Thursday, October 29, 2026

Southern Peru Copper Corporation (SPCC) Alco RS-11 locomotive


    SPCC purchased 5 units new from ALCO: Delivered directly from the builder between 1956 and 1959, assigned road numbers 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8. plus 3 units acquired second-hand from the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) in the mid-1970s, assigned road numbers 11, 12, and 13. While the SPCC roster has historically included nearly 50 different locomotives, their current active line-up has been consolidated down to roughly 24 to 26 active mainline engines. Much of their daily mine operations shifted heavily to truck hauling, which allowed them to retire older models like the original ALCO RS-11 fleets.
SPCC operates an industrial private railway network that spans approximately 133 to 149 miles (214 to 240 km) of standard-gauge track. The primary artery of the system is the Toquepala-Cuajone-Ilo line, which connects their high-altitude Andean open-pit copper mines to the coastal processing infrastructure.

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