Metrovías
Encyclopedia
Metrovías S.A. is a privately owned company which, on 1 January 1994, took over the concession, granted by the Argentine government as part of railway privatisation
during the presidency of Carlos Menem
, for the operation of the standard gauge
Urquiza Line commuter rail service in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
. This service had previously been run by the state-owned Ferrocarril General Urquiza
since nationalisation
of the railways in 1948. In addition Metrovías took over the management of the Buenos Aires Metro
system when it was privatised in 1994. In 2004 the company became part of the consortium UGOFE
which operates other commuter rail services in Buenos Aires.
Urquiza Line operating from Federico Lacroze Terminal to General Lemos and the Metro together have a total of 108 stations, 72.9 kilometres of track, with 692 wagons that transport 283.8 million passengers per year. The company has approximately 3,000 employees.
Since 2004 the company also forms part of UGOFE, a consortium with Trenes de Buenos Aires
and Ferrovías
, which took over the running of commuter rail services on Belgrano Sur Line, Roca Line and San Martín Line in Buenos Aires after concessions granted to Metropolitano
S.A. for the operation of these services were revoked.
Railway Privatisation in Argentina
Following a prolonged period of hyperinflation in the 1980s, accompanied by a steep increase in fiscal deficit and a sharp fall in reserves, the Argentine government, under the presidency of Carlos Menem from 1989, initiated a series of neoliberal reforms which included the privatisation of...
during the presidency of Carlos Menem
Carlos Menem
Carlos Saúl Menem is an Argentine politician who was President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. He is currently an Argentine National Senator for La Rioja Province.-Early life:...
, for the operation of the standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
Urquiza Line commuter rail service in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, 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...
. This service had previously been run by the state-owned Ferrocarril General Urquiza
Ferrocarril General Urquiza
Ferrocarril General Urquiza , named after the Argentine general and politician Justo José de Urquiza, was one of the six state-owned Argentine railway companies formed after President Juan Perón's nationalisation of the railway network in 1948...
since nationalisation
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...
of the railways in 1948. In addition Metrovías took over the management of the Buenos Aires Metro
Buenos Aires Metro
The Buenos Aires Metro , locally known as Subte is a mass-transit system that serves the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The first station of this network opened in 1913, the first of its kind in South America, the Southern Hemisphere and the entire Spanish-speaking world...
system when it was privatised in 1994. In 2004 the company became part of the consortium UGOFE
Unidad de Gestión Operativa Ferroviaria de Emergencia
Unidad de Gestión Operativa Ferroviaria de Emergencia is a temporary consortium of Argentine companies formed on 7 January 2005 by Ferrovías, Metrovías and Trenes de Buenos Aires to take over the running of commuter railway services in Buenos Aires after concessions granted to Metropolitano in...
which operates other commuter rail services in Buenos Aires.
Urquiza Line operating from Federico Lacroze Terminal to General Lemos and the Metro together have a total of 108 stations, 72.9 kilometres of track, with 692 wagons that transport 283.8 million passengers per year. The company has approximately 3,000 employees.
Since 2004 the company also forms part of UGOFE, a consortium with Trenes de Buenos Aires
Trenes de Buenos Aires
Trenes de Buenos Aires is a privately-owned company which, on 27 May 1995, took over the concession, granted by the Argentine government as part of railway privatisation during the presidency of Carlos Menem, for the operation of commuter rail services in Buenos Aires, Argentina over the broad...
and Ferrovías
Ferrovías
Ferrovías S.A.C. is a privately owned company which, on 1 April 1994, took over the concession, granted by the Argentine government as part of railway privatisation during the presidency of Carlos Menem, for the operation of the 1,000 mm metre gauge Belgrano Norte Line commuter rail service in...
, which took over the running of commuter rail services on Belgrano Sur Line, Roca Line and San Martín Line in Buenos Aires after concessions granted to Metropolitano
Metropolitano
Metropolitano S.A. was a privately owned consortium formed in 1994 to take over concessions granted by the Argentine government, through the state-owned company FEMESA as part of railway privatisation during the presidency of Carlos Menem for the operation of commuter rail services in Buenos Aires...
S.A. for the operation of these services were revoked.