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Devil’s Nose train

Upon reaching Sibambe Station we stepped out of the coaches and trekked around for some stunning vistas, including the Devil’s Nose from which our train had descended just a short while before:

The Devil’s Nose

From here I managed to snag some fun images of the train set against the dramatic backdrop of the surrounding terrain:

Conductor, train, and Devil’s Nose

I also enjoyed compositions featuring the railroad tracks, which required getting the camera low to the ground:

Tracks

Here’s a view of the station track switch that allows repositioning of the locomotive to the front for the return trip:

Track switch

Around the tracks were colorful local flora and an Ecuadorian in native dress posing alongside his alpaca:

Flora

Alpaca and Pal

But it was the train that most drew my interest:

Devil’s Nose locomotive

Wooden passenger cars

The Devil’s Nose train

The scenery along the Devil’s Nose train route is quite awesome, even on a cloudy day:

Devil’s Nose train route

Patches of green stand like islands amidst a sea of dark gray rocks and steep drops to the river far below:

Tracks ahead

Devil’s Nose train route

The portion that gives the Devil’s Nose route it’s name is a tall mountain on which a crisscrossing mesh of railroad tracks were installed by some 4,000 Jamaican and Puerto Rican laborers who slaved away for what amounted to 4¢ a day. For that pitiful sum about half of those workers would perish during the construction. To make the steep descent down to Sibambe Station, or the climb back toward Alusí, the train must reverse over several sidings along the face of the Devil’s Nose mountain.

Switchbacks on the Devil’s Nose

From high above you’ll get your first glance at the Sibambe Station, as well as some abandoned equipment alongside the tracks:

Sibambe Station

Abandoned cars

Reaching the valley below, the track straightens out as it makes its way through cut rock alongside a flowing stream:

Devil’s Nose train route

Devil’s Nose train route