Ferrocarril Central Norte
Encyclopedia
The Ferrocarril Central Norte (FCCN) (in English: Central Northern Railway) was the first (metre gauge
) railway built in Argentina
by the state. Its aim was to extend the existing British-owned Central Argentine
(broad gauge
) railway from Córdoba
to Tucuman and (metre gauge
) was chosen for reasons of economy.
A branch line from Frias to the city of Santiago del Estero
was opened on 23 August 1884, and one from Recreo to Chumbicha was opened on 17 February 1886. Construction of the line north from Tucuman towards Salta
and Jujuy reached Vipos on 1 April 1885, later that year in June the section from Ruiz de los Llanos to Juramento was completed and in March 1888 the section Vipos to Ruiz de los Llanos was opened.
On 28 October 1887 the line from Alto Cordoba to Tucuman, together with the branch lines from Frias to Santiago del Estero, and from Recreo to Chumbicha, 884 km of track in total, were sold to the British-owned Córdoba Central Railway
. This left the FCCN with only the 226 km section from Tucuman to Juramento which was then extended to Guemes and from there branch lines were completed to Salta and Jujuy by 1891.
On 14 January 1896 the State bought the French-owned Ferrocarril de San Cristóbal a Tucumán
and changed its name to Ferrocarril Central Norte Sección Sud whilst the line from Tucuman to Salta and Jujuy became known as Ferrocarril Central Norte Sección Norte. In October 1900 the section from Pacará to Finca Elisa on the line to Río Hondo in Santiago del Estero Province
was opened.
The branch line from Perico to Ledesma in Jujuy Province
was opened on 24 August 1904 and extended to Yuto on 20 August 1909. The section from Zubiría to Talapampa on the line from Salta to Alemania was opened on 18 August 1906 and the section from Jujuy to Humahuaca on the line to La Quiaca
on the border with Bolivia
was opened later that year on 2 September and was extended to La Quiaca on 25 May 1908.
The first section of the line to Chile
via Socompa
from Empalme Cerrillos to Rosario de Lerma was completed on 27 August 1907. The section from Finca Elisa to El Bracho in Tucumán Province
was opened in August 1901. In Santiago del Estero Province
brach lines were opened from Empalme Añatuya to Tintina on 11 October 1904, from Clodomira to La Banda on 2 March 1906 and from Puna to Santa Justina on 27 August 1907. On 17 January 1908 the section from Santa Fe
to San Cristobal was opened and on 16 September 1909 the section from Las Cejas to Antilla was completed.
The line from Bracho to Palá Palá was opened on 6 December 1909 and extended to Leales on 20 June 1915. In 1911 the service between Bandera and Los Juríes was opened and in 1912 between Quilmili to Gancedo and extended to Puerto Vilelas and to Tintina and Campo Gallo in 1914. The line from Rapelli to Betbeder was opened on 15 April 1915, from Naré a San Javier on 30 June 1915 and from Empalme Añatuya to Los Linares on 28 September 1916. The section from Formosa to Kilometre 100 was opened on 22 September 1910 and extended to Las Lomitas on 20 July 1915. The line from Yuto to Embarcación was opened on 28 November 1911 and Embarcación and Las Lomitas were finally joined in 1931, thereby establishing a rail link across Formosa Province
between the city of Formosa and the cities of Salta and Jujuy. The branch line from Pichanal to Orán was opened on 30 June 1915 and another from Empalme Metán to El Tunal was opened on 21 December 1916. The section between Talapampa and Alemania was opened on 7 October 1919.
On 11 October 1909 the rail network built by the state-owned company Ferrocarril Argentino del Norte
was taken over by the FCCN. A branch line between Cebollar and Andalgalá was added on 27 April 1910 and a section from Empalme Sarrezuela to San Juan
was opened on 7 August of the same year thereby providing a rail link between Córdoba and San Juan. A branch line from Dean Funes to Laguna Paiva was completed on 21 December 1912.
When the entire Argentine railway network was nationalised
in 1948, during Juan Peron
's presidency, the FCCN became part of the state-owned company Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano
.
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
) railway built in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
by the state. Its aim was to extend the existing British-owned Central Argentine
Central Argentine Railway
The Central Argentine Railway was one of the Big Four broad gauge, , British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina...
(broad gauge
Indian gauge
Indian gauge is a track gauge commonly used in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Argentina and Chile. It is also the gauge that is used on BART , in northern California.- Scotland :...
) railway from Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
to Tucuman and (metre gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
) was chosen for reasons of economy.
History
The construction and subsequent operation of the line was entrusted to Compañia Telfner who began work on the line in 1873 which reached Recreo on 1 May 1875, San Antonio in July later that same year and Tucuman on 30 October 1876. On 28 December 1876 the national government took over the running of the line and appointed Rafaél Aranda as General Manager of the FCCN.A branch line from Frias to the city of Santiago del Estero
Santiago del Estero
Santiago del Estero is the capital of Santiago del Estero Province in northern Argentina. It has a population of 244,733 inhabitants, making it the twelfth largest city in the country, with a surface area of 2,116 km². It lies on the Dulce River and on National Route 9, at a distance of...
was opened on 23 August 1884, and one from Recreo to Chumbicha was opened on 17 February 1886. Construction of the line north from Tucuman towards Salta
Salta
Salta is a city in northwestern Argentina and the capital city of the Salta Province. Along with its metropolitan area, it has a population of 464,678 inhabitants as of the , making it Argentina's eighth largest city.-Overview:...
and Jujuy reached Vipos on 1 April 1885, later that year in June the section from Ruiz de los Llanos to Juramento was completed and in March 1888 the section Vipos to Ruiz de los Llanos was opened.
On 28 October 1887 the line from Alto Cordoba to Tucuman, together with the branch lines from Frias to Santiago del Estero, and from Recreo to Chumbicha, 884 km of track in total, were sold to the British-owned Córdoba Central Railway
Córdoba Central Railway
The Córdoba Central Railway was a British-owned railway company, founded in 1887, that operated a 1960 km metre gauge...
. This left the FCCN with only the 226 km section from Tucuman to Juramento which was then extended to Guemes and from there branch lines were completed to Salta and Jujuy by 1891.
On 14 January 1896 the State bought the French-owned Ferrocarril de San Cristóbal a Tucumán
Ferrocarril de San Cristóbal a Tucumán
The Ferrocarril San Cristóbal a Tucumán was a French-owned railway company founded in 1888 which built a metre gauge railway from San Cristóbal to Tucumán in Argentina and was taken over by the state-owned Ferrocarril Central Norte in 1896.The section from San Cristóbal in Santa Fe Province to...
and changed its name to Ferrocarril Central Norte Sección Sud whilst the line from Tucuman to Salta and Jujuy became known as Ferrocarril Central Norte Sección Norte. In October 1900 the section from Pacará to Finca Elisa on the line to Río Hondo in Santiago del Estero Province
Santiago del Estero Province
Santiago del Estero is a province of Argentina, located in the north of the country. Neighbouring provinces are from the north clockwise Salta, Chaco, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Catamarca and Tucumán.-History:...
was opened.
The branch line from Perico to Ledesma in Jujuy Province
Jujuy Province
Jujuy is a province of Argentina, located in the extreme northwest of the country, at the borders with Chile and Bolivia. The only neighboring Argentine province is Salta to the east and south.-History:...
was opened on 24 August 1904 and extended to Yuto on 20 August 1909. The section from Zubiría to Talapampa on the line from Salta to Alemania was opened on 18 August 1906 and the section from Jujuy to Humahuaca on the line to La Quiaca
La Quiaca
La Quiaca is a small city in the north of the , on the southern bank of the La Quiaca River, opposite the town of Villazón, Bolivia. It lies at the end of National Route 9, from San Salvador de Jujuy , and at an altitude of above mean sea level.La Quiaca has 14,751 inhabitants as per the...
on the border with Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
was opened later that year on 2 September and was extended to La Quiaca on 25 May 1908.
The first section of the line to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
via Socompa
Socompa
Socompa is a large complex stratovolcano at the border of Argentina and Chile. It is best known for its large debris avalanche deposit, which is widely accepted as the best-preserved example of this type of deposit in the world, and also notable as the home of the world's most elevated known...
from Empalme Cerrillos to Rosario de Lerma was completed on 27 August 1907. The section from Finca Elisa to El Bracho in Tucumán Province
Tucumán Province
Tucumán is the most densely populated, and the smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the capital is San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighboring provinces are, clockwise from the north: Salta, Santiago del Estero and...
was opened in August 1901. In Santiago del Estero Province
Santiago del Estero Province
Santiago del Estero is a province of Argentina, located in the north of the country. Neighbouring provinces are from the north clockwise Salta, Chaco, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Catamarca and Tucumán.-History:...
brach lines were opened from Empalme Añatuya to Tintina on 11 October 1904, from Clodomira to La Banda on 2 March 1906 and from Puna to Santa Justina on 27 August 1907. On 17 January 1908 the section from Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Argentina
Santa Fe is the capital city of province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It sits in northeastern Argentina, near the junction of the Paraná and Salado rivers. It lies opposite the city of Paraná, to which it is linked by the Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel. The city is also connected by canal with the...
to San Cristobal was opened and on 16 September 1909 the section from Las Cejas to Antilla was completed.
The line from Bracho to Palá Palá was opened on 6 December 1909 and extended to Leales on 20 June 1915. In 1911 the service between Bandera and Los Juríes was opened and in 1912 between Quilmili to Gancedo and extended to Puerto Vilelas and to Tintina and Campo Gallo in 1914. The line from Rapelli to Betbeder was opened on 15 April 1915, from Naré a San Javier on 30 June 1915 and from Empalme Añatuya to Los Linares on 28 September 1916. The section from Formosa to Kilometre 100 was opened on 22 September 1910 and extended to Las Lomitas on 20 July 1915. The line from Yuto to Embarcación was opened on 28 November 1911 and Embarcación and Las Lomitas were finally joined in 1931, thereby establishing a rail link across Formosa Province
Formosa Province
Formosa Province is in northeastern Argentina, part of the Gran Chaco Region. Its northeast end touches Asunción, Paraguay, and borders the provinces of Chaco and Salta to its south and west, respectively...
between the city of Formosa and the cities of Salta and Jujuy. The branch line from Pichanal to Orán was opened on 30 June 1915 and another from Empalme Metán to El Tunal was opened on 21 December 1916. The section between Talapampa and Alemania was opened on 7 October 1919.
On 11 October 1909 the rail network built by the state-owned company Ferrocarril Argentino del Norte
Ferrocarril Argentino del Norte
The Ferrocarril Argentino del Norte was a state-owned railway company which built a railway network in the Argentine provinces of Catamarca and Córdoba which was later merged with the state-owned Ferrocarril Central Norte in 1909.On 8 June 1889 a line between Chumbicha and Catamarca in...
was taken over by the FCCN. A branch line between Cebollar and Andalgalá was added on 27 April 1910 and a section from Empalme Sarrezuela to San Juan
San Juan, Argentina
San Juan is the capital city of the Argentine province of San Juan in the Cuyo region, located in the Tulúm Valley, west of the San Juan River, at above mean sea level, with a population of around 112,000 as per the ....
was opened on 7 August of the same year thereby providing a rail link between Córdoba and San Juan. A branch line from Dean Funes to Laguna Paiva was completed on 21 December 1912.
When the entire Argentine railway network was nationalised
Railway Nationalisation in Argentina
In 1948, during President Juan Perón’s first term of office, the seven British-owned and three French-owned railway companies then operating in Argentina, were purchased by the state...
in 1948, during Juan Peron
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
's presidency, the FCCN became part of the state-owned company Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano
Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano
Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano , named after the Argentine politician and military leader Manuel Belgrano, was one of the six state-owned Argentine railway companies formed after President Juan Perón's nationalisation of the railway network in 1948...
.
Sources
- Translated from Spanish: http://orbita.starmedia.com/~ferroclub/3.html