Ferrocarril Central Norte
| Central Northern Railway | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Train and workers at the tunnel of
"El Saladillo" viaduct, Tucumán Province. |
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| Overview | |||
| Native name | Ferrocarril Central Norte | ||
| Type | Inter-city | ||
| Status | Defunct company; some lines active | ||
| Locale | Argentina | ||
| Termini |
Córdoba Jujuy |
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| Stations |
Tucumán Formosa Chaco Santiago del Estero Salta |
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| Operation | |||
| Opened | 1876 | ||
| Closed | 1948 | ||
| Owner |
Argentine State Railway (1909-48) |
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| Technical | |||
| Track length | 7,500 km (4,700 mi) | ||
| Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) | ||
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The Central Northern Railway (FCCN) (in Spanish: Ferrocarril Central Norte) was the first 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) (metre gauge) railway built by the Argentine State Railway. Its aim was to extend the existing British-owned Central Argentine 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) (broad gauge) railway from Córdoba to Tucuman and metre gauge was chosen for economic reasons.
A Law promulgated in October 1868 destinated money collected from foreign trade and import taxes to the construction of a railway line between the Provinces of Córdoba and Jujuy. The construction and subsequent operation of the line was entrusted to "Compañía Telfner", who began to work on the line in 1873, reaching the city of Recreo (Catamarca) on 1 May 1875, San Antonio, Jujuy in July that same year and finally reaching San Miguel de Tucumán on 30 October 1876, being formally inaugurated by then President of Argentina, Nicolás Avellaneda.
"I left this city sixteen years ago, with some books under my arm, travellin on a ox-drawn carriage. Today I returned for the first time, on a steam locomotive train, being your President (...) The locomotive, after having running hundred of miles, has entered to the promised land at last. (...) This locomotive represents industry, commerce, art, science, poetry, men's driver and city dweller".
On 28 December 1876 the national government took over the running of the line and appointed Rafaél Aranda as General Manager of the FCCN. The line was the longest in South America with 547 km.
A branch line from Frías to the city of Santiago del Estero was opened on 23 August 1884, and one from Recreo to Chumbicha (both in Catamarca Province) was opened on 17 February 1886. Construction of the line north from Tucumán towards Salta and Jujuy reached Vipos on 1 April 1885, later that year in June the section from Ruiz de los Llanos to Juramento was completed and in March 1888 the section Vipos to Ruiz de los Llanos was opened.
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Wikipedia