There are several things that I might never see or experience on this trip because I was never born at the time of their prime. For me, that is experiencing the largely defunct Santiago to Valparaiso Railway, one of the first railways in the world to be electrified. Portions survive today, but the entire route has largely been abandoned as the result of the railway network’s vicious culling under the Corrupt Pinochet regime. But if I had a time machine, I would go back to see the line in its prime on a warm late early summers day in early january.
at 04:00 hours I am up absurdly early at my small little bed and breakfast earlier. For the last 5 days I have spent that day looking around this jewel of the southern pacific . I am talking of course of the city of valparsio. I walked though this city….no this is not a city it is a botanical garden full of color. Not even the best camera money can buy can catch its beauty. The city moves like a elevator with funiculars taking you up and down the many cliffs to where you need to go. Yet this city sleeps at night with at least for I have seen. Locals tell me that they can’t stand Santiago’s busling nature. However they seem to forget they have a busy harbor for even at 4:00
It is early morning in Valparaiso Puerto station th in the summer of 1967. It is Early January and I sit outside at 7:00 for the departure of the main Semi fast “Salon” express to Santiagos Mapocho Station with one stop to drop off international passengers for the Transandine railway. Leading is a 3200 class”Sophia Lauren” Electric locomotive 3206 built earlier in the decade by fiat with heavy inspiration from american built electrics found the united states at the time. It is the start of rush hour and inbound suburban trains from Limache bring workers into the bustling suburbs a mix of Aes multiple units arrive and departing out of puerto station . Our train is mixed service with the majority cars built by fiat for 150kph though our average speed is around 85 kph for the majority of our run to Santiago while last 3 rear cars are of Heavyweight but are all first class and will be decoupled at only stop at service at Llay-Llay . The stations terminal voice announces the last call for boarding the express service and I rush to the 2nd class compartment. Even in 2nd class this train bring out a sense of comfort not seen anywhere in latin america. I find my seat and meet a nice newlyweds from Washington DC coming down for there honeymoon. There names are Paul and Maria and we quickly strike up a conversation on how their trip is going. Maria says that she has family in Valparaíso and she has taken her Husband on a months trip to Peru,Boliva,Chile,Argentina, Paraguay,and Brazil.Theyare going to be heading to Mendazona for a day but they wil be going to buenos areas. Unfortunately the Conductor of the train a kind man by the name of antonio announced a 5 hour delay for passengers heading to Argentina due to a rock slide. we could hear the others in car behind up in arms about how bad the Transandine Railway was. From what I heard this happens often.
At 7:30, we depart swiftly out of Valparaiso, hugging the coast and passing commuter and freight trains. However, we are stopped as a freight train has yet to clear the line ahead. As we wait for the train to pass, we are amused by a colony of sea lions with nothing better to do than do what sea lions do: fight amongst each other for a mate. Paul meanwhile compared the sea lions actions to avergre management argument when hr has to the ”big shirts” about his company . He currently is the chief accountant of South Star shipping incorporated , a shipping company that is headquartered in Alexandria Virginia . When the freight clears the line wee swifty depart to make up for lost time heading inland through winding curves unfortunately the curving mainline restricts speeds to 90kph until we pass the exurb of Limache. We frequently talked about how laid back it was compared to busing metropolis of Santiago and DC. Maria gave me a list of things to see in Santiago. She recommended me several art museums to check out while I was there. Meanwhile after leaving the suburbs of Valparaiso we then head through a tunnel to cut through and gain speed passing freight trains carrying fished products and raw martials heading towards the port of Valparaiso for exports to all corners of the world .Paul told me his companies is planning on expanding its operations in latin america, he told me about the so called future of shipping where everything will be transported by containers and greatly speed up shipping times. I found what he said to very interesting given his Expertise in his job. I asked about what are plans for the future of his company After passing the town of La Caldera. The line runs through the scenic Aconcagua valley, famous for its local wineries and apparently tomato’s . Along this stretch of the line trains reach their top speed of up to 120 kph. We passed small farming hamlets along the way with small towns dotting the line resembling blurs of
Speaking of winery’s Im off the bar car to get some much needed breakfast. For me its scrambled eggs, tomato’s and onions would do for me. Chilean cuisine is quite mild to compared common assumptions of its northern neighbors. Our waiter told me that nearly all of the items on the menu are sourced from local farmers and markets along the route. Maria and Paul both order a small continental breakfast of cold cut sausage ham and fine cheeses. While paul appears to enjoy his meal father in Valparaíso own a small butchery in the suburb of Allmarea We finish eating just as the train arrives at its only stop in the important junction town of Llay-Llay where the railway branches off to connect to TransAndeanine Railway to Mendoza Argentina. 3 cars of our train are decoupled off our train has to do not long after I soon bid farewell to the newly weds though I do pity their lengthy transfer. (t Once I return to my seat we enter the heart of the Coast mountain range and our train slows to 70kph as we cut through the inky scrubland. This section of the line is the most scenic part of route running along the many escapements giving the Illusion that we are hanging from the mountains themselves. How Ironic for a railway built to avoid such mountains in the first place.
As we approach the town of Montenegro numerous construction equipment dots the line buit this is not for the railways benefit . this is a portion of the Panamericana highway between Valparaiso and Santiago. Th
Epiloge
Much of latin Americas railway networks were isolated from each other ether by not linking up to one another or gauge differences .this meant that much latin american railways where ether isolated between each other or were built to different gauges which meant that by causing significant problems for transferring goods and Pasinger by rail all together. The example of Trans Andien Connection.