The La Guaira and Caracas Railway was a narrow gauge (914mm gauge) line that linked Caracas to the port of La Guira. The line was electrified in the 1920s and used a combination of Swiss built locomotives and British built passenger motor cars. The latter were built by Cravens with electrical equipment by English Electric. The motor cars could carry passengers and also haul other carriages.
 |
| One of the motor cars [1] |
| Information | |
|---|---|
| Number built: | 4 |
| Built: | 1927 |
| Builder: | Cravens / English Electric |
| Motor: | 4 DK109 traction motors (1500v DC OHLE) |
| Power: | 264 hp (197 kW) |
| Wheel arrangement: | Bo-Bo |
The motor cars served into the 1940s but the line suffered from competition with road transport, and was a different gauge to other railways in Venezuela, after a period of financial difficulty it was nationalised. After storm damage in 1951 the railway was not repaired due to a lack of government finance and closed. The motor cars managed to survive stored at Caracas until the end of the 1950s but were scrapped. Little trace of the railway now remains.
[1] "Electrification of the La Guaira and Caracas Railway", English Electric Journal (4/1928) p. 74