RIGHT: A British-built three-axle switcher rests at Port Esquivel in February 2015. The port is typically off-limits to all but employees, which is probably the reason this critter retains its builders plates and other collectible hardware.
MIDDLE: General Electric 80-ton No. 3 serves as the shop switcher at Port Esquivel. Like its larger mates, it also wears the Jamaican national colors of yellow, black, and green.
BOTTOM: Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners has a line between the Caribbean port at Discovery Bay and mines near Alexandria. Imported EMD SD38 No. 5105 was built for Penn Central and later served Conrail before being rebuilt with dynamic brakes for service in Jamaica.
and imported to Jamaica in 2001. They are easily spotted by the large bulge on the long hood to accommodate the power plant. The extensive and well-equipped
shops at Port Esquivel maintain the Windalco locomotives and rolling stock, with skilled workers performing every- thing from prime mover rebuilds to truck change-outs. It’s also where the locomo- tives are serviced and fueled between runs. Most of Windalco’s locomotives are painted in Jamaican colors of black, yel- low, and green. No. 1116 was rebuilt at some point with a low short hood. Nos. 1123 and 1132 are still in the old Jamai- ca Railway Corp. blue, grey, and orange paint scheme. Crews like the old MLW locomotives,
and although they are rated at only 950 h.p., say they are good pullers and re- main up to the task despite their age. At the port, GE 80-ton center cab No. 3 serves as the shop switcher. Also on the property is a British-built Yorkshire shunter, which is out of service. Operations consist of a weekday morn-
ing round trip between Port Esquivel, a former U.S. Navy base, and Ewarton. Three locomotives are used on the road freights, which can be 40 cars or more. An afternoon turn runs as needed, as well as work trains. The line passes through Linstead, Spanish Town, and Old Harbour, where abandoned stations still stand. It also navigates several tun- nels and bridges as it winds along the Rio Cobre. Crossing watchmen guard many of the roads along the line and close and open the gates for passing trains. There are two other operations on the
south coast of Jamaica. Alpart has about 11 miles of mainline from Nain to Port Kaiser. It shut down in 2009 during the global recession, and is also expected to reopen in late 2016. The line also ran Baldwins RS12s and AS616s, some built new at Eddystone. Alpart later switched to EMDs, including an ex-Southern Pa- cific GP35.
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