State Railways Administration of Uruguay
 |
|
GE C18-71 diesel locomotive.
|
|
|
Native name
|
Administración de Ferrocarriles del Estado |
|---|---|
| State-owned | |
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Central UR (CUR) Midland UR North Western UR Northern UR |
| Founded | 1952 |
| Headquarters | Montevideo, Uruguay |
| Services | Public transport |
| Owner | Government of Uruguay |
| Website | afe.com.uy |
The State Railways Administration of Uruguay (Spanish: Administración de Ferrocarriles del Estado), or AFE, is the autonomous agency of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay charged with rail transport and the maintenance of Uruguayan railways.
On 31 December 1948, Parliament approved projects for acquiring foreign railroads, discharging part of the £17 million which was owed to Uruguay by the United Kingdom because of purchases made during World War II. On 31 January 1949, the railroads were nationalized. That August, the executive branch of government proposed to the General Assembly the creation of a body known as the Land Transport Management of the State (ATTE), charged with the following:
The monopoly would gradually prepare to take over private enterprises, and the proposal was based on the need to avoid ruinous competition. Having difficulty obtaining approval, the Executive decided not to pursue the proposal and allow the new entity to limit its function to the operation of rail transport. Meanwhile, between 31 January 1949 and 19 September 1952 the country held two state railways: the Ferrocarril Central del Uruguay (for nationalized companies) and the state railway and tram network, which remained at the forefront of its former operations. The two companies were merged with the creation of the State Railways Administration (AFE) on 19 September 1952.
Uruguayan railways have approximately 2,900 kilometres (1,800 mi) of track, all 1435-mm gauge, diesel traction and with only 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) of double track. Half of the network is closed, with freight trains circulating branches from Montevideo – Rivera – Livramento; Piedra Sola – Three Trees; Sayago – Minas; Verdum – Plant ANCAP; Carnelli – La Teja; Chamberlain – Paysandú – Salto – Concordia and Algorta – Fray Bentos. The branch from August 25 – San Jose – Ombucitos is under renovation, and the stretch to San Jose was reopened for passenger service in December 2006.
...
Wikipedia