Fábrica Argentina de Locomotoras

Fábrica Argentina de Locomotoras (FAdeL)

Company type	State-owned company
Industry	Rail vehicle manufacturing
Founded	May 1, 1952 (1952-05-01) in Argentina
Defunct	1955 (1955)
Headquarters	Argentina
Key people	Pedro Sacaggio (engineer)
Products	Diesel-electric locomotives (Justicialista, CM2 Argentina)
Number of employees	100+

Fábrica Argentina de Locomotoras (FAdeL) was an Argentine manufacturer specializing in rail vehicles, created as part of President Juan Perón's initial five-year plan aimed at fostering domestic industry and minimizing reliance on foreign imports. The company is most notably recognized for producing the Justicialista diesel-electric locomotive.

History

The first diesel locomotive in Argentina was engineered by Pedro Sacaggio in 1933. FAdeL initially imported engines from Italian companies Fiat Ferroviaria and Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico, with the objective of producing approximately 600 locomotives domestically. The company's premier model, the Justicialista diesel locomotive (designated "CM1"), was introduced in 1951 by Perón alongside Sacaggio. FAdeL was officially established on May 1, 1952, operating out of workshops located in Liniers and employing more than 100 personnel.

As Argentina’s inaugural domestically manufactured diesel locomotive, the Justicialista made its debut on the General Roca Railway line between Constitución and Mar del Plata, cutting travel time to 3 hours and 45 minutes. It also operated on routes to Bariloche and Mendoza, Argentina, reaching average speeds of 145 km/h, and remained active until the mid-1960s.

A second model, the CM2 Argentina, was developed by FAdeL; however, production halted following the 1955 Revolución Libertadora coup that deposed Perón. Subsequently, operations were relocated under Sacaggio's supervision to workshops on the General San Martín Railway in Mendoza Province, but the locomotive manufacturing initiative was discontinued. Eventually, FAdeL ceased operations entirely; its designs and machinery were either lost or dismantled. Nevertheless, the engines initially procured were later utilized in Materfer's GAIA locomotives during the 1960s.