Costa Rica - Visit Reports
January 2023
Visit report courtesy of Miika Nicholson
San Jose - Thursday 12th and Friday 13th January 2023 Limon - Thursday 19th and Friday 20th January 2023
I have listed Loco No's on this email - If interested, hopefully you can work out the type from my photographs.
San Jose
All services are now operated by DMU’s. These are split between brand new ones from China and second-hand hand ones from Spain (ex.FEVE). Services operate Monday to Friday, during both the morning and afternoon peaks only. Timetables are regularly updated on INCOFER’s Instagram and Facebook pages. There is a lot of street running in San Jose which is fascinating to see. The loco hauled services were withdrawn 2 years ago (sadly). San Jose has retained 3 locomotives for engineering work purposes - No 30, 51 and 84 - presumably all tucked up inside the sheds (I have seen photos via my contact). At the Pacifico station you can see some stored electric locomotives (camera zoom required) and the old coaching stock.
New Chinese built units seen: 200-3128/3178 200-3127/3177 200-3126/3176 200-3125/3175 200-3124/3174 200-3123/3173 200-3122/3172
ex-FEVE units seen: 2404/2454 2413 2455 2457 2466
Plinthed: No. 3 electric loco at Pacifico stationhttps://maps.google.com?g_st=ic No. 14 “Gandoca” steam loco at Pacifico Yardhttps://maps.google.com?g_st=ic No. 59 steam loco at Atlantic stationhttps://maps.app.goo.gl/CxjAidpaEoRhuPrT7?g_st=ic “Maria Cecila” steam loco at Pacifico Yardhttps://maps.google.com?g_st=ic
Coaching Stock at Pacifico station/Yard: 10, 55, 65, 72, 84, 86, 112, 113, 114, CR300, Rest unidentified
Stored Electric Locos inside Pacifico Yard: No. 20, No. 112, Rest unidentified
Limon
Two types of services operate from Limon, with the track being available between Limon Yard and Leesville (https://maps.app.goo.gl/71XK7QxpoZKMbEWc8?g_st=ic). There is a washed out section of track a few Kilometres San Jose side of Leesville. Locos are either stored at Limon Sheds or Siquirres Sheds. My source tells me Loco Nos. 81 and 85 are assigned to the section between Leesville and Siquirres. However, Loco Nos. 34, 55, 57, 79, 81, 86 and 89 are available for this section of track. Most are kept at Limon. No.5 is also visible at Limon sheds, although non-operational. Other rotting examples also around but all unidentified. There are about 3 or 4 freight trains a week, and about 3 or 4 tourist trains per week. Tourist train operate December to March, and June to August (hope I remembered that correctly).
I originally visited the sheds at Limon at about 16:00 on Thursday 19th - my contact told me all the workers had gone home for the day. The yard was all gated and fenced until you get near the back part of the yard. Here I left my wife with the bags and went for a walk. There must be cameras as my wife was spotted within a few minutes. The female security guard offered to use our phone to take pictures around the yard (come to think of it, this was a very kind gesture). I handed over a phone and PIN number and hoped for the best. She reappeared after 10 minutes with several photos. I decided to return the following day.
INCOFER has a special contract between themselves and the Cruise Lines. This means that the tourist trains are only available to Cruise passengers. There is no access to these tourist trains without being on a cruise, unless of course you know someone.
On Friday 20th, Royal Caribbean had a Cruise Ship arriving at 09:00 (Rhapsody of the Seas). Train No. 89 and three carriages were prepped for the arrival (there are at least 4 operational carriages in Limon Yard, and two more that look in pretty good condition but probably not operational). This train departed empty at 08:54 and drove approximately 7km to the location where the cruise passengers would join the train (Arrival at 09:34, location:https://maps.app.goo.gl/C78uvP58nZogyTTC9?g_st=ic). Cruise passengers arrived at 10:40 (supposedly half an hour late) and the train departed at 10:55. Three busses turned up, and each bus was assigned one carriage. From my understanding, the cruise passengers were not allowed to change carriages and even standing whilst the train was moving appeared to be frowned upon. Perhaps 20 minutes after departure, the driver asked me to join him in the driving cab where I stayed for the rest of the day.
The final stop was approximately 11km further (Arrival at 12:03, location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QfYaMACqqfw89fZP9?g_st=ic). The cruise passengers were escorted off the carriages directly onto the same buses. There was next to zero opportunity to photograph the train.
At 12:16 another 3 buses turned up. Again, the cruise passengers were loaded directly onto their assigned carriage. The train departed at 12:23. And arrived back at the first "drop off location" at 13:30. Passengers were taken off the train directly onto buses with about 4 people managing to walk up to the locomotive for a photograph. From here the train ran empty back to Limon yard (Arrival at 14:15). Limon itself has a short section of street running.
Cruise timetable for Limon port: https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/puerto-limon-port-443?tab=schedule&month=2023-01#schedule
Other trains in Costa Rica...
I knew nothing about this, but my contact has told me that a similar set up to the Limon tourist train operation is also available on the Pacific coastline. Again, the trains are for cruise passengers only (port: Puntarenas, route: Caldera to Uvita - a bit sceptical as that appears too long of a run unless I cannot locate the correct Uvita on the map). Loco No's. 15 and 39 are available for trains. I have recent photos from my contact so it certainly does exist.
