La Trochita
La Trochita | |||
---|---|---|---|
Esquel | |||
Website | latrochita.org.ar | ||
Service | |||
System | Inter-city | ||
History | |||
Opened | 1935 | ||
Technical | |||
Track gauge | 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in) | ||
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La Trochita (official name: Viejo Expreso Patagónico), in
The Trochita railway is 402 km in length and runs through the foothills of the
History
Plans
In 1908, the
The project ran out of steam following ministerial changes and the start of World War I which affected the economy of Argentina and the input of technology and investment required from Europe. The northern main line from the coast reached Ingeniero Jacobacci in 1916. 282 km of the southern main line from Deseado to Las Heras, and the 197 km branch line from Comodoro Rivadavia to Sarmiento were laid, but never connected with each other or the northern network. After 1916, the only further work was the completion of the link from Jacobacci to Bariloche, finished in 1934.[3]
Esquel line
The exception was the Esquel line. After the end of the First World War, narrow gauge track and facilities were plentiful and cheaper, given their extensive use at the front for supplies and troop movement. 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in)
The first part of the project was to lay a third rail inside the existing tracks at Jacobacci and the Chubut Valley so that they could be used by the narrow gauge vehicles. New tracks were laid to extend the Chubut Valley line from Trelew to Rawson at the coast and westwards to Las Plumas. After floods destroyed much of the line in 1931–1932, work began again in 1934 with new plans, with a 105 m-long bridge and a 110 m-long tunnel to be built. 1,000 labourers worked in the harsh Patagonian environment, many later settling.
Trains began to run on the completed parts of the line in 1935. In 1941 the line reached
Until 1950 the line was a freight-only service. The first passenger service launched in 1950 and connected Esquel with Buenos Aires (arriving at
The service was much used for freight through the 1960s and 1970s, contributing to the development of the area, especially the construction of the dam on the Futaleufú River and the growth of El Maitén thanks to the locomotive maintenance operation.
Decline
In 1961, the line in the lower Chubut valley between Puerto Madryn and Las Plumas was closed, never having been connected with the Esquel or Bariloche lines. In the 1970s the two isolated lines to the south also shut down.
La Trochita also began to decline, due to the improvement of the road network and of trucks and buses, and the difficulties of maintaining a railway so far from the country's capital and the global rail industry. However over the same period, Patagonia had been 'discovered' by tourists and La Trochita was something of a backpacker highlight. Theroux's book brought it to wider attention and gave the railway a name – The Old Patagonian Express – which highlighted its timeless appeal both to Argentine nostalgics and tourists. In 1991, the railway was filmed for an episode of Nick Lera's World Steam Classics.[4]
Nevertheless, the line was not profitable. Given the communities it served, private investors were not interested in making necessary investment. In 1992, under the liberal economic practices of the central government, it was decided to close the line.[5] However, there was a national and even an international outcry at the decision to close a line which had become emblematic of a bygone age and of that region. The two provincial governments came together to keep the line open.[6]
The Trochita today
The line is in possession of 22
The train no longer runs between Esquel and El Maitén; instead two special tourist services run (i) between Esquel and the settlement of Nahuel Pan and (ii) between El Maitén and Desvío Thomae.
The journey from Esquel to El Maitén took almost seven hours. There is a regular tourist service which offers a return trip to the first station and back which takes about an hour. As of 2010, tickets for the tourist services are
The maintenance of the original 1922 locomotives is increasingly difficult, due to the lack of parts and expertise, and the remoteness of his base in El Maitén. This can cause frequent delays or service shut-downs.
The Government of Argentina declared La Trochita as a National Historic Monument in 1999.[7]
In 2003, "Friends of La Trochita Association” was created by members mainly from Esquel, El Maitén and Bariloche.
In May 2011, high winds ripped the roof off one car. The roof fell down in between two cars, derailed one which then caused the entire train to derail and roll over. No one was seriously injured and the locomotive and cars were all recovered by June 1, 2011.
In November 2023, an excursion derailed in between Mamuel Choique and Rio Chico. The entire train fell on its side, causing injuries to four of the passengers aboard. A wood stove in one of the cars started a fire, but it was extinguished. The train was bound for Ñorquinco on a chartered run.[8][9]
Gallery
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La Trochita in Argentina's wild west
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La Trochita in Nahuel Pan, Chubut
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Formations stationed inEsquelstation
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In a curve to Nahuel Pan
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Crossing bridge over Río Chico
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Train at Esquel station
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A locomotive at workshop
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Standard coach interior
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Locomotive at El Maitén
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Ing. Jacobacci, former terminus
See also
Bibliography
- D.S. Purdom, British Steam on the Pampas – Text: English, Mechanical Engineering Publications Ltd, London (1977)
- Theroux Paul, Old Patagonian Express – Text: English, Houghton Mifflin (1979) - ISBN 978-0-395-52105-2
- Sepiurka Sergio Miglioli, La Trochita – (Bilingual Edition; English/Spanish), Grupo Abierto Communicaciones (2001) - ISBN 978-987-97830-5-4
- Taylorson Keith, Narrow Gauge Rails to Esquel – Text: English, Plateway Press, 23 Hanover St., Brighton, BN2 2ST, UK (1999)
References
- ^ "Old Patagonian Express - La Trochita"
- ^ PaulTheroux.com Archived 2009-09-28 at the Wayback Machine, The Old Patagonian Express, accessed 2008-03-26
- ^ A Fascinating Story in Patagonian Lands Archived 2005-08-27 at the Wayback Machine accessed 2008-07-07
- ^ "World Steam Classics" Main Website
- ^ New York Times, Published: June 29, 1992, Old Patagonian Express Puff, Puff, Puffs to Its Ends, accessed 2008-06-08
- ^ www.narrow-gauge.co.uk, The Old Patagonian Express, accessed 2008-06-08
- ^ "El Kavanagh, entre los protegidos", Clarín, 1999-04-23
- ^ "U.S. tourists injured in derailment on remote Argentina heritage railway (updated)". Trains News Wire. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. November 13, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ Hooper, Sarah (November 13, 2023). "British man fighting for life after tourist train derails in Argentina". Metro. London, United Kingdom. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
External links
- Official website
- La Trochita on Patagonia Express.com (archived)
- The Old Patagonia Express by Markus Feld
- La Trochita: The Little Engine That Couldn't (archived, 14 May 2012)
- La Trochita cumple 70 años on Esquel website, 15 May 2015 (archived)
- Railways of the Far South