The train from Cusco to Machu Picchu

 

August 2000

 

The station where trains leave for Machu Picchu is very busy in the early morning hours, three to six trains, crammed with people, leave within one hour. Luckily, we are allowed to use the back entrance and to take a look around the place.

 

With this little kettle, the trip would be a lot more relaxing, as it would take at least a day longer to get to Aguas Calientes ...

 

The first tourist train leaves the station. The railroad has developed a very subtle pricing scheme for tourists and local people. Tourists pay more of course, and the price for a ride varies by a factor of about 300, leading to vivid discussions in every book about traveling in Peru. Our chartered railcar is the most expensive solution, but we are railfans, and we treat ourselves ...

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Switchers, Locos and cars are pulled out of the shops of the Cusco & Sta Ana Railroad

 

Ferrostal railcars (built in Germany)

 

Ferrostal railcars (built in Germany)

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Main building of the shops in Cusco

 

Freight cars in the Cusco station.

 

there is no road down the Urubamba valley. Trucks use the railroad just as everybody else (they are too heavy for the old russian helicopter tourist express service to Machu Picchu)

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Uphill, over several switchbacks, out of the Cusco valley towards the Urubamba valley

 

on top of the ridge just out of the Cusco, looking towards the Urubamba valley. Two regular trains follow each other in close distance, because the first train's engine broke, and all had to wait for a helper engine

 

Our charter railcar waits in a siding to let a regular train pass.

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The broken engine returns on its own to the Cusco shops

 

general impression of Peru Highland landscape

 

an Adobe brick building demonstration object

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we stop for a photo run-by

 

Ferrostal railcar

 

using advanced communication facilities in Huarocondo

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turning into the Urubamba valley

 

turning into the Urubamba valley

 

crossing the Urubamba river

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following the Urubamba valley

 

following the Urubamba valley

 

following the Urubamba valley

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Coming into Aguas Calientes Station. Luckily, there are not too many train movements here ...

 

The railroad station at Aguas Calientes is completely hidden behind the market stands

 

Aguas Calientes is a tourists place, and therefore attracts many market stands. Locally made textiles, woven carpets, table cloths or bags are a must to take home. The railroad bridge is at the same time the only walkway across the river in Aguas Calientes

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The Ferrostal railcar in the background and one of the new narrow gauge trains built in Spain, Europe are waiting at the new Aguas Calientes station

 

Early afternoon train leaves the new Aguas Calientes station for the trip back to Cusco

 

The Ferrostal railcar produces a lot of smoke at the new Aguas Calientes station preparing for the trip back to Cusco

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old freight car with corrugated steel sides

 

Many trains pass here but not many seem to stop here, so we seem to be the event of the day

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This mobile phone is of a very unique design. Wire ends are scrubbed clean with a pocket knife, then they are wrapped around the telephone wires to finally establish a reliable connection

 

The old telephone device seem to be of much more use than the modern radio ...

 

This may be a remote place, but train orders seem to be more than complex ...

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Our charter railcar stops at a siding in a completely deserted area to ask for train orders

 

This freight carries new water tubes for a hydro power plant damaged by a landslide in 1998

 

We are waiting at siding, for a crossing freight train

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These little speeders are used througout the network

 

Inside view of the Ferrostal railcar

 

The evening sun draws lively shadows of our railcar on the way back to Cusco

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