The Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia (in English: Antofagasta (Chili) & Bolivia Railway or for short: FCAB) is a non-government railway operating in the northern provinces of Chile. It is notable in that it was one of the earliest railways built to the gauge of 2’6” (762mm), with a route that climbed from sea level to over 4500 metres (15,000 feet), while handling goods traffic totaling near 2 million tons per annum. It proved that a railway with such a narrow gauge could do the work of a standard gauge railway. It was later converted to metre gauge, and still operates today. It has been suggested that Gauge (engineering) be merged into this article or section. ... Narrow-gauge railways are railroads (railways) with track spaced at less than the standard gauge of 4 ft 8 in (1. ... As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ...

Route

The railway started at the Chilean port of Antofagasta. It proceeded up the front range of the Andes to Ollague on the Bolivian border, then across the Bolivian pampas to Uyuni and Oruro. At Oruro the gauge changed to metre gauge for the remainder of the route to La Paz, the capital of Bolivia. A number of branches were added to reach various mining fields. The Collahuasi branch reached 4815 metres (15,795 feet) above sea level, regarded at the time of construction as the highest railway in the world. The total length of 2'6" gauge lines, including branches and subsidiaries, was 1537km (922 miles). Antofagasta is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west and steep hills to the east () is a port city in northern Chile, about 700 miles north of Santiago. ... The Andes between Chile and Argentina The Andes form the longest mountain chain in the world. ... Uyuni is a town in the south of Bolivia. ... Categories: South America geography stubs | Departments of Bolivia ... La Paz, Bolivia Central La Paz Panoramic sight of the city of La Paz La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. ...

History

The history of the railway dates back to 1872 with the grant of a concession by the government of Bolivia to Melbourne Clarke & Co, the territory around Antofagasta being part of Bolivia at this date. The railway was organised as the Antofagasta Nitrate & Railway Company. Construction started in 1873, with the first section opening late in that year, motive power provided by mules. Steam locomotives were introduced in 1876, and by 1879 the railway had extended about 150km into the interior. 1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Great Western Railway No. ... 1876 (MDCCCLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

War broke out in 1879 between Chile on one side, and Peru and Bolivia on the other. One of the causes of the war was an attempt by the Bolivian government to levy back taxes on the railway. The “War of the Pacific” ended in 1883, and Chile gained the region around Antofagasta as well as part of Peru. 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants Republic of Peru Republic of Bolivia Republic of Chile Commanders Juan Buendía Andrés Cáceres Miguel Grau Manuel Baquedano Patricio Lynch Arturo Prat Strength Peru-Bolivian Army Peruvian Navy Army of Chile Chilean Navy The War of the Pacific, sometimes called the Saltpeter War in reference to... 1883 (MDCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Control of the railway passed to the Company Huanchilaca de Bolivia in 1887, who subsequently floated the railway on the London stock exchange in 1888 as the FCAB. The Huanchilaca company retained the right to operate the railway for a further 15 years. The line reached Oruro, the end of the 2’6” section, in 1892, and branches continued to be added over subsequent years. 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar). ... 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

British business interests resumed control of the entire system in 1903. Traffic reached a point where the port of Antofagasta was unable to cope. A new port was opened to the north at Mejillones in 1906. The entire region was a desert, with almost no rainfall. The company constructed a system of pipes and reservoirs to bring warter for the railway from the high Andes, eventually becoming responsible for supplying Antofagasta with water as well. 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Mejillones is a port city on northern Chile. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Bolivian government interests supported the construction of a railway between Oruro and the Bolivian capital, La Paz, and this line was opened in stages between 1908 and 1913 This line was constructed to metre gauge, and was leased to the FCAB. The FCAB now had two operating divisions, one using 2’6” gauge, the other metre gauge. 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ...

The FCAB already interchanged with metre gauge railways running north-south in western Chile, and there was the prospect of connections with lines from Argentina. Thus, in 1913, the FCAB board made a decision to convert the line to metre gauge throughout. Some gauge conversion work was done in 1916, however World War I intervened, and most work was not done till 1928. In the meantime, the railway became proficient in changing bogies on freight cars between gauges at interchange points. Some branch lines and connecting railways were never converted, and continued to operate as 2’6” gauge railways into the 1960’s. 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ...

The Bolivian section of the line was taken over by the Bolivian government in 1964, and, in the early 1970s, the Chilean government investigated nationalizing the line. In 1982, control of the company passed on to Chilean interests, and the head office moved from London to Antofagasta. The railway is now a division of Antofagasta plc, which also has mining interests. For the Nintendo 64 emulator, see 1964 (Emulator). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Events Publius Septimius Geta receives the title of Caesar. ... Antifagass plc (LSE: ANTO) is a mining company which specialises in copper. ...

Traffic

Primary traffic on the railway has always been mineral, with nitrate (an essential ingredient of explosives prior to World War I) being very important. Bridge traffic between Bolivia and northern Chile grew in importance and continues to this day. In inorganic chemistry, a nitrate is a salt of nitric acid. ...

Passengers were catered for in earlier days by a luxury train with sleeping and dining carrages, one of the few trains on 2’6” gauge anywhere in the world with these conveniences. The International, as the train was called, continued to operate on the metre gauge after gauge conversion. The interior of a Pullman car on the Chicago and Alton Railroad circa 1900. ... A typical restaurant in uptown Manhattan A restaurant is an establishment that serves prepared food and beverages to be consumed on the premises. ...

Locomotives

The railway commenced operations with a small fleet of 4-6-0 locomotives, built by Robert Stephenson & Co. In 1884 the same company supplied an unusual Webb compound locomotive, with a 4-2-4-2T wheel arrangement. Two high-pressure cylinders drove the two coupled axles, while a single low pressure cylinder drove the single axle. In the Whyte notation, a 4-6-0 is a railroad steam locomotive that has a two-axle leading truck followed by three driving axles. ... Statue of Robert Stephenson at Euston Station, London Robert Stephenson FRS (October 16, 1803–October 12, 1859) was an English civil engineer. ... A compound locomotive is a type of steam locomotive where steam is passed that has already passed through one cylinder is then passed through another; i. ...

The takeover by the Huanchilaca company saw the first of a fleet of 2-6-0 locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works arrive in 1889. The relationship quickly developed, and Baldwin supplied an outside-framed 2-4-2 in 1890. This was the first outside-framed loco on the FCAB, and the first application of outside frames to a narrow gauge locomotive by Baldwin. The use of outside frames allowed construction of larger locomotives, and by 1892 Baldwin were supplying large 2-8-0 locomotives. SRC 89 working on the daily passenger train in 1993. ... Baldwin Locomotive Works builders plate, 1922 The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. ... 2-4-2 is the Whyte notation for a Columbia-type railroad locomotive. ... A Chinese-built 2-8-0 on display at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, WI, April 26, 2004. ...

As the railway laid heavier rails, larger locomotives were introduced, built by both Baldwin and other American builders. The resumption of control by British interests lead to the introduction of some British constructed locomotives. Initial response was that the British locomotives were not as rugged or easy to repair as the American locomotives. However subsequent tests found British locomotives steamed better, resulting in savings in fuel costs that outweighed the extra maintenance costs.

No 2’6” gauge locomotives were constructed after the 1913 decision to convert to metre gauge. However the locomotives the FCAB were certainly amongst the largest constructed for this gauge. A 2-6+6-2T Kitson Meyer constructed in 1912 was perhaps the heaviest locomotive ever constructed for this gauge. Meyer may refer to: Joseph Meyer (1796–1856), German industrialist and publisher. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

Development of metre gauge locomotives paralleled that of the 2’6” gauge, including a fleet of 6 Meyer types built by Beyer Peacock in 1913. Many of the 2’6’ gauge locos were converted to metre gauge in 1928. A class of 4-8-2+2-8-4 Beyer Garratts was introduced in 28. Post war developments included a fleet of modern 4-8-2 locomotives from Vulcan Foundry in the United Kingdom in 1954, as well as further Beyer Garratts. The railway began dieselization in 1958, but some steam locos were still operating 20 years later. Beyer-Peacock Locomotive manufacturer with factory in Manchester from 1854 untill 1966. ... 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Garratt on the Welsh Higland Railway South African Garratt Diagram of a Garratt locomotive A Garratt is a type of steam locomotive that is articulated, normally in three parts. ... Union Pacific Railroad class MT-1 4-8-2 #7000. ... Vulcan Foundry was a British locomotive builder sited at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Sources

Ellis, RF., and J. M Turner 1996. The Antofagasta (Chili) & Bolivia Railway Trackside Publications, Skipton UK

Internet sites below.

External links

• FCAB corporate site
• Antofagasta plc corporate site
• The Magic of the Andes - 1935 article.
• World-wide 30" Gauge Railways