International Railroad Discussion > Chile - Argentina Rail Link - my analysis

The original post about this potential restored rail link really sparked my interest. So I went to Salta and Antofagasta on Google Earth at several times to follow the geography and alignment of this rail line. Mountain railroads have always fascinated me. I also have one book about Andes railways by E. A. Haine. I've been told this may not be the best reference, but I did find a lot of information in it useful. Analyzing train operations and railway lines from a transportation and marketing standpoint was most of my railroad career. It does not make any difference weather it is PC or Conrail, USA or South America, standard or meter gauge, the inputs are similar and can be adjusted to fit the circumstances.

My conclusion is that just upgrading this line to engineered maximum speeds and giving it adequate personnel, locomotives, and freight cars may not accomplish that much. First is the physical limitations of the line itself, second is the type of traffic that was and could be available.

Physical limitations:
The route is 562 miles from Antofagasta to Salta. It is meter gauge and has a maximum grade of 2.5% (which is good compared to other Andean lines). There are a total of 28 tunnels, most shor,t 36 major bridges, and over 40 curves which could be called horseshoes or tighter,. Sixty-three percent of the line is in Argentina, and this is where the most difficult, and limiting, operating parameters are found.  Most significant is two switchbacks with average tail room of only 1000 feet. The backwards portion on both is under a half mile, and the two switchbacks are three miles apart. Interestingly enough, they are at the beginning of the steeply difficult terrain. Further up the ascent to the summit of an Andean plateau are a number of horseshoe curves, cuts and fills, and two complete loops which are 2700 & 2880 feet distance before they loop themselves. Very few intermediate sidings were noted, and were short, 1000 feet or less. The summit of the line is at 14,682 feet and I could not really locate it. But more noteworthy from my book reference is that at least 130 miles of the line, almost all in Argentina, is located at an elevation of two miles (10,560 feet) or more. It is a high 'Tibetan-like' plateau, and altho the rail line straightens out a bit over this territory, it is by no means an easy alignment.

Market considerations:
I do not pretend to know the markets in that area. However, some things are obvious. There is almost no industry, even small, from outside of Salta to until a large mine at Escondida well into Chile. My book reference says that almost all freight traffic even into the 1960s was Argentian cattle to Chilean markets. That would hardly be railroad freight today. The entire line is paralleled by a modern paved two lane highway (Rt 52 mostly) and trucks would be faster for perishable livestock at high altitudes. There could be mineral or chemical traffic from the Chile side industry to Argentina, or vice-versa. Probably anything that could take advantage of this route, being shorter to North America and Europe than shipment to Argentina ports would be traffic that could move in international containers. With the tunnels on this line, and being meter gauge, it is unlikely double-stacking containers is likely without huge expense. The 1000 foot limitation of the switchback tail tracks means about 20 forty foot or up to forty 20 foot maximum containers per train, if one six axle modern diesel could handle this tonnage on 2.5%. Extending the upper portions of both switchbacks would require extensive excavation. Double-size trains using two locomotives could be used separating at the switchbacks, but then all the sidings on the line would have to be extended. Finally, a review of the ports of Antofagasta and Mejillonos further north show both to be limited in port facilities with small harbors good for only small to medium size container ships.

I see re-establishment of this rail link facing huge obstacles; and that ignores all the political stuff involved. But, of interest, if you can follow the rail line in Argentina up into the mountains and past the two loops you will see a seven car passenger train and diesel headed for Chile; and looking at the railroad on both sides of it makes you wonder how it got there.  

I don't see how you even followed it.  My Go;ogle Earth doesn't even show the rail lines down there.  I have that selected and can see rail lines in the US, but none in Chili.

Before the Socompa route became moribund Norgas used to run trains of gas from Argentina to Chile. The remarkable looking tank wagons are at Baquedano, where Ferronor crosses the FCAB.

Masterphots has been to Baquedano more recently than I, so may be able to comment (and have photos) on the the fleet of LPG tank cars stored there by the LPG importer

In recent years this line has been mainly used for LPG traffic from Gumes to Baquedano. This shot gives an illustration of the size of Chilean LPG tank cars (converted from US standard gauge at Iquique) http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QlJ1FTwm7Wk/TDs9W0BtJ1I/AAAAAAAACas/gwlSs_Bwj9Q/s400/100_1060.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QlJ1FTwm7Wk/TDs9jKd1xuI/AAAAAAAACa8/PAYH6a8SfZ8/s400/100_1064.jpg

Chilean tank cars stored at Gumes load-out terminal 24°42'19.17" S  65°01'48.12" W

Potentially 80% of cargo will be generated from west of Salar de Arizaro, The sector from Estacion Tolar Grande to Socompa, say within 100km of the border. Lithium brine and mineral salts from the Salar to SQM's processing plant at Coya Sur on the Baquedano-Iquique line around 110km north of Baquedano

All you can see on Google earth is evidence of the step out drilling, this is a copper mining project proposed at Taca Taca by Canada's First Quantum Minerals, proposed mine to ship 1.8 mtpa copper concentrate 24°34'05.82" S  67°44'20.62" W

There is also other mining activity in this region, that is only only economically viable if the rail link to Antofagasta is re-established. It will probably be at least a decade before the tonnages being touted by Argentinian politicians are realised, and that may be optimistic.

A 100 km radius of Socompa on the Chilean side takes in the BHP-B Escondida (world biggest copper mine by output), Antofagasta PLC's Zaldivar, plus Yamana Gold's El Peñón. FCAB moves around 2 mtpa for Escondida/Zaldivar


 

86235 Wrote:
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> Before the Socompa route became moribund Norgas
> used to run trains of gas from Argentina to Chile.
> The remarkable looking tank wagons are at
> Baquedano, where Ferronor crosses the FCAB.

I get to Baquedano at least once a year and I haven't seen the Norgas tanks there move in 10 years.  Many have plants growing through the trucks, and enough dust to almost cover all the lettering.  They've been sitting on the same tracks around the old FN station for a very long time.  Here are photos of the cars, clean one taken 2/11/05;  dirty one 8/11/08.  When I'm up in the next few months, I'll take an inventory and shoot another photo or two.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/15 08:55 by masterphots.

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A very good analysis by tp117.  There is one consideration that may be unique to Chile and possibly Argentina. Short trains are the norm, so they would fit on the exisiting line.  Double stacks would never work due to clearances and possibly being top heavy on the many tight curves.  Any rehab of the line will improve the track structure itself and eliminate truly troublesome curves but that will be it.  So, a diesel and 8-10 car train would be typical.  Even here in Santiago,  container trains from the ports of San Antonio and Valparaiso seldom have more than 10 cars, pulled by one SD39M.  As for traffic, mineral extraction would probably be most, if not all, of it.  I'm not sure what produce is grown in the Salta area, but as you said, trucking would make much more sense.  And today, very little Argentine beef makes its way to Chilean markets;   the local ranchers supply most of what is sold,  although we do import some from Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay,  presumably by truck.  But overwhelmingly Chileans buy "Filete Nacional" which is from homegrown range cattle.  (no feedlots here).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/15 16:16 by masterphots.

Thanks for the additional comments and info. I'll have to find those locations. I would like to see the line re-opened, like any rail line, and if can be supported by new on-line business between the end terminals that is great.

to Jfrank39: I used to have rail lines highlighted, but as I got a newer computer somehow that went away. Neither my son nor I can figure out how to get it back. I never find a locations by using a place name or co-ordinates. I look at Googles maps of the world, and double click down to the level where country borders and place names start to show. Railroads in desert areas are hard to find if they do not have a visible light colored stone ballast section. The meter gauge in Chilie often has ballast or other material that ends up looking like the surrounding earth. What I do to find a rail line is go to a major terminal, in this case Salta and Antafagasta. there I look for port docks or rail lines leading out of central city. Then I just follow them the best I can. This particular rail line in several areas is right next to major roads and is hard to distinguish at times until it veers off onto its own right of way. In China its almost impossible to follow some lines that are in wooded areas with a lot of tunnels. those guys build a lot of curved and sometimes spirtal tunnels, and some very long ones and it hard to find the opposite portal. They also build tunnels parallel to the river they are following if that ends up being a better solution than a shelf. The Kunming to Chenggdu line has a lot of this on the south end. this line has short tunnels. On the Chilaen section where the line crosses a lot of arid ridges look for telltale cuts and fills

From Google Maps, it looks like the tracks stop at the Chile-Argentina border at Paso Socompa and don't go into Argentina, except for some stub tracks that go in a couple of hundred yards or so. I found a rail line in Salta, but nothing headed west.

poffcapt Wrote:
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> From Google Maps, it looks like the tracks stop at
> the Chile-Argentina border at Paso Socompa and
> don't go into Argentina, except for some stub
> tracks that go in a couple of hundred yards or so.
> I found a rail line in Salta, but nothing headed
> west.

Google maps are not infaliable

The line east of Salta is perfectily legible on Google Earth, as tp117 has discovered

Type "ferocarril socompa" into Google Images for photos

 

One of the reasons for the closure of trans-border traffic was the sheer bloody mindedness and intransigence of the then Union owned Belgrano Cargas

When Argentina privatised rail in the late '90's they were unable to find any punters willing to take on the loss making meter gauge system, so the government "gifted" the system to the Railwaymen's union https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgrano_Cargas

Ferronor was becoming increasingly frustrated with Belgrano Cargas who were unable/unwilling to settle accounts. The final straw was when BC wrecked 2 Ferronor GR12 between Salta and Guemes in April 2005
http://sp8.fotolog.com/photo/40/36/121/loco_motor/1202769133_f.jpg
http://sp8.fotolog.com/photo/40/36/121/loco_motor/1202859863_f.jpg

Under the agreement BC were responsible for the cost of the loco rebuilds. Unwilling to pay, BC arranged for Argentinean Customs to confiscate the locos as illegal imports!

To their credit Ferronor hounded BC through the Argentine court system, and finally received their rebuilt locos back in September 2009

They were repatriated over the C14. As usual with BC the return was a comedy of errors. On the first attempt the towing loco failed in the vicinity of the switchbacks. Remember that on the BC multiple loco working is banned by their unions unless there is a crew in every loco. Second attempt a week later the towing loco failed on the final leg into Socompa, so the Argentinian crew fired up one of the dead Ferronor GR12, and pushed their failed GT22C to the border

The lines on the Chilean side are privately owned, it is in Argentina's economic interest to restart cross border trade, the Chilean government will make all of the right noises, and offer platitudes to their fellow socialists over the hill, but operation of the lines on their side of the border is basically out of their control. FCAB/Ferronor will demand profitable traffic from the commencement of operations (neither company are common carriers or have a social service caveat), the lower sections of the line carries a couple of million tonnes of take it or pay mine traffic per annum. Why interfere with this profitable business to accommodate a few boxcars of Argentinean soy and sugar, and a couple of LPG movements per week? It is the Argentinean political class that is clamoring to reopen the line, not the corporate Chilean rail owners. Put more than 200k tonnes of Argentinean traffic per year over the Chilean side, and the corporate operators will have to expend their own capital on heavier rail, and additional passing loops. Just look how FCAB drops concentrate down from Bolivia (similar distance/altitude), Up to a 2.5k tonne train behind 3 locos, one up and one down movement per day. This is the type of volume the Chilean operators will be looking for to make it worth the effort. FCAB is part of a a mining group with a turnover exceeding US$5 billion per annum, making it the 33rd-largest company on the London Stock Exchange
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=512474&nseq=9
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=510175&nseq=18
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=510020&nseq=22

Neither Ferronor or FCAB have the capacity or facilities to operate other than block trains. FCAB does not even bother with ISO shipping containers, so there are no rail intermodal yards in either Antofagasta or Mejillones capable of transshipping containers. Sign a 12 to 17 year take it or pay contract for 1000+ containers per week, and you may raise their interest. Ferronor may muck about and move mixed traffic Socompa to Baquedano (over their own rail apart from Palestina-Augusta Victoria), they have a mothballed road-rail transfer yard south of the town, that was used to transship lithium salt containers, all fork handled, they could then truck down to the coast

Historically the FCAB operated the Socompa line from commencement in 1948. The Chilean State took over operation in the early '60's. FCAB owns the sector Palestina (where the Ferronor owned Longitudinal Railway is crossed) to Augusta Victoria, which was an old mining branch. The Chilean Government started building eastward of Augusta Victoria, so the FCAB effectively own a choke point. When EFE took over operations, the FCAB quite naturally demanded track access fees. The Chilean rail bureaucracy was unable to comprehend the audacity of a private company demanding payment from the government for use of its rail. Relations soured to the extent that EFE completed a survey to build a 50km bypass track, but there was insufficient traffic to warrant the expense. Then in the early '70's the Marxist Allende Government commenced moves to nationalise the FCAB, fortune intervened in the form of General Pinochet. The FCAB continued on its merry way as a LSE listed public company and morphed into Antofagasta PLC. The line Augusta Victoria-Socompa was acquired by Ferronor when all of the northern meter gauge system was sold (for around US$43 million - loss making railways go for scrap value) in the late '90's, the sale included the right of way



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/15 03:15 by jmt.