Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway
Encyclopedia
The Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway (BA&P) (in Spanish: Ferrocarril Buenos Aires al Pacífico) was one of the Big Four broad gauge
, , British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina
.
The original concession was awarded by the Argentine government in 1872 to John E. Clark for the construction of a railway from Buenos Aires
to Chile
. It was not until 1882, when the BA&P was registered as a joint-stock company in London, that Clark was able to take over the concession. Initially the new company only intended to build the section between Mercedes
, in Buenos Aires Province
, and Villa Mercedes
in San Luis Province
. From Mercedes the company planned to obtain access to the city of Buenos Aires over the Ferrocarril Oeste
track. At Villa Mercedes it connected with the Ferrocarril Andino
line that ran on to Mendoza
and San Juan
.
Work began on the line to Villa Mercedes in July 1882 and the line was opened on 8 October 1886. After a change of plan, the company applied for, and was granted, permission to build its own independent access to Buenos Aires and this 107 km extension between Mercedes and Palermo
, near the centre of Buenos Aires, was opened on 20 March 1888.
When it was first completed, the new line provided the provinces of the Cuyo
with a direct rail link to the federal capital, instead of the much longer route, via Villa María
to Rosario
and then by river steamer to Buenos Aires.
In 1898 the BA&P took over the British-owned company Villa Maria and Rufino Railway
and a year later John Wynford Philips became chairman of the BA&P, a post he held until 1938. During this period the company developed into a regional amalgamation of companies and dependent lines reaching from Buenos Aires to the Andes and extending from San Juan to Bahía Blanca
. In 1907 the Argentine Great Western Railway
, which had long been a rival of the BA&P, was taken over.
The line between Buenos Aires and Valparaiso
in Chile was finally completed when the link between Mendoza and Santa Rosa de Los Andes
in Chile, built by the Transandino Railway company was opened in 1910.
In 1908 the BA&P acquired part of a building in Florida Street
, in the centre of Buenos Aires, for offices. As a result the building became known as Edificio Pacífico and since 1990 has housed Galerías Pacífico
, a well-known shopping arcade.
When the entire Argentine railway network was nationalised
in 1948, during Juan Peron
's presidency, the BA&P became part of the state-owned company Ferrocarril General San Martín
.
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 :...
, , British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina
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...
.
The original concession was awarded by the Argentine government in 1872 to John E. Clark for the construction of a railway 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 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...
. It was not until 1882, when the BA&P was registered as a joint-stock company in London, that Clark was able to take over the concession. Initially the new company only intended to build the section between Mercedes
Mercedes, Buenos Aires
Mercedes is a city in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is located 100 km west from Buenos Aires and 30 km south west of Luján. It is the head town of the district of Mercedes as well as of the judicial district...
, in Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
, and 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:...
. From Mercedes the company planned to obtain access to the city of Buenos Aires over the Ferrocarril Oeste
Buenos Aires Western Railway
The Buenos Aires Western Railway was one of the Big Four broad gauge British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina...
track. At Villa Mercedes it connected with the 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...
line that ran on to 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 ....
.
Work began on the line to Villa Mercedes in July 1882 and the line was opened on 8 October 1886. After a change of plan, the company applied for, and was granted, permission to build its own independent access to Buenos Aires and this 107 km extension between Mercedes and Palermo
Palermo, Buenos Aires
Palermo is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It is located in the northeast of the city, bordering the barrios of Belgrano to the north, Almagro and Recoleta to the south, Villa Crespo and Colegiales to the west and the Río de la Plata river to the east. With a total...
, near the centre of Buenos Aires, was opened on 20 March 1888.
When it was first completed, the new line provided the provinces of the Cuyo
Cuyo (Argentina)
Cuyo is the name given to the wine-producing, mountainous area of central-west Argentina. Historically it comprised the provinces of San Juan, San Luis and Mendoza. The term New Cuyo is a modern one, which indicates both Cuyo proper and the province of La Rioja...
with a direct rail link to the federal capital, instead of the much longer route, via Villa María
Villa María
Villa María is a city in Córdoba Province, Argentina, and the head town of the General San Martín Department. It is located in the center of rich agricultural land. The area leads the country in production of milk...
to Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
and then by river steamer to Buenos Aires.
In 1898 the BA&P took over the British-owned company Villa Maria and Rufino Railway
Villa María and Rufino Railway
The Villa María and Rufino Railway was a British-owned company that, towards the end of the 19th century, built and operated a broad gauge, , railway line in Argentina, where it was known as the Ferrocarril Villa María a Rufino ....
and a year later John Wynford Philips became chairman of the BA&P, a post he held until 1938. During this period the company developed into a regional amalgamation of companies and dependent lines reaching from Buenos Aires to the Andes and extending from San Juan to Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca is a city located in the south-west of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, and seat of government of Bahía Blanca Partido. It has a population of 274,509 inhabitants according to the...
. In 1907 the Argentine Great Western Railway
Argentine Great Western Railway
The Argentine Great Western Railway 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...
, which had long been a rival of the BA&P, was taken over.
The line between Buenos Aires and Valparaiso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
in Chile was finally completed when the link between Mendoza and Santa Rosa de Los Andes
Los Andes, Chile
Los Andes, founded in July 31, 1791 as Santa Rosa de Los Andes, is a Chilean city and commune located in the province of the same name, in Valparaíso Region...
in Chile, built by the Transandino Railway company was opened in 1910.
In 1908 the BA&P acquired part of a building in Florida Street
Florida Street
Florida Street is an elegant shopping street in Downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. A pedestrian street since 1971, some stretches have been pedestrianized since 1913....
, in the centre of Buenos Aires, for offices. As a result the building became known as Edificio Pacífico and since 1990 has housed Galerías Pacífico
Galerías Pacífico
Galerías Pacífico is a shopping centre in Buenos Aires, Argentina, located at the intersection of Florida Street and Córdoba Avenue.-Overview:...
, a well-known shopping arcade.
When the entire Argentine railway network was nationalised
Railway Nationalisation in Argentina
In 1948, during President Juan Perón’s first term of office, the seven British-owned and three French-owned railway companies then operating in Argentina, were purchased by the state...
in 1948, during Juan Peron
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
's presidency, the BA&P became part of the state-owned company Ferrocarril General San Martín
Ferrocarril General San Martín
Ferrocarril General San Martín , named after the former Argentine general José de San Martín, was one of the six state-owned Argentine railway companies formed after President Juan Perón's nationalisation of the railway network in 1948...
.