Ferrocarriles Patagónicos
| Company type | Government-owned company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway transport |
| Founded | 1909 |
| Founder | Argentine government |
| Fate | Merged into Ferrocarril General Roca |
| Headquarters | Argentina |
Area served | Patagonia region, Argentina |
| Parent | Argentine State Railway (from 1909) |
Ferrocarriles Patagónicos was a government-owned railway enterprise in Argentina responsible for constructing and managing multiple rail routes throughout the Patagonia region. This company operated under the umbrella of the Argentine State Railway, which was created in 1909 during the presidency of José Figueroa Alcorta.
History
At the dawn of the 20th century, Patagonia's railways were managed by two British enterprises: the Central Chubut line, featuring a metre gauge (1000mm) track connecting Puerto Madryn and Trelew, and the Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway, which used a broad gauge (5ft 6in) line stretching from Bahía Blanca to Neuquén. In 1908, the Argentine government initiated plans to expand Patagonia’s rail network by adding two more broad gauge lines. One route was intended to link San Antonio Oeste in the Río Negro Territory through Valcheta to Nahuel Huapi Lake. The other was designed to run from Puerto Deseado through Colonia San Martín to intersect with the first line, including branches extending to Comodoro Rivadavia (via Sarmiento), Colonia 16 de Octubre, and Buenos Aires Lake.
Construction commenced on the Puerto Deseado segment in 1909 but only reached as far as Las Heras (283 km). Additionally, a 197 km stretch connecting Comodoro Rivadavia to Sarmiento was completed. These sections came under the administration of the Argentine State Railway in 1914. The San Antonio Oeste line, which began construction in 1908, advanced to Km 217 by 1911 and reached Maquinchao by 1913. Further extensions brought it to Ingeniero Jacobacci in 1917 and finally to Bariloche by 1934.
During the mid-1930s, with increasing competition from road vehicles, Ferrocarriles del Estado procured railcars from Hungary’s Ganz Works for use on the Carmen de Patagones–Bariloche route. These railcars arrived in 1938 and started operations that December.
In 1946, a narrow gauge (750mm) branch line spanning 402 km from Ingeniero Jacobacci to Esquel was inaugurated; this line became known as La Trochita. After the nationalization of Argentina’s railways under President Juan Perón in 1948, Ferrocarriles Patagónicos was merged into Ferrocarril General Roca.
Railway network
The Ferrocarriles Patagónicos system as it stood in 1936 included:
| Template:Center | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company | Province/s | Line/s | Gauge | Total Km |
| Central Chubut | Chubut | Puerto Madryn – Trelew Gaiman - Dolavon |
0,750 | 104 |
| San Antonio - Nahuel Huapi | Río Negro Chubut |
C. de Patagones – Bariloche Ing. Jacobacci – Esquel (La Trochita) Gral. Vintter – Gral. Conesa |
1,676 0,750 |
1316 |
| Comodoro Rivadavia | Chubut | C. Rivadavia – Colonia Sarmiento C. Rivadavia – Rada Tilly |
1,676 | 220 |
| Puerto Deseado | Chubut, Santa Cruz | Puerto Deseado – Colonia Las Heras | 1,676 | 286 |