I have recently received another note about Copper Belt Shay no. 3, telling me that Lima construction number 761 (Copper Belt no. 3) was built for Guayaquil & Quito Railway in March 1903, along with Lima no. 762. The order was canceled and the two locomotives remained at Lima until new buyers were found.

I am wondering if maybe someone has some documentation for this original sale to Guayaquil & Quito.

I have added this note to Copper Belt no. 3:

http://www.utahrails.net/utahrails/copp ... -locos.php

Copper Belt no. 3, as Lima construction no. 761, has been reported as being built in March 1903, for the Ecuadorian Association's 42-inch gauge Guayaquil & Quito Railway, along with Lima construction no. 762. The order was cancelled and the two locomotives remained at Lima awaiting new buyers. The Lima Historical Society offers a photograph of a Shay locomotive lettered for the G&Q, but a number is not visible. Lima construction no. 761 was apparently converted from 42-inch gauge, to standard gauge and sold to Copper Belt a year later as their no. 3 in April 1904. Lima construction no. 762, reported as being identical to Copper Belt no. 3, was sold to the Cherry River Boom & Lumber Co., Richwood, West Virginia, as their no. 6 in October 1904.

Copper Belt no. 3 arrived in Salt Lake City on April 27, 1904, and made it first trip on Copper Belt tracks on April 30, 1904.

I have a builder list of all Shay locomotives, compiled by Bob Lehmuth, and its shows that Lima numbers 761 and 762 are indeed in a rough sequence with others built in February-April 1903.

Shaylocomotives.com has a small version of a photo of a Guayaquil & Quito Shay on their page for no. 761, but a number is not visible:

http://www.shaylocomotives.com/data/lima/sn-761.htm

They don't show a photo of #762, and they lack the "built for" information.

http://www.shaylocomotives.com/data/lima/sn-762.htm

Don Strack
http://www.utahrails.net/