6-0 No. 286 in operation. No specific reference is made to the locomotive or the modifications in the film but the Lempor can clearly be heard!

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