International Railroad Discussion > Argentina/Chile meter gauge sitrep

With Argentina in the news last week for defaulting, it is probably time to look again at the Argentinean, and Chilean meter gauge networks

Argentina is gearing up for elections next year so we are into the silly season

The Government of Salta Province have revoked the franchise of Ecotren SA to operate the Tren A las Nubes, following a derailment in a tunnel on July 22. The service will now be operated by the Salta Government, but is unlikely to be reactivated this season. Total chaos with bookings as Ecotren was holding advanced payments that will require refund

As the track, locomotive, and operating crew are all Belgrano Cargas, how a derailment can be the fault of Ecotren beggars belief. Ecotren had been operating with their hands tied behind their backs. The intransigent and belligerent Belgrano rail unions refused to allow Ecotren to operate their own locomotives and (ex Swiss) carriages. When unions allied with the Peronist Party pull the strings Christina jumps, and free enterprise is forced to obey (or be nationalised)

The locomotive TT01 owned by the previous Tren a las Nubes operator, which went into receivership in 2005, was purchased by the FCAB and moved to Calama by road in October 2013, via the Paso de Jama. The Chile Route 27 which leads to the pass, reaches an altitude of 4,810 m (15,780 ft) 100 km west of the border. Paso de Jama is a good route for loco transfers as there are no tunnels, and the road has wide shoulders. This route also used for transfers between Ferroviaria Oriental from Bolivia, and Casagrande Motori at Chena (Santiago). Now numbered 2501, TT01 has been rebuilt to GT22CU-3 level
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t1.0-9/q80/s720x720/10401528_10202780460047434_8668108649473163543_n.jpg

The ALL franchises in Argentina have also been nationalised, with these operations rolled into an expanded Belgrano Cargas (now operating on 3 gauges). China has lent Christina an additional US$2.5 billion for an additional 100 locos for Belgrano Cargas, bringing the number of locos on order for this operator to 150. One should probably ask the question whether this number of locomotives is actually required, or is the quantity being purchased inflated, to increase the size of the kickbacks to the political elite?

Evidence is now emerging from Latin America that the former Chinese Ministry of Railways Liu Zhijun, divvied up the planet, and allocated markets to each assembler, with the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, tasked with policing compliance of this non-competitive directive

Since the arrest of Liu Zhijun for corruption in 2011, and the demise of his Ministry, it would appear that CSR has told the Chamber to get knotted, ignored their directives, and dramatically undercut CNR's pricing in Argentina http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20130613000141&cid=1102

CSR going its own way obviously has Party approval, as the CSR's in-house Party Secretary has the power to override managements commercial decisions. The “Corporation Limited” in China South Locomotive & Rolling Stock Corporation Limited, is total bullshit. The majority shareholder is the state-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (abbreviation SASAC), so the "Company" is under full Party control. Think of the in-house Party Secretary’s role as similar to the political commissars embedded in their armed forces

Tenders were called mid year for a contractor to rebuild 300km of C14 track east of San Antonio de Los Cobres. I guess that it will be at least mid to late 2015 before the C14 is again capable of moving freight in commercial quantities

On the FCAB in Chile a new spur to the Polish owned Sierra Gorda SCM mine has been opened. This line leaves the main line around 5 km west of Sierra Gorda, and climbs north to the mine via a series of of horse shoe curves ascending a wide valley. These curves should offer photo opportunities. C&P this link into Youtube, Entrada triunfal del tren

The Antofagasta NIMBYs and the city council have obtained an injunction halting work on the copper concentrate railcar unloading facility and storage silo at Puerto Antofagasta, the injunction is currently under appeal in a higher court. The Port has planning permission to extend the port area 300 meters to the south, giving an additional 15 hectares for concentrate silos, container stacking, and rail loading. http://www.mercurioantofagasta.cl/impresa/2014/07/23/full/5/

No commercial operator took up the open access opportunity on the FCALP, so it looks like the Chilean government will be again squandering taxpayers money playing trains over this line. There are 2 U13C currently at Casagrande being rebuilt to 1800HP for this operation.

Is the Sierra Gorda facility actually in production?

Sierra Gorda SCM plant was started last week, pit pre-strippimg completed

Chile Supreme Court lifted the injunction on shipping concentrate through Antofagasta late Monday

http://www.mercurioantofagasta.cl/impresa/2014/08/05/full/1/
http://www.mercurioantofagasta.cl/impresa/2014/08/05/full/2/
http://www.mercurioantofagasta.cl/impresa/2014/08/05/full/3/
http://www.mercurioantofagasta.cl/impresa/2014/08/05/full/4/

jmt Wrote:
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> Sierra Gorda SCM plant was started last week, pit
> pre-strippimg completed

Oh good, I'll put it on my 'too see' list for December.

How times change. I made a few visits to the high mountains and deserts of northern Chile in the 1970s; remote, empty and beautiful. Now I learn there is a wide paved road over the Paso de Jama. Thanks for the update.

Anyone know if the Railway Touring Company Argentina tour will operate over the C-14 as in the itinerary? That is scheduled for November with Argentina, Chile and Uruguay included in the program.

Dale Brown



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/14 15:16 by DWBrown.

I have answered my own question, the tour on the website was changed. The tour to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay has been partly changed. The C-14 part and Antofagasta has been dropped. Certainly their were some that booked for the C-14 experience primarily. FCAB was going to have a steam excursion from Antofagasta to Mellijones. That would have been a first.

Dale Brown



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/14 15:18 by DWBrown.