Rail transport in Colombia
Encyclopedia
The Colombia
railway
network has a total length of 3,304 km. There are 150 km of standard gauge
connecting Cerrejón
coal mines to maritime port of Puerto Bolivar at Bahia de Portete, and 3,154 km of narrow gauge
of which 2,611 km are in use. The state-owned railway company (National Railways of Colombia) was liquidated in the 1990s.
- Belencito, with 257 kilometers, is operating on the Atlantic concession transporting cement. In the Pacific concession the section between La Paila and Buenaventura
has a total of 292 kilometers.
In November 2009 the Colombian Government set up a new team of consultants and specialists to oversee the estimated $440m Sistema Ferroviario Central railway concession. The project involves building a 1,050 km railway from La Dorada
to Chiriguaná
, linking Colombia's central area to the Santa Marta
port on the Atlantic coast. The winning team will build the La Dorada stretch, renovate the stretches connecting the districts of La Dorada and Buenos Aires, Puerto Berrío
, Envigado
and La Dorada and Facatativa
, and maintain the Chiriguaná
-Buenos Aires stretch. The tender was suspended due to concerns of corruption, but restarted in February 2011.
and Saboya. Under this contract sections of the Atlantic network Neiva – Villavieja
and 177 km Ibagué
– La Dorada would be built. Other sections to be built include Sogamoso
– Tunja
and Puerto Berrío
– Cisneros.
China is looking into constructing a 220 km (136 mi) railway between the port cities Buenaventura
and Cartagena
, connecting Colombia
's Pacific and Caribbean
coasts. This railway alternative would compete with the Panama Canal
. Besides linking two coasts, China
aims to make the import
of Colombian coal
and the export
of Chinese manufactured goods to the Americas easier with this railway. Colombia
hopes China
's growing economic presence in the region will further the ratification of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States
, the country's biggest trading partner. A inter-oceanic railway link will benefit Colombia
's economic growth .
is the only city thus far (2008) to have built a metro (rapid transit
) system. Consultants are to be appointed in 2008 to develop a metro system in the capital city Bogotá
. (see → Bogotá Metro)
. Baldwin
engines are used.
and Ecuador regarding a railway for freight and passengers to link the three countries, and the Pacific ocean with the Atlantic ocean was held.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
railway
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
network has a total length of 3,304 km. There are 150 km of 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...
connecting Cerrejón
Cerrejón
Cerrejón is a coal mine located in the Guajira department in the north of Colombia. It is the largest mining operation in Colombia and among the largest open-pit coal mines in the world. The legal entity managing the Cerrejón operation is known as Carbones del Cerrejón Ltd...
coal mines to maritime port of Puerto Bolivar at Bahia de Portete, and 3,154 km of narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
of which 2,611 km are in use. The state-owned railway company (National Railways of Colombia) was liquidated in the 1990s.
Railway concessions
Railway concessions were awarded on July 27, 1999 to Ferrocarriles del Norte de Colombia S.A. (FENOCO), as the Atlantic concession, and on November 4, 1998 to the Sociedad Concesionaria de la Red Férrea del Pacífico SA, later named Tren de Occidente SA as the Pacific concession. Since 1991 the section La Loma - Puerto Drummond, with 192 kilometers, transports coal. Also from July 2003 the section BogotaBogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
- Belencito, with 257 kilometers, is operating on the Atlantic concession transporting cement. In the Pacific concession the section between La Paila and Buenaventura
Buenaventura, Colombia
Buenaventura is a port city and municipality located in the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia . Buenaventura is the main port of Colombia in the Pacific Ocean....
has a total of 292 kilometers.
In November 2009 the Colombian Government set up a new team of consultants and specialists to oversee the estimated $440m Sistema Ferroviario Central railway concession. The project involves building a 1,050 km railway from La Dorada
La Dorada, Caldas
La Dorada is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Caldas. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of La Dorada–Guaduas. It is situated on the banks of Colombia's principal river, Magdalena River.-Gallery:-References:...
to Chiriguaná
Chiriguaná
-History:During the wars independence from Spain Chiriguana was part of the Province of Santa Marta. The people of the village of Chiriguana revolted against the local Spanish monarchical authorities...
, linking Colombia's central area to the Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
port on the Atlantic coast. The winning team will build the La Dorada stretch, renovate the stretches connecting the districts of La Dorada and Buenos Aires, Puerto Berrío
Puerto Berrío
Puerto Berrío is a municipality and town in the Colombian department of Antioquia.-Geography:Puerto Berrío is located in a region of Antioquia known as the Middle Magdalena...
, Envigado
Envigado
Envigado is a city of Colombia in the department of Antioquia, located at the south of the Aburrá Valley and belonging to the Metropolitan Area of Medellín. It has limits at its north with El Poblado, Medellín; at its south with Sabaneta; at its east with El Retiro and Caldas and at west with Itagüí...
and La Dorada and Facatativa
Facatativá
Facatativá is a town and municipality in the Cundinamarca Department, located about 28 miles northwest of Bogotá, Colombia and 2,586 meters above sea level...
, and maintain the Chiriguaná
Chiriguaná
-History:During the wars independence from Spain Chiriguana was part of the Province of Santa Marta. The people of the village of Chiriguana revolted against the local Spanish monarchical authorities...
-Buenos Aires stretch. The tender was suspended due to concerns of corruption, but restarted in February 2011.
Investment programme
There is a US$600 million investment programme planned for 2008 and studies for a US$350 million new line between Puerto BerríoPuerto Berrío
Puerto Berrío is a municipality and town in the Colombian department of Antioquia.-Geography:Puerto Berrío is located in a region of Antioquia known as the Middle Magdalena...
and Saboya. Under this contract sections of the Atlantic network Neiva – Villavieja
Villavieja, Huila
Villavieja is a town and municipality in the Huila Department, Colombia. The municipality covers most of the Tatacoa Desert. The town is built on the banks of the Magdalena River...
and 177 km Ibagué
Ibagué
Ibagué is the capital of the department of Tolima in Colombia. It is situated 1,285 m above sea level, on the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Central between the Chipalo and Combeima rivers, tributaries of the Coello River...
– La Dorada would be built. Other sections to be built include Sogamoso
Sogamoso
Sogamoso is a city in the Boyacá department of Colombia.The origin of Sogamoso goes back in the cosmogony, Chibcha, to the creation of the Sun. In the valley of Iraca the Sun was born...
– Tunja
Tunja
Tunja is a city and municipality located in the central part of Colombia, in the region of "Alto Chicomocha". As of the 2005 Census it had 152,419 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Department of Boyacá and part of the subregion of the Central Boyacá Province. It is approximately 145 km...
and Puerto Berrío
Puerto Berrío
Puerto Berrío is a municipality and town in the Colombian department of Antioquia.-Geography:Puerto Berrío is located in a region of Antioquia known as the Middle Magdalena...
– Cisneros.
China is looking into constructing a 220 km (136 mi) railway between the port cities Buenaventura
Buenaventura
-Myths and legends:*Buenaventura River , a legendary but non-existent river that was once believed to run from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean in what is now the western United States-People:...
and Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
, connecting Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
's Pacific and Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
coasts. This railway alternative would compete with the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
. Besides linking two coasts, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
aims to make the import
Import
The term import is derived from the conceptual meaning as to bring in the goods and services into the port of a country. The buyer of such goods and services is referred to an "importer" who is based in the country of import whereas the overseas based seller is referred to as an "exporter". Thus...
of Colombian coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
and the export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
of Chinese manufactured goods to the Americas easier with this railway. Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
hopes China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
's growing economic presence in the region will further the ratification of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the country's biggest trading partner. A inter-oceanic railway link will benefit Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
's economic growth .
Maps
Metro
MedellínMedellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
is the only city thus far (2008) to have built a metro (rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
) system. Consultants are to be appointed in 2008 to develop a metro system in the capital city Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
. (see → Bogotá Metro)
1920s
Railways are built with English investment along the Magdalena RiverMagdalena River
The Magdalena River is the principal river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, in spite of the shifting sand bars at the mouth of its delta, as...
. Baldwin
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
engines are used.
2008
A July 5 meeting between Venezuela, ColombiaTransport in Colombia
Transport in Colombia is regulated by the Ministry of Transport.Road travel is the main means of transport; almost 70 percent of cargo is transported by road, as compared with 27 percent by railroad, 3 percent by internal waterways, and 1 percent by air. Nevertheless, Colombia has one of the lowest...
and Ecuador regarding a railway for freight and passengers to link the three countries, and the Pacific ocean with the Atlantic ocean was held.
2009
- Vale to build branches from the Atlantic railway to connect its coal mine to its new port at Puerto Córdoba
- Build/Rebuild/Maintain concession for 1,050 km from La DoradaLa Dorada, CaldasLa Dorada is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Caldas. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of La Dorada–Guaduas. It is situated on the banks of Colombia's principal river, Magdalena River.-Gallery:-References:...
to Santa MartaSanta MartaSanta Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
port on the Atlantic coast.
2011
- Feb. 14, 2011 - The Chinese Government plans to cooperate with Colombia in building a 220km transcontinental railway which would link Colombia's Atlantic and Pacific coasts, according to a British newspaper.
Railway links with adjacent countries
Venezuela - yes, but inoperative (Railroad of Cúcuta) - proposed to be restored Brazil - no Ecuador - no - proposed Peru - no Panama - noExternal links
- http://www.ferrovias.gov.co