Transportation in Chile
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[edit] Railways
- total: 6,782 km
- broad gauge: 3,743 km 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge (1,653 km electrified)
- narrow gauge: 116 km 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge; 2,923 km 1,000 mm (3 ft 3⅜ in) gauge (40 km electrified) (1995)
- standard gauge: about 40km from Arica to Tacna, Peru
Not all lines connect.
Chile's railways (except for a few dedicated industrial lines [1] ) are operated by the state owned company Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado (EFE), which completed a major investment programme in 2005.[2]
The rail system once served the entire country, running rail lines from Arica in the north to Puerto Montt in the south. Due partly to the nature of the terrain and evolution in transportation systems, rail travel has suffered greatly at the hands of bus and air competition. The train usually takes longer to reach a destination than a bus, and the comfort is comparable. Prices also tend to be uncompetitive. Rail freight transport has also suffered at the hands of the trucking industry and will continue to do so due to the immense leverage the truck driver's union can bring to bear if they were to feel threatened.
The Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia is a metre gauge railway in the north of the country. It was originally constructed in 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge.
The northern rail line out of Santiago is now disused past the intersection with the Valparaíso line. This section is used nearly exclusively for freight. Although the northern line is still in place, it is in a state of serious disrepair.
The southern line runs as far as Puerto Montt and is electrified as far as the city of Temuco, from where diesel locomotives are used. Due to lack of budget and care, the 389 km Temuco to Puerto Montt section was abandoned in 1992 but after a $44m upgrade it has been back in use since 6 December 2005 with daily service between Victoria (north of Temuco) and Puerto Montt.[3]
Work to build/restore(?) the South Trans-Andean Railway link between Zapala, Argentina and Lonquimay, Chile was underway in 2005.[4] Possible break-of-gauge. Possible rack railway.[5] Construction was undertaken by Patagonia Ferrocanal SA, formed and funded by the province.[6]. The first 7 km was completed by January 2006.[7]
There have been repeated case studies regarding the installation of a high speed line between the cities of Valparaíso and Santiago, some even considering maglev trains, but no serious action has ever been taken on the matter.
[edit] Rail links with adjacent countries
Bolivia - yes - same gauge 1,000 mm - from Arica to La Paz, Bolivia
Argentina - Central Trans-Andean Railway - abandoned 1984 - 100km of mountain rail of 1000mm gauge with rack railway sections - break of gauge 1,676 mm/1,000 mm at either end. Concession planned to re-open line.[2]
Peru - yes - a single 1435mm gauge connection between the northern Chilean city of Arica and Tacna in Southern Peru.
[edit] Cities with Metros
[edit] Highways
- total: 79,800 km
- paved: 41,012 km
- unpaved: 38,788 km (1996 est.)
- Chile Highway 5
- Chile Highway 7
- Chile Highway 9
- Chile Highway 68
- Chile Highway 181
[edit] Freeways
2,653 km
- Chile Freeway 5
- Chile Freeway 68
- Chile Autopista del Sol
- Chile Autopista del Itata
[edit] Waterways
725 km
[edit] Pipelines
- crude oil 755 km
- petroleum products 780km
- natural gas 320 km
[edit] Ports and harbours
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[edit] Merchant marine
total: 45 ships (1,000 gross register tons (GRT) or over) totaling 580,749 GRT/860,034 metric tons of deadweight (DWT) ships by type: (1999 est.)
[edit] Airports
370 (1999 est.)
[edit] Airports - with paved runways
- total: 62
- over 3,047 m: 6
- 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
- 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
- 914 to 1,523 m: 20
- under 914 m: 10 (1999 est.)
Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport, located in Santiago, is Chile's largest aviation facility.
[edit] Airports - with unpaved runways
- total: 310
- over 3,047 m: 1
- 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
- 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
- 914 to 1,523 m: 68
- under 914 m: 223 (1999 est.)
[edit] National airlines
- LAN Airlines (formerly LanChile)
- Sky Airline
- Aerolíneas del Sur
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Thomas Salt. "Automation gets the most out of mining railway infrastructure", Railway Gazette International, 2006-04-01.
- ^ a b John Kolodziejski. "Record investment boosts EFE's passenger business", Railway Gazette International, 2006-04-01.
- ^ "Passengers return to Puerto Montt", Railway Gazette International, 2006-01-01.
- ^ IRJ March 2005
- ^ "IIRSA", Initiative For Regional Infrastructure Integration In South America, 2005-09-01.
- ^ "Work starts on trans-Andean link", Railway Gazette International, 2005-02-01.
- ^ "Finance", Railway Gazette International, 2006-01-01.
This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.
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