International Railroad Discussion > Northern Transandian

Ferronor has now developed Estacion Augusta Victoria (approx 130km SE of Antofagasta) as a transfer point

Current frequency is approx a train every 6 days Augusta Victoria to General Güemes (east of Salta) to collect lime for the BHP mine at Escondida

There are currently 12 ex Queensland Clyde built GL26C-2 stacked on the old intermodal pad at Baquedano, the bogies for this tranche are being gauge converted in the Ferronor maestranza at Coquimbo. Ferronor has purchased these locos to work AV to Güemes. As the locos are commissioned, train frequency will increase, estimated up to 5 return trips per week by early 2018

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPfmOXitAPM/V7xHugputsI/AAAAAAAAA1M/yh61MlqWCRUvAmEs5fPJ1OkyKFpVXgKMwCLcB/s1600/14054263_1167388613304732_2698936181712702406_o.jpg
http://www.miningpress.com/nota/301753/informe-ferronor-chile-y-ffcc-belgrano-argentina-como-avanza-el-ferrocarril-binacional-
http://www.institutoferroviario.cl/2016/08/refuerzan-servicio-de-tren-a-argentina/
http://www.eltribuno.info/se-reinicia-el-trafico-regular-decarga-tren-al-norte-chile-n753142

There are projected copper mining projects in the vicinity of Taca Taca on the western side of Salar de Arizaro (about 80 rail km east of Socompa), the viability of these projects is dependant on rail access to Antofagasta/Mejillones. If First Quantum Minerals goes ahead with their project, this alone is expected to generate up to 1.8 million tonnes per annum of rail freight by 2022/3

https://www.mining-atlas.com/project/Taca-Taca-Copper-Gold-Mine-Project.php

jmt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ferronor has now developed Estacion Augusta
> Victoria (approx 130km SE of Antofagasta) as a
> transfer point
>
> Current frequency is approx a train every 6 days
> Augusta Victoria to General Güemes (east of
> Salta) to collect lime for the BHP mine at
> Escondida
>
> There are currently 12 ex Queensland Clyde built
> GL26C-2 stacked on the old intermodal pad at
> Baquedano, the bogies for this tranche are being
> gauge converted in the Ferronor maestranza at
> Coquimbo. Ferronor has purchased these locos to
> work AV to Güemes. As the locos are commissioned,
> train frequency will increase, estimated up to 5
> return trips per week by early 2018
>
> https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPfmOXitAPM/V7xHugputsI
> /AAAAAAAAA1M/yh61MlqWCRUvAmEs5fPJ1OkyKFpVXgKMwCLcB
> /s1600/14054263_1167388613304732_26989361817127024
> 06_o.jpg
> http://www.miningpress.com/nota/301753/informe-fer
> ronor-chile-y-ffcc-belgrano-argentina-como-avanza-
> el-ferrocarril-binacional-
> http://www.institutoferroviario.cl/2016/08/refuerz
> an-servicio-de-tren-a-argentina/
> http://www.eltribuno.info/se-reinicia-el-trafico-r
> egular-decarga-tren-al-norte-chile-n753142
>
> There are projected copper mining projects in the
> vicinity of Taca Taca on the western side of Salar
> de Arizaro (about 80 rail km east of Socompa), the
> viability of these projects is dependant on rail
> access to Antofagasta/Mejillones. If First Quantum
> Minerals goes ahead with their project, this alone
> is expected to generate up to 1.8 million tonnes
> per annum of rail freight by 2022/3
>
> https://www.mining-atlas.com/project/Taca-Taca-Cop
> per-Gold-Mine-Project.php

Nice write up, but, what country is this in?

> >
> https://www.mining-atlas.com/project/Taca-Taca-Cop
>
> > per-Gold-Mine-Project.php
>
> Nice write up, but, what country is this?

Probably the one on the map that comes up when you click on the link.

Just picking a minor nit ...

Shouldn't it be   Transandean .....

 

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON

This is the international discussion, so take your pick, I could have also used Transandino, Transandine, or several hyphenated versions
In English I guess it depends if you speak an American derivative, a colonial dialect, or the Queen's
Progressive Railroading http://www.progressiverailroading.com/rail_industry_trends/news/Transandian-line-to-traverse-Andes-Mountains-serve-as-critical-rail-corridor--7983

The Northern line is from Antofagasta east to Socompa on the border, then via Ramal C14 to Salta, opened in 1948
http://www.latercera.com/noticia/chile-y-argentina-reactivaran-tren-de-carga-que-une-ambos-paises/
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hSHQ9_TsOHw/TDJV9-HiakI/AAAAAAAABQs/yJ7molGbWqc/s1600/Mapa_ramal_C14.jpg

The Southern line between Mendoza and Los Andes closed in 1984, Ian Thomson Newman has written a good summary
http://www.docutren.com/HistoriaFerroviaria/Semmering2004/pdf/16.pdf

 

ORNHOO Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> >
> https://www.mining-atlas.com/project/Taca-Taca-Cop
>
> >
> > > per-Gold-Mine-Project.php
> >
> > Nice write up, but, what country is this?
>
> Probably the one on the map that comes up when you
> click on the link.

i, personally, AVOID clicking on links i know NOTHING about...........

66

Question is is this line Meter gauge or Cape 42"?

usmc1401 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Question is is this line Meter gauge or Cape 42"?

presumably meter, otherwise the Australian locos wouldn't need gauge conversion.

Dave

The northern rail link between Chile and Argentina is controlled by 3 entities, western Chile FCAB, eastern Chile Ferronor, and Baquedano Cargas in Argentina. Argentinians use "Belgrano Cargas" as a generic term for their metre gauge network, the company now encompasses the nationalised (2013) América Latina Logística (ALL) broad and standard gauge franchises

FCAB is the British Company, Antofagasta Railway Co. P.L.C.
Ferronor is Chilean, owned by trucking company Andres Pirazzoli y Compañía (APCO)
Belgrano Cargas y Logistica S. A. is an Argentinean quango. It is a subsidiary of the Ferrocarriles Argentinos holding company, under the control of the subsecretary Guillermo Dietrich http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1848812-guillermo-dietrich-ministro-de-transporte

All are metre gauge
FCAB was incorporated in 1888, continuously listed on the LSE, now 100% owned by copper miner Antofagasta P.L.C. (but retains LSE listing). Was originally known in the UK as the Antofagasta (Chili) and Bolivia Railway Co. Ltd. (1888-1979)
The current ownership of Ferronor morphed out of a RailAmerica, Inc., APCO joint venture. This JV purchased the freehold and assets of the Chilean northern metre gauge network from the State in 1995/6, RailAmerica sold out to its partner in early 2004
What is now Belgrano Cargas morphed out of the Government owned Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano (FCGMB), Which was the collection of nationalised (1948) foreign owned, and government owned metre gauge railway companies in the north west of the country, consolidated into a single system. Under prior Peronist Administrations, Belgrano Cargas was obscenely overstaffed (1500 employees for around a million tonnes of carge per annum), poorly managed, little more than a state subsidised workers collective

What is facenating about this line is the  eclectic mix of geriatric EMD powered (or in the case of Ferronor's U9C re-powered) locomotives used on either side of the border, and the altitude >4000 metres (over 13,000 foot)

 

Interesting that this line (I call it the Northern Transandino, or Ramal C-14 in Belgrano-speak) maybe has a future.  Here is a story about a trip a group of us took on the line behind steam (mostly) in 1972:https://chasingtrains.smugmug.com/International/South-America/Argentina/Journey-to-the-end-of-the-Eart.  It is truly a spectacular piece of railway.  Thanks for the informative update on the status, I had been hear that things might happen, but the emphasis always seem on the might.  Looks like wheels are turning, and more will be turning.

JBWX



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/16 15:38 by jbwest.