Argentine Great Western Railway
Encyclopedia
The Argentine Great Western Railway (AGW) (in Spanish: Ferrocarril Gran Oeste Argentino) was a British-owned railway company, founded in 1887, that operated a broad gauge
, , railway network in the Argentine
provinces of San Luis
, San Juan
and Mendoza
. In 1907 it was taken over on a lease by the Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway
(BA&P).
The AGW was founded in 1887, and in the same year bought the 518 km line connecting Villa Mercedes
in San Luis Province
with Mendoza
and San Juan
in the rich wine-producing districts at the foot of the Andes
. This line had been built by the State-owned company Ferrocarril Andino
between 1878 and 1885 as the middle section of a planned transcontinental route from Buenos Aires
to the border with Chile
.
Next the AGW embarked upon the building of branch lines and feeders in northern San Luis Province
and southwards through Mendoza Province
, transforming the network into a regional system geared to the needs of this wine-producing region. As a result, the company saw its traffic returns increase dramatically between 1895 and 1905, although there was always fierce competition from the BA&P.
In 1903 the AGW took over a lease on the working and management of the Argentine Transandine Railway (AT) which was under construction and in financial difficulties. In 1905 the AGW, together with the BA&P, agreed to guarantee the stock of the AT, thereby enabling them to raise additional funds. Two years later the AGW was taken over on a lease by the BA&P who at the same time took over the working of the AT.
Indian gauge
Indian gauge is a track gauge commonly used in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Argentina and Chile. It is also the gauge that is used on BART , in northern California.- Scotland :...
, , railway network in the Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
provinces of San Luis
San Luis Province
San Luis is a province of Argentina located near the geographical center of the country . Neighboring provinces are, from the north clockwise, La Rioja, Córdoba, La Pampa, Mendoza and San Juan.-History:...
, San Juan
San Juan Province (Argentina)
San Juan is a province of Argentina, located in the western part of the country. Neighbouring provinces are, moving clockwise from the north, La Rioja, San Luis and Mendoza. It borders with Chile at the west....
and Mendoza
Mendoza Province
The Province of Mendoza is a province of Argentina, located in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders to the north with San Juan, the south with La Pampa and Neuquén, the east with San Luis, and to the west with the republic of Chile; the international limit is...
. In 1907 it was taken over on a lease by the Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway
Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway
The Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway was one of the Big Four broad gauge, , British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina....
(BA&P).
The AGW was founded in 1887, and in the same year bought the 518 km line connecting Villa Mercedes
Villa Mercedes, San Luis
Villa Mercedes is a city in the province of San Luis, Argentina. It lies on the center-east of the province, on the left-hand banks of the Quinto River, 32 km from the border with Córdoba, on National Route 148, and near the intersection of National Routes 8 and 7. National Route 7 links the city...
in San Luis Province
San Luis Province
San Luis is a province of Argentina located near the geographical center of the country . Neighboring provinces are, from the north clockwise, La Rioja, Córdoba, La Pampa, Mendoza and San Juan.-History:...
with Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
and San Juan
San Juan, Argentina
San Juan is the capital city of the Argentine province of San Juan in the Cuyo region, located in the Tulúm Valley, west of the San Juan River, at above mean sea level, with a population of around 112,000 as per the ....
in the rich wine-producing districts at the foot of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
. This line had been built by the State-owned company Ferrocarril Andino
Ferrocarril Andino
The Ferrocarril Andino was a state-owned company in Argentina which, towards the end of the 19th century, built and operated a railway connecting Villa María in Córdoba Province with the cities of Mendoza and San Juan...
between 1878 and 1885 as the middle section of a planned transcontinental route from Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
to the border with Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
Next the AGW embarked upon the building of branch lines and feeders in northern San Luis Province
San Luis Province
San Luis is a province of Argentina located near the geographical center of the country . Neighboring provinces are, from the north clockwise, La Rioja, Córdoba, La Pampa, Mendoza and San Juan.-History:...
and southwards through Mendoza Province
Mendoza Province
The Province of Mendoza is a province of Argentina, located in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders to the north with San Juan, the south with La Pampa and Neuquén, the east with San Luis, and to the west with the republic of Chile; the international limit is...
, transforming the network into a regional system geared to the needs of this wine-producing region. As a result, the company saw its traffic returns increase dramatically between 1895 and 1905, although there was always fierce competition from the BA&P.
In 1903 the AGW took over a lease on the working and management of the Argentine Transandine Railway (AT) which was under construction and in financial difficulties. In 1905 the AGW, together with the BA&P, agreed to guarantee the stock of the AT, thereby enabling them to raise additional funds. Two years later the AGW was taken over on a lease by the BA&P who at the same time took over the working of the AT.