Ferrobaires
| File:TrenFerrobaires.jpg A Ferrobaires train to Junín in 2000 | |
| Ferrobaires | |
| Company type | Public |
| Industry | Railway |
| Predecessor | Ferrocarriles Argentinos |
| Founded | 15 January 1993 in La Plata, Argentina |
| Founder | Government of Buenos Aires Province |
| Defunct | 15 March 2018 |
| Fate | Defunct |
| Successor | Trenes Argentinos |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Buenos Aires Province |
Key people | Héctor Dotti (General Administrator) |
| Services | Rail transport |
| Decrease $A 60 million (2016) | |
| Owner | Buenos Aires Province |
The Unidad Ejecutora del Plan Ferroviario Provincial (UEPFP), commonly referred to as Ferrobaires, was a state-owned railway enterprise that provided extensive long-distance passenger rail services throughout the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Primarily financed and administered by the provincial government under Eduardo Duhalde, the company's name is a portmanteau of the Spanish terms for "Rail" and "Buenos Aires."
Operating from its headquarters in Buenos Aires, Ferrobaires managed a network of rail lines stretching towards the southern and western regions of the province. The company served approximately 1.5 million travelers annually, with departures from the three principal Buenos Aires train stations: Retiro (San Martín), Constitución, and Once. Its rail infrastructure encompassed roughly 5,500 kilometers of track.
Background
Ferrobaires took over routes that were once under the control of Ferrocarriles Argentinos, Argentina’s former national passenger railway operator. After the privatization process of Ferrocarriles Argentinos began in 1989, numerous train lines were discontinued. In response, Governor Eduardo Duhalde of Buenos Aires Province sought in 1992 to acquire more than 5,500 km of inactive railway lines—closed between 1961 and 1992—from the National Government, aiming to collaborate with local municipalities to establish a new operating entity.
On 28 April 1992, the province officially requested the transfer of 52 out-of-service lines. Subsequently, in January 1993, the "Unidad Ejecutora del Programa Ferroviario Provincial" (UEPFP) was formed by decree number 99/93. Nevertheless, several routes were shuttered during the economic downturn caused by the 2001 financial crisis.
Through national decrees 1168/1992 and 770/1993, operational control over various lines located in Buenos Aires as well as in La Pampa and Río Negro was transferred to Buenos Aires Province.
Among the principal routes managed by Ferrobaires were Constitución–Mar del Plata, Bahía Blanca, Bariloche, Quequén, Bolívar, Olavarría–Bahía Blanca, Once–General Villegas/Toay/General Pico/Darragueira, Retiro (San Martín)–Alberdi/Junín, and Federico Lacroze–Rojas.
Operation
Ferrobaires reinstated previously discontinued routes such as Mar del Plata–Miramar and Gral. Guido–Gral. Madariaga (which had been closed since 1978), and inaugurated a new station called "Divisadero de Pinamar" on the Gral. Guido–Vivoratá line in 1996, thereby restoring rail connectivity to Pinamar after nearly three decades.
Nevertheless, insufficient upkeep and a shortage of rolling stock caused further service interruptions; the Pinamar branch was shut down again in April 2011 and has remained out of service since.
In early 2006, the national Ministry of Planning contemplated assuming control with the intention to privatize Ferrobaires, but Buenos Aires Province, led by Governor Felipe Solá, resisted this move, emphasizing the province’s effective management and affordable ticket prices.
On 8 February 2007, an agreement was reached for the Provincial Government to hand over operations to the National Government to sustain service amid frequent technical failures. However, this transfer never materialized, and Ferrobaires continued under provincial administration.
By 2011, Ferrobaires was widely criticized due to significant operational deficiencies and a limited number of functioning trains.
In July 2015, Ferrobaires announced it would restart weekly train services from Plaza Constitución to Pinamar—routes that had been suspended since 2010—with stops including Santo Domingo, Segurola, Monsalvo, Invernadas, and Gral. Madariaga. Services resumed on 17 July.
Decline
Following a collision in June 2016 between a Ferrobaires passenger train and a Belgrano Cargas y Logística freight train near Rawson, the Buenos Aires Province Government under María Eugenia Vidal suspended all eight Ferrobaires routes due to concerns over passenger and staff safety.
The route from Constitución to Mar del Plata was excluded from the suspension and designated for transfer to the National Government. A report by the "Auditoría General de la Nación" revealed critical deterioration of rolling stock, tracks, and signaling systems caused by inadequate maintenance. Annual operational expenses reached $1.2 billion while income amounted to only $60 million.
In July 2016, authorities announced plans to dissolve Ferrobaires and transfer its workforce and infrastructure to the National Government, effectively revisiting a previously unsuccessful attempt from 2007. Passenger rail services that had been provincially managed since 1993 were set to be operated by Operadora Ferroviaria Sociedad del Estado (SOFSE). Governor Vidal formalized this transition in January 2018.
SOFSE took over key lines including Plaza Constitución to Bahía Blanca, Bariloche, Quequén, Bolívar; Olavarría to Bahía Blanca; Once to Toay, General Pico, General Villegas, Darregueira, Lincoln; Lincoln to Villegas and Pasteur; Retiro to Alberti and Junín; Federico Lacroze to Rojas. These routes had originally been transferred to Buenos Aires Province in 1992. Additionally, the Mar del Plata – Miramar and General Guido – General Madariaga lines—which had been revived by the provincial government after 1992—were incorporated into SOFSE’s network.
Services
Before its closure, Ferrobaires operated these principal routes:[1]
| Origin | Destination | Distance (Km) | Service Days | Railway Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constitución | Mar del Plata | 400 | Monday-Sunday | Roca |
| Tandil | 330 | Tuesday, Friday | ||
| Bahía Blanca (via Lamadrid) | 680 | Monday, Wednesday, Friday | ||
| Bahía Blanca (via Pringles) | 640 | Tuesday, Thursday | ||
| 25 de Mayo | 205 | Tuesday, Friday | ||
| Tandil | Vela | 48 | Wednesday, Sunday | |
| Retiro (San Martín) | Alberdi | 336 | Friday | San Martín |
| Once | Bragado | 209 | Monday-Saturday | Sarmiento |
- ↑ "Destinos" on Ferrobaires website, 16 March 2015