FEMESA
| Company type | State-owned enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway transport |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Defunct | 1997 |
| Fate | Disbanded after privatization of Buenos Aires commuter rail services |
| Headquarters | Argentina |
Area served | Buenos Aires commuter rail network |
Ferrocarriles Metropolitanos S.A. (FEMESA) was a state-owned Argentine enterprise created in 1991 during the administration of President Carlos Menem to oversee the transition of Buenos Aires commuter rail operations to private management. FEMESA awarded operating rights to private firms—Metropolitano, Ferrovías, Metrovías, and Trenes de Buenos Aires—which took over routes previously managed by nationalised entities since 1948. After fulfilling its role, FEMESA was disbanded in 1997.
Overview
Established in 1991, FEMESA took over the administration of commuter rail lines formerly run by the state company Ferrocarriles Argentinos (FA), acting as an interim body until private operators were selected. Meanwhile, FA maintained control over medium- and long-distance passenger services until these were terminated on 10 March 1993.
In 1994, concessions were awarded by FEMESA to Metropolitano, which operated the San Martín, Roca, and Belgrano Sur Lines through its subsidiaries. Despite receiving considerable government financial support, Metropolitano’s service standards deteriorated, resulting in the cancellation of its concessions by 2007 and the subsequent management takeover by the emergency consortium UGOFE.
During the same year, Ferrovías and Metrovías obtained concessions for the Belgrano Norte and Urquiza Lines, respectively—both previously under FA control. In 1995, Trenes de Buenos Aires was granted operational rights for the Mitre and Sarmiento Lines.
Once Buenos Aires commuter rail services were fully privatised, FEMESA was formally dissolved in 1997.