Trans-Andean Railways

There are several Trans-Andean Railways which are either planned, built, defunct, or waiting to be restored.

The lines are listed in order from North to South.

Colombian Railways

See Railways in Colombia

North Trans-Andean Railway

Much of Ecuador's Trans-Andean Railway (a vast railway network that once ran from Guayaquil to Quito) has been rendered useless by natural disasters. Torrential rains from the 1982-83 and 1997-98 El Niños caused massive landslides that damaged the railway line. Only three sections remain operational: a 37-mile/59.5 km segment connecting Quito and Cotopaxi National Park; a 27-mile/43.5 stretch between Ibarra and Primer Paso; and the mountainous five-hour, 62-mile/99.8 km excursion from Riobamba to Sibambe.

Peru

In July 2006 Ferrocarril Central Andino began work to regauge the Huancayo - Huancavelica line from 914 mm to 1,435 mm gauge. There was also a proposal for a 21 km tunnel under the Andes. [cite news | title=Huancavelica upgrade | publisher = "Railway Gazette International" | date=2006-06-01 | url = http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view/article/2006/06/3802/huancavelica_upgrade.html]

ee also

* PeruRail

Bolivia - Chile Trans-Andean Railway

Line proposed. [IRJ October 1999]

Bolivian National Railways (ENFE) and consultant Hagler Bailly, United States, have signed a contract to undertake an economic feasibility study into the proposed $US 1 billion 338 km Aiquile-Santa Cruz Railway (IRJ July p6). The line will connect the Eastern Railway network with the Andean Railway network, and would effectively create a new trans-Andean railway from Pacific Ocean ports in Chile to the Brazilian port of Santos.

ee also

* Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia
* Ferrocarill Arica La Paz, Arica–La Paz

Central Trans-Andean Railway

* from Valparaíso (Chile) to Mendoza (Argentina) – defunct, pending reconstruction [http://www.seconstruye.com/webnoticia/asp/interior.asp?id=17067] . While Chile and Argentina both use the same 1,676 mm gauge, the the link railway used a narrow gauge of RailGauge|1 with rack railway sections. Thus there are two break-of-gauge stations, one at Los Andes and the other at Mendoza.

ee also

* Transandine Railway

South Trans-Andean Railway

* from Lonquimay (Chile) to Zapala (Argentina) - construction abandoned [cite web | url=http://railwaysofthefarsouth.co.uk/5ftrasandinosur.html | title=Attempts to cross the border | publisher=Railways of the far south] . 220 km line once again proposed in 2005 [IRJ March 2005] and work underway at Chilean end in 2005; first stage completed by early 2006. [cite news | title=Work starts on trans-Andean link | publisher = "Railway Gazette International" | date=2005-02-01 |url = http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view/article/2005/02/1065/work_starts_on_trans_andean_link.html] Possible break-of-gauge. Possible rack railway. [cite news | title=IIRSA | publisher = "Initiative For Regional Infrastructure Integration In South America" | date=2005-09-01 | url = http://www.iadb.org/biz/ppt/092305tuliod.pdf]
* from Osorno to Bariloche – never built

See also

* Tren de las Nubes
* Panama Railway
* Panama Railway
* Railways in Colombia

* FERISTSA Railway which connects North-South.

External links

* [http://www.mecon.gov.ar/download/okita/okita7/sumary.doc Mercosur report on links] - Argentine Ministry of Economy (doc format)

References