Córdoba Central Railway
Encyclopedia
The Córdoba Central Railway (CC) (in Spanish: Ferrocarril Central de Córdoba) was a British-owned railway company, founded in 1887, that operated a 1960 km metre gauge
railway network in Argentina
which extended from Buenos Aires
, north west via Rosario and Córdoba
, to Tucumán. Financial problems forced the sale of the company to the Argentine government in 1939.
The company was founded in 1887 to take over a concession, originally granted to William Temple in 1885, for the construction of a 206 km line, from the Córdoba city suburb of Alta Córdoba to San Francisco
. The line was completed in 1888 and the following year the company took over the state-owned Ferrocarril Central Norte
which operated a line from Córdoba to Tucumán, built between 1875 and 1876, a line from Tucumán to Salta
, then still under construction and completed later in 1891, and branch lines from Frías to Santiago del Estero
, opened in 1884, and from Recreo to Chumbicha, opened in 1886. The condition of this 885 km network, was such that a large capital investment was required to bring it up to a satisfactory standard.
The British-owned Argentine North Western Railway
, which operated a line from Tucumán to La Madrid via Río Chico and a number of branch lines in the sugar producing region of Tucumán Province
, was bought by the CC in 1899. In 1900 the company took over the operation of the British-owned Córdoba North Western Railway
from Córdoba to Cruz del Eje
. Three years later the Argentine government granted a concession to the CC to build a line connecting Rosario and Buenos Aires which was opened on 1 May 1912 and in October 1914 a new railway terminus was inaugurated at Retiro
in Buenos Aires. In 1912 the CC took over another British-owned company the Córdoba & Rosario Railway with whom it had shared mutual interests for a number of years.
Severe rail and road competition lead to financial problems which eventually resulted in the sale of the CC to the Argentine government in May 1939 after which operation of its lines was taken over by the Argentine State Railway.
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
railway network 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...
which extended 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...
, north west via Rosario and Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
, to Tucumán. Financial problems forced the sale of the company to the Argentine government in 1939.
The company was founded in 1887 to take over a concession, originally granted to William Temple in 1885, for the construction of a 206 km line, from the Córdoba city suburb of Alta Córdoba to San Francisco
San Francisco, Córdoba
San Francisco is a city located at the far east border of the province of Córdoba, Argentina, and parts of the city are beyond the border into the province of Santa Fe. In the city National Routes 19 and 158 intersect...
. The line was completed in 1888 and the following year the company took over the state-owned Ferrocarril Central Norte
Ferrocarril Central Norte
The Ferrocarril Central Norte was the first railway built in Argentina by the state...
which operated a line from Córdoba to Tucumán, built between 1875 and 1876, a line from Tucumán to Salta
Salta
Salta is a city in northwestern Argentina and the capital city of the Salta Province. Along with its metropolitan area, it has a population of 464,678 inhabitants as of the , making it Argentina's eighth largest city.-Overview:...
, then still under construction and completed later in 1891, and branch lines from Frías to Santiago del Estero
Santiago del Estero
Santiago del Estero is the capital of Santiago del Estero Province in northern Argentina. It has a population of 244,733 inhabitants, making it the twelfth largest city in the country, with a surface area of 2,116 km². It lies on the Dulce River and on National Route 9, at a distance of...
, opened in 1884, and from Recreo to Chumbicha, opened in 1886. The condition of this 885 km network, was such that a large capital investment was required to bring it up to a satisfactory standard.
The British-owned Argentine North Western Railway
Argentine North Western Railway
The Argentine North Western Railway was a British-owned railway company, founded in 1886, that operated a railway network in the Tucumán Province of Argentina...
, which operated a line from Tucumán to La Madrid via Río Chico and a number of branch lines in the sugar producing region of Tucumán Province
Tucumán Province
Tucumán is the most densely populated, and the smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the capital is San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighboring provinces are, clockwise from the north: Salta, Santiago del Estero and...
, was bought by the CC in 1899. In 1900 the company took over the operation of the British-owned Córdoba North Western Railway
Córdoba North Western Railway
The Córdoba North Western Railway was a British-owned railway company, founded in 1889, that operated a metre gauge railway network in the Córdoba Province of Argentina...
from Córdoba to Cruz del Eje
Cruz del Eje
Cruz del Eje is a city in the . It has about 28,000 inhabitants as of the . It is the head town of the department of the same name, which has a population of about 52,000....
. Three years later the Argentine government granted a concession to the CC to build a line connecting Rosario and Buenos Aires which was opened on 1 May 1912 and in October 1914 a new railway terminus was inaugurated at Retiro
Estación Retiro
Retiro Station is a large railway terminus in the Buenos Aires central business district in Argentina, located in the district of Retiro, opposite Plaza San Martín, a large public square....
in Buenos Aires. In 1912 the CC took over another British-owned company the Córdoba & Rosario Railway with whom it had shared mutual interests for a number of years.
Severe rail and road competition lead to financial problems which eventually resulted in the sale of the CC to the Argentine government in May 1939 after which operation of its lines was taken over by the Argentine State Railway.