International Railroad Discussion > Fepasa Chile trash train action

On November 10, 2020  I chased a refuse train behind x-works Fepasa SD39M-2 No. 2353.  It was built by NRE Dixmoor (IL) from Rock Island GP35 351, later UP 611.   The refuse trains haul trash from Santiago to a landfill near Montenegro,  about 40 miles north of Santiago.
UPDATE:  As of May 15, 2021 the trains have been replaced by road haul;  end of a nice line to photograph.

1.   Crossing the bridge at Polpaico.  The small monument below the loco is a memorial to someone who died in a traffic accident there.
2.   Til Til.   The GE shovel nose in the background was on an EFE work train.
3.   In the canyon north of Til Til.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/21 05:55 by masterphots.

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4.  Runge.  The concrete building in the distance was a substation for when the line was electrified.   The wire came down around 1997.
5.  Entering Montenegro.   A few more miles and the train will arrive at the landfill yard at Vertedero.

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interesting operation, pretty loco, like  GT

That's great Alan, nicer weather than in October 2012!

Nice series Alan, specially picture 1.

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

'Looks like a nice area to get away to do a little exploring.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

How are those cars filled and emptied? Some of the "containers" look like they're single-use, meant to be rolled off.

Very NICE and interesting series!

Larry

mile250 Wrote:
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> How are those cars filled and emptied? Some of the
> "containers" look like they're single-use, meant
> to be rolled off.

The trash is picked up in typical packer trucks all around Santiago.  They deliver it to the loading facility at Quillicura,  just north of downtown.  There, one end on the contrainer opens and the compacted trash from the collector trucks is loaded.  At the landfill yard,  they're lifted off the flat cars  with a gantry crane and each placed on a truck for the short trip to the landfill. Containers unloaded and bulldozers take over from there.  The cars are switched by a trackmobile and as soon as the train arrives, the loco is put on the waiting train of empties and returns to Quillicura. And there the next loaded train is ready to roll, if it hasn't already met the empties somewhere on the line.  Typically there are two road units (SD39M-2s) and a switcher at Quillicura for the entire operation.   In recent months,  the switcher has been Fepasa's only EMD-repowered GE 70 tonner.  It's an efficient operation.  When it began 16 years ago,  they were running up to eight round trips every 24 hours.  That is down to three or four,  as recycling,  banning of all manner of plastic packaging, etc. have greatly reduced the amount of trash generated.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/21 15:06 by masterphots.