Tren de las Sierras


Tren de las Sierras

A train unit in Cosquín, 2009.
Overview
Service type Regional
Status Active
Locale Córdoba Province (Argentina)
First service 1889-1977, 1993-2001
(Last reactivated in 2007)
Current operator(s) Trenes Argentinos
Former operator(s) Ferrocentral
Route
Start Alta Córdoba
End Cosquín
Distance travelled 150,8 km.
Service frequency Daily
Line used General Belgrano Railway (A-1 branch)
Technical
Track gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in)
Track owner(s) Government of Argentina

Tren de las Sierras (technically known as the "A-1" branch of the General Belgrano Railway) is a regional 150.8 km (93.7 mi) regional rail line in Córdoba Province of Argentina. The line runs from Alta Córdoba to Cosquín.[1]

History

The rail line was opened on July 2, 1889 to carry both, freight and passengers from Córdoba to Cruz del Eje, operated by British-owned company Córdoba North Western Railway.[2] In 1901 it was took over by Córdoba Central Railway which operated the branch until 1939 when the company was acquired by the Argentine State Railway, prior to be definitely added to Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano network in 1948 when the railway companies were nationalised.

By the 1960s the line had its golden age when it carried a big amount of passengers of Valle de Punilla, as well as tourists coming from the cities of Córdoba, Rosario and Buenos Aires at attractive prices. Nevertheless, the railway was closed in 1977. When the Government of Argentina leadered by Carlos Menem privatized all the railway lines in early 1990s, the Córdoba-Cruz del Eje line was transferred to Córdoba Province. The Government of Córdoba stated that they could not finance the service.

In 1993 local consortium Grupo Alcázar (that had previously operated the Córdoba Zoo and the Oscar Cabalén racetrack) was granted a concession to operate the line as a "tourist train". The company operated the Córdoba-Capilla del Monte branch (100 km length) but services suddenly stoped in 2001. Three years later the Government of Córdoba revoked the contract of concession (by Provincial Decree 1274) blaming the concessionary for the bad conditions of the service and poor maintenance.[3][4]

In 2007 the Province transferred the line to the National Government. On August 10, 2007, the service was partially re-opened, only between cities of Rodríguez del Busto and La Calera. Private consortium Ferrocentral (formed by railway companies Ferrovías and Nuevo Central Argentino) was granted concession to operate the service. The trip took about 40', served by diesel-electric trains manufactured in Portugal and remodeled by Grupo Emepa in its workshops at Chascomús.

In August 2007 the first phase of the project from Rodríguez del Busto to La Calera was re-opened to public by Ferrocentral.[5][6] The National Government invested $ 10 million to re-open the line.[7] Projects also include to extend services to Cruz del Eje.[8]

One year later the rail line reached Cosquín[9] via the "Quebrada of Bamba".

On June 22, 2009, Alta Córdoba was set up as terminus, but the concessionary decided to move terminus to Rodríguez del Busto due to people from poor neighborhoods around the station used to throw stones to the trains[2][10] In March, 2015, this section of the railway was re-opened by the Minister of the Interior and Transport, Florencio Randazzo[11]

In September 2013 State-owned company Trenes Argentinos took over the Tren de las Sierras, operating it up to present days.[12] In March 2015, Alta Córdoba was set up as terminus again, also incorporating the Hospital Neonatal station.[13][14][15]

Operators

Period Operator Start/End
1889-1901 Córdoba North Western Alta Córdoba–Cruz del Eje
1901-1939 Córdoba Central
1939-1977 Ferrocarriles Argentinos
1993-2001 Grupo Alcázar Alta Córdoba–Capilla del Monte
2007-2013 Ferrocentral Alta Córdoba[16]–Cosquín
2013-present Trenes Argentinos

Gallery

See also

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tren de las Sierras.