PATAGONIA 2023 INGENIERO JACOBACCI TO CERRO MESA 4 September 2023

PATAGONIA - The name alone is sufficient to raise your heartbeat, to generate a sense of excitement and to fill your mind with the thoughts of adventure in one of the worlds most spectacular and far-flung regions.
La Trochita is the name given to the narrow gauge (750 mm) railway that ran from, Ingeniero Jacobacci to Esquel, a distance of 402 km. Trains no longer run on the full length of the line, however, it is possible to travel on three isolated sections, on tourist trains in the summer months, or by specially organised charters throughout the year. In September 2023 Bernd Seiler's FarRail Tours chartered trains on the three operational sections of the railway. This series of videos record the adventure.
In its heyday trains were timetabled to travel the full length of the line in approximately 17 hours, however now-a-days it takes a full day to travel a quarter of that distance, and that's if everything goes well! However, reaching the destination is not what matters, it's the experience. Travelling through the Patagonian wilderness is truly memorable and breathtaking, however , the motion of the train can easily put you to sleep and, when you wake up, it may appear that you are still in the same place! However, the landscape does change and this will become apparent if you watch the whole series of videos.
We begin with the first day's journey from Ingeniero Jacobacci to Cerro Mesa (after a wonderful sunrise covered in the previously posted video "Down at the Station Early in the Morning") and soon encounter unexpected troubles with slipping and stalling on the climb to Ojos de Agua. This video captures the action from the cab of the second loco, plus at photostops along the way.
Yes, you may well fall asleep and wake up feeling like you are in the same place! However, hopefully the videos bring the joys of La Trochita almost to life in your living room. To add to the experience, open a bottle of red, turn on the air conditioner and electric fan, and put on your winter coat and beany and you'll almost feel like you're there.
Yes, the footage is shaky and at times the wind noise and the sounds of camera shutter/s intrude, however, these aren't sanitized versions of the events, but rather a glimpse of a real life railway adventure.
It mightn't be to your taste, however, my hope is that these videos, in some small way, convey the joy of travelling in Patagonia on La Trochita.

[@simonf8902]

What a huge country. At the bottom of the world. Astounding.

[@albertosartorello3880]

NICE TRAIN AND NICE VIDEO. I JOINED THE OCTOBER 1995 DORRIDGE TRAVEL TO ARGENTINA & PARAGUAY. WE COULD RIDE FROM I. J. TO ESQUEL. ENGINE BALDWIN.