6 LATIN TRACKS N 14

IN THE EARLY 90S,

Chiles state owned railway network was in
a disastrous condition, just like most state
owned railway networks in Latin America.
The Chilean networks situation was proba-
bly made even worse by the fact that it had
never received the massive investment its
neighboring countries got during British own-
ership of major railways. Chiles long, slim
and mountainous territory conspired to make
railway building a tough challenge. Coastal
navigation was well established and most
production centers were close to the ports.
Investment
EFEs Quantum Leap
Freight moved primarily in an east to west
direction and building a long north-south rail-
way line, through difficult terrain, did not at-
tract private investment. Most of Chiles Red
Sur (Southern Network), from Santiago and
Valparaiso to Puerto Montt, was built, fi-
nanced and operated by the Chilean State
since its inception.
The usual combination of
seesaw cash strapped pol-
itics, bloated payrolls and
government to govern-
ment loans, with many
strings attached, did nothing to improve the
railways efficiency. The Red Sur ended-up
with an extremely eclectic collection of very
complex and expensive rolling stock supplied
by manufacturers from all over the globe.
Obviously, this state of affairs did not con-
tribute to standardization of the railway com-
panys fleet and turned maintenance chores
into a nightmare.
Following in the footsteps of the privatiza-
tion trend pioneered by Argentina, Chile fi-
nally decided to privatize its railway network.
Instead of adopting the integral concession
model then in vogue, the country chose to
Chiles Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado (EFE)
has launched a USD 700 million investment plan for
the next three year period, a real quantum leap when
compared with previous amounts. Today, EFE
operates what could described as one of Latin
Americas most modern and efficient passenger train
services.
> New TerraSur train at Temuco Station. The station building received
a USD 540 thousand modernization package, timed to coincide with
the new trains start-up. (Alan Miller photo)
El Nuevo tren del servicio TerraSur en la estacin de Temuco. El edifico de
la estacin fue modernizado a un costo de USD 540 mil para coincidir con
la puesta en marcha del nuevo servicio ferroviario. (Foto Alan Miller)
> Cars are unloaded from the trains auto
racks at Temuco Station. (Alan Miller photo)
Descarga de automviles de las bandejas auto-
movileras en la estacin Temuco. (Foto Alan
Miller)
El Salto Cuntico de EFE
La Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado de Chile (EFE), ha
lanzado un plan de inversiones por valor de USD 700 millones
para los prximos tres aos, un verdadero salto cuntico com-
parado con montos anteriores. Hoy, EFE opera lo que puede ser
descrito como uno de los ms eficientes y modernos servicios
de pasajeros de Amrica Latina.
LATIN TRACKS N 14 7
> Temuco bound TerraSur day train rolls
across the Red Surs impressive Malleco
Viaduct. (Alan Miller photo). The Malleco
Viaduct, located close to Collipulli, 589
kilometers south of Santiago, is 347 meters
long and 100 meters high. The bridge was
built by Schneider & Co. and was inaugurat-
ed in 1890. According to the Guinness Book
of Railway Facts and Feats, the Malleco
Viaduct is the 21
st
. highest in the world. It
has been declared a National Monument.
(P. Jackel photo).
Un tren TerraSur cruza el impresionante via-
ducto Malleco (Foto Alan Miller). El Viaducto
Malleco, ubicado en las cercanas de Collipulli,
a 589 kilmetros al sur de Santiago, tiene una
longitud de 347 metros y una altura de 100
metros. El puente fue construido por la empre-
sa Schneider y Cia y fue inaugurado en 1890.
Segn el Guinness Book of Railway Facts and
Records, el viaducto Malleco es el puente ferro-
viario 21 mas alto en el mundo. Ha sido decla-
rado Monumento Histrico Nacional.
follow Britains footsteps and sep-
arate operations from infrastructure.
In 1995, EFE auctioned off the con-
trolling interest in its freight train
operating company, Ferrocarril del
Pacifico SA (Pacific Railway Com-
pany FEPASA), to a consortium
led by the US based Anacostia &
Pacific Railway and the then Cruz
Blanca (CB) group.
Once freight operations were successfully
offloaded to the private sector, EFE launched
two unsuccessful attempts aimed at privatiz-
ing the Red Surs infrastructure and passen-
ger train operations. The combined effects of
poor infrastructure condition, superannuated
passenger rolling stock and the reputedly low
operating subsidy offered, were considered
not attractive enough to entice the reluctant
private sector.
Faced with the impossibility of privatization
of passenger train services, EFE and the Chil-
ean Government took the decision to upgrade
the network on their own steam. Whilst its
neighbors announced muti-million dollar in-
vestment schemes (which finally came to
naught) and got involved in all kinds of nev-
er ending and uninformed political debates,
Chile never looked back and pressed on. To-
day, EFE operates what could perhaps be
accurately described as one of Latin Ameri-
cas most modern and efficient passenger
train services.
The modernization process began back in
1997, when EFE acquired a first batch of ex-
Spanish State Railways (RENFE) UT440R
series EMUs for the Alameda to Rancagua
Metrotren commuter service, inaugurated
back in 1990. Coinciding with this acquisi-
tion, the railway company also launched a
major track rehabilitation program and a
project aimed at enclosing the railway line in
densely populated districts served by the com-
muter service.
Further rolling stock acquisitions and ongo-
ing track improvements cut down travel time
between Santiago and San Bernardo to 12
minutes, and between Santiago and Rancagua
down to 60 minutes.
In December 2000, Metrotren services were
extended from Rancagua towards San
Fernando, 134 kilometers south of Santiago.
Investment in the now revamped Metrotren
service paid off and has led to an ever increas-
ing ridership. Passenger traffic between San-
tiago and Rancagua and San Fernando has
soared from 1.8 million riders in 1997 to
around 5.3 million in 2002. System wide,
passenger traffic jumped from 8.2 million in
1997 to 14 million in 2002.
Today, EFEs 40 Metrotren return workings,
provided by 14 UT440R trainsets, are patron-
ized by an average 500 thousand monthly
passengers.
Out on the main line and beyond the subur-
ban section, EFE continued upgrading the
railways infrastructure towards Chilln, 398
kilometers south of Santiago. By April 2002,
this upgrade had allowed EFE to launch an
all new TerraSur express train service, link-
ing Santiago with Chilln, using five second
hand ex-Spanish State Railways UTS 444
three car EMU trainsets. The new 200 pas-
senger capacity trainsets, capable of reach-
ing speeds of 140 km/hour, cost around USD
3 million each and are reputed to be the most
modern in all of South America. They cover
the 398 kilometer stretch in exactly 4 hours
and 15 minutes at a commercial speed of 94
km/hour pruning previous travel times by
approximately 50 minutes - guaranteed! If
not, we will give you your money back, said
and EFE advert.
Beyond Chilln, services continued being
> Awaiting departure, at 10:16 AM the
modern Terrasur express train bound for
Chilln sits under Talcas sprawling concrete
trainshed.
El moderno tren Expreso Terrasur de las 07:45
AM, con destino final Chilln, aguarda la parti-
da bajo el imponente techado de hormign de
la estacin de Talca.
8 LATIN TRACKS N 14
provided by the now antiquated and motley
rolling stock, which comprised amongst oth-
er things four sleepers built by Germanys
Linke-Hofmann in the late 1920s. Travel
times between Santiago and Temuco were,
in the best of cases, of around 12 hours.
In June 2002, EFE signed an agreement to
acquire additional second hand, fully refur-
bished, ex-RENFE (Spanish State Railways)
motive power and passenger rolling stock to
upgrade passenger train services between
Santiago and Temuco. The USD 24.8 mil-
lion (CIF) acquisition included four Bo-Bo
electric locos, eight first class and twelve tour-
ist class saloon cars, three cafeteria/restau-
rant cars and four auto racks. The new equip-
ment, capable of attaining speeds of up to 160
km/hour, was equipped with the latest com-
fort and safety features.
Within the same EFE/RENFE technical co-
operation agreement framework, EFE also
signed an agreement to make use of informa-
tion systems solutions developed by REN-
FE. The USD 480 thousand ISS package was
to be used, during a first stage, to handle ad-
ministration of railway traffic, sales and ticket
reservations.
Instead of acquiring new
hardware, software and
developing its own sys-
tems, EFE has direct ac-
cess to RENFEs data pro-
cessing center in Spain,
via two independent com-
munications circuits. The
shared ISS system has
done away with the print-
ed card ticketing system,
which has now been re-
placed by airline style tick-
ets on long distance ser-
vices and will be replaced
by smart card versions on
Santiagos Metrotren and
Valparaisos Merval. All
told, during the three years
between 2000 and 2002,
EFE invested a grand to-
tal of around USD 112
million.
In August 2003, in order
to improve extremely poor
track conditions prevail-
ing beyond Chilln, EFE
suspended all long dis-
tance passenger train ser-
vices linking Santiago
with Temuco. The 292.4-
kilometer emergency track
rehabilitation program
was budgeted at USD 4
million and was primarily focused on three
sections: Chilln San Rosendo, San Rosen-
do Renaico and Renaico Temuco. The re-
habilitation job included replacement of 42
thousand ties, welding rails and a general im-
provement of the tracks geometry.
At the same time, the railway company also
embarked on a project to modernize both
Santiago and Temuco Stations. The modern-
ization project was timed to coincide with the
re-launching of the long distance passenger
train service, scheduled for start-up by the
end of 2003.
Finally, on December 01, Chilean President,
Ricardo Lagos, formally inaugurated the new
TerraSur Temuco-Santiago train service.
The new and extremely modern locomotive
hauled train now covers the 700 kilometers
separating Santiago from Temuco in nine
hours, 3 less than before. EFEs long term
objective is to cut the trains current travel
time down to seven hours.
Maintenance of all the new Spanish equip-
ment acquired by EFE since 1997 is provid-
ed by Renfe and Temoinsa at EFEs San Eu-
genio backshop, located just a few hundred
meters south of Alameda station. In 2002,
EFE renewed Temoinsas maintenance con-
tract for a further 10 year term.
Arrival of the new Spanish trainsets has now
allowed EFE to dispose of most of its super-
> Two of the first UT440R
three-car trainsets leave
Santiagos Alameda
Station in 1997. Note that
the track has not yet been
upgraded. (EFE photo)
Dos de las primeras forma-
ci ones de tres coches
UT440R parten de la esta-
cin Alameda de Santiago en
1997. Ntese que la va aun
no ha sido rehabilitada.
(Foto EFE)
> Four Metrotren
UT440Rs lined-up at
Alameda station awaiting
the rush hour.
Cuatro unidades UT440R en
la estacin Alameda a la es-
pera de la hora pico.
> In December 2000, Metrotren services
were extended to San Fernando, 134
kilometers south of Santiago and the end of
the railways double track section.
En diciembre del 2000, los servicios de Metro-
tren fueron extendidos hacia San Fernando, 134
kilmetros al sur de Santiago y el fin de la sec-
cin de va doble.
EFEs Quantum Leap
Investment plan for 2000-2002:
USD 112 million.
Investment plan for 2003-2005:
USD 693.6 million.
> Before arrival of new UT440Rs, Metrotren services were
operated by AEL series four-car EMUs built by Japans Nissho
Iwai in 1973. Note the empty station. Most of the AEL trainsets
were later redeployed on EFEs Bio Tren commuter service.
Antes de la llegada de los nuevos UT440R, los servicios de Metrotren
eran prestados por las unidades elctricas de la serie AEL. Los AEL
fueron fabricados en el Japn por la firma Nissho Iwai en 1973. Nte-
se la estacin vaca. La mayora de las unidades AEL fueron luego re-
desplegadas en los servicios de cercanas Bio Tren operado por EFE.
LATIN TRACKS N 14 9
annuated passenger rolling stock. The re-
maining equipment, still in relatively good
shape, runs in locomotive hauled passenger
train consists headed for Talcahuano. The
four Japanese built AEZ series EMUs, dat-
ing back to the early 70s, still continue link-
ing Santiago with Talca.
Triennial Plan for 2003-2005
In July 2003, EFE launched its ambitious and
massive USD 693.6 million Plan Trienal
(Triennial Plan) for the 2003-2005 period.
The investment plan will be funded by state
guaranteed financial operations (USD 480
million) and the sale of non-essential assets
(USD 213 million).
Besides including start-up of the new Santi-
ago-Temuco train service, budgeted at USD
49.6 million, and remodeling of Alameda, Te-
muco and other stations, budgeted at USD
4.4 million and USD 540 thousand respec-
tively, already in the mill, the plan guaran-
tees funding for the following projects:
The USD 326 million MERVAL Cuarta
Etapa Project, which is scheduled for com-
pletion by the end of 2005.
Launching of a new regional passenger train
service linking Temuco with Puerto Montt.
This service will be provided by four ex-Ren-
fe 593 series DMUs which will combine with
the train linking Santiago
with Temuco. This project
has been budgeted at USD
14.5 million.
Traffic control, signaling
and communications sys-
tems will receive an injec-
tion to the tune of USD
60.2 million.
EFE will set-up an Inte-
gral Operations Safety Pro-
gram and will create a spe-
cialized management unit,
which will be responsible
for all aspects related to
track enclosure, grade
crossing protection and risk
analysis and prevention.
The newly created unit will
have a budget of USD 33.8
million.
A network wide infrastructure rehabilita-
tion and maintenance concession program
aimed at raising train speeds and increasing
train frequency. This program has been bud-
geted at USD 128.6 million and EFE has al-
ready called for tenders to bid on several sec-
tions.
Creation of a Commercial Sector aimed at
improving customer service, providing anal-
ysis of new services, engineering studies, etc.
This new sector has been allotted a budget of
USD 5.1 million.
BioVas Project
Besides the above Triennial Plan, Chiles
Ministerio de Planificacin y Cooperacin
(Planning and Cooperation Ministry) has
launched a USD 130 million plan at improv-
ing and expanding metropolitan transporta-
tion services in the Greater Concepcin Re-
gion. The BioVas project, scheduled for
completion by 2005, includes a series of high-
way infrastructure and public transportation
upgrade projects.
The projects execution will be led by EFE,
through its recently created affiliate, Ferro-
carriles Suburbanos de Concepcin (Con-
cepcin Suburban Railways Fesub), which
on the railway front will set-up suburban train
> Battered Train 1004 arrives at Alameda Station in 1997. On
this occasion, the train was four hours late. Note the eclectic
and motley collection of rolling stock, which even includes de-
motorized EMUs.
Un muy baqueteado Tren No. 1004 hace su arribo a la estacin Alame-
da en 1997. En esta ocasin, el tren lleg con cuatro horas de atraso.
Ntese la eclctica y variada coleccin de material rodante que hasta
incluye una unidad elctrica autopropulsada des-motorizada.
> A pre-1997 view of a
passenger train bound for
Puerto Montt. The consist
includes cars from all
makers and dates.
Passenger train services to
Puerto Montt were
suspended in 1997. (P.
Jackel photo 1975)
Tren de pasajeros a Puerto
Montt. La formacin contiene
coches de una multiplicidad
de fabricantes y pocas. Los
servicios de pasajeros a Puer-
to Montt fueron suspendidos
en 1997. (Foto P. Jackel 1975)
TerraSur Chilln
These five second hand ex-Renfe three-
car EMU trainsets were acquired in Spain
at a total cost of around USD 15 million
(USD 3 million each). The EMUs were
completely modernized and rebuilt by
Renfe prior to delivery.
The first of the trainsets, No. 601, arrived
at the Port of Valparaiso in November
2001. Presumably for political reasons,
regular services between Santiago and
Chilln only commenced in August of
2002, in spite of being inaugurated in
December 2001. The five EMUs were
built in Spain between 1980 and 1981 by
a consortium conformed by CAF,
Macosa, GE de Espaa and Melco.
> Headed for Chilln, a UTS444 trainset
gets ready for an early morning departure
at Alamedas modernized station.
Rumbo a Chillan, un tren UTS444 se apresta
a partir de la recientemente remodelada es-
tacin Alameda.
> Interior view of a UTS444 trainset. Your
Editors only grudge is that not all seats
line-up with the windows.
Vista interior de una unidad UTS444. La ni-
ca queja es que los asientos no siempre co-
inciden con una ventanilla.
> View of onboard cafeteria.
Vista de la cafetera de abordo.
> Aircraft style reclining seats and
individual drop down table.
Asientos reclinables del tipo avin y mesa
individual plegable.
10 LATIN TRACKS N 14
> EFEs ambitious Plan
Trienal for 2003-2005
includes start-up of
regional passenger train
services between
Temuco and Puerto
Montt. The service will
be provided by four
second-hand ex-Renfe
593 series DMUs.
El ambicioso Plan Trienal
de EFE para el periodo
2003-2005 i ncl uye l a
puesta en marcha de un
servicio de pasajeros re-
gional entre Temuco y
Puerto Montt. El servicio
ser prestado por cuatro
unidades autopropulsadas
diesel de segunda mano
serie 593 de la Espaola
RENFE.
> What was once considered one of Santiagos dangerous districts has now been completely changed. Alameda stations non-essential
areas were completely redeveloped and turned into a shopping complex, housing more than 300 stores. It is now known as El Paseo de la
Estacin (The Stations Walk).
Lo que una vez fue considerado como uno de los distritos peligrosos de Santiago ahora ha sido completamente cambiado. Las zonas no esenciales para
las operaciones fueron totalmente re-urbanizadas y convertidas en un complejo de compras, que aloja a mas de 300 negocios. Hoy se lo conoce como
el Paseo de la Estacin.
operations along three rail corridors:
Concepcin Hualqui.
Concepcin Talcahuano.
Concepcin San Pedro de la Paz.
The rail project includes acquisition of new
rolling stock, budgeted at USD 16.8 million,
and a track rehabilitation project estimated
to cost around USD 33.7 million, which will
include track enclosure and segregation, and
modernization of signaling and control sys-
Passengers - Metrotren
Alameda-Rancagua-San Fernando
Year 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
P
a
s
s
e
n
g
e
r
s

(
m
i
l
l
i
o
n
s
)
1.8
2.7
3.3
3.5
5.3 5.3
Passengers - System Wide
Year 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
P
a
s
s
e
n
g
e
r
s

(
m
i
l
l
i
o
n
s
)
8.3
10 10
13.2
16
14
> The stations interior was also revamped and provided with direct pedestrian access linking
the stations main hall with Santiagos Metro network. The Alameda station revamping job
cost USD 2.7 million.
El interior de la estacin fue tambin remodelado y equipado con un acceso directo a la lnea I del
Metro de Santiago. La remodelacin de la estacin Alameda tuvo un costo de USD 2.7 millones.
tems.
Three new stations, integrating road and rail
transportation, are to be built at Chihuayante,
Concepcin and Talcahuano. The three new
stations have been budgeted at USD 4 mil-
lion.
So as assure its trouble free execution, Chil-
ean President, Ricardo Lagos, has instructed
EFE to incorporate the BioVas Project into
its Triennial Plan for 2003-2005.
LATIN TRACKS N 14 11
TerraSur Temuco
In June 2002, EFE signed an agreement to
acquire additional second hand, fully
refurbished, ex-RENFE (Spanish State
Railways) motive power and passenger
rolling stock to upgrade passenger train
services between Santiago and Temuco.
The USD 24.8 million (CIF) acquisition
included four Bo-Bo electric locos, eight
first class (preferente) and twelve tourist
class saloon cars, three cafeteria/
restaurant cars and four auto racks. All the
equipment was modernized and rebuilt by
Renfe at its Malaga facilities, where the 46
ton ex-10 000 series cars were completely
stripped down to their basic bodyshells
and completely upgraded to standards
similar to Renfes most modern D-200
series coaches. The eight preferente class
coaches seat 49 passengers in rows of
three, the twelve tourist class coaches
have seating capacity for 80 passengers in
rows of four and the three cafeteria cars
can accommodate up to 40 seated
passengers. All passenger cars are
> French built Brissoneau et Lotz Bo-Bo No. 7148 switches the TerraSur trainset between
Alameda Station and the San Eugenio shops and running sheds. All the new Spanish built
rolling stock is equipped with Scharfenberg couplers and buffers, and No. 7148 had to be
modified to cope with both European and US style systems. (Alan Miller photo)
Una pilota diesel Brissoneau et Lotz tipo Bo-Bo No. 7148, de fabricacin francesa, maniobra las
formaciones TerraSur entre la estacin y los talleres de San Eugenio. Todo el material rodante
nuevo construido en Espaa se encuentra equipado con enganches del tipo Scharfenberg y
paragolpes. La No. 7148 fue modificada para poder operar tanto con el sistema europeo como
con el norteamericano.
equipped with vacuum actuated toilets and
air conditioning. The four Bo-Bo electric
locomotives develop 3100 kW, tip the scales
at 86 tons and were built by CAF
Westinghouse in 1980, under Mitsubishi
license. Tucks are fitted with MB-3200-B3
traction motors, one a one traction motor per
truck basis. The locos are equipped with
dynamic brakes and are capable of attaining
maximum speeds of up to 160 km/hour. All
the new Spanish rolling stock is fitted with
Scharfenberg type couplers.
> TerraSur Temuco day train departs
Alameda station hauled by one of the new
3100 kW Bo-Bo electric locos.(Alan Miller
photo)
El servicio diurno del tren TerraSur Temuco parte
de la estacin Alameda arrastrado por una de
las nuevas locomotoras elctricas de 3100 Kw.
del tipo Bo-Bo.
> One of the four auto racks as it gets
uncoupled from the recently arrived night
train.
Uno de las cuatro bandejas automovileras al
ser desacoplada de un recientemente arriba-
do tren nocturno.
> View of the TerraSur Temuco night train
at Alameda station. Notice the new
extended platform awnings.
Vista del TerraSur Temuco en la estacin Ala-
meda. Ntese los nuevos cobertizos sobre los
andenes.
> Interior view of a preferente class
passenger coach. These coaches seat 41
passengers in rows of three.
Vista interior de un coche de clase preferente.
Estos coches tienen capacidad para 41 pasa-
jeros en filas de tres.
> Four Japanese built AEZ series EMUs,
dating back to the early 70s, still continue
linking Santiago with Talca and Talcahuano.
Cuatro trenes elctricos autopropulsados japo-
neses de la serie AEZ, que datan de principios
de los 70, todava continan enlazando a San-
tiago con Talca y Talcahuano.