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RAILWAY CHRONOLOGY

The history of the railway goes back to the first civilizations such as the Egyptians who, using long wooden beams, carried heavy loads, which could be the first means of transport on rails. In the 16th century, German miners used wagons in underground mines, which moved on flat wooden beams to transport material. Two centuries later these wooden rails would be replaced by iron beams and wheels with  rims or metal fence.

In 1770, Watt invented the steam engine creating a revolution that began with the challenge of transporting travelers at a speed faster than the pace of man for the first time in the world, by means of an apparatus that worked by means of traction generated by the pressure of steam.

1802

Currently Baquedano Station there are greater conservation, valuation and dissemination actions than those generated by the community itself that seeks to preserve and promote the heritage and cultural value of this Railway Complex. Among the actions are the organization of the first celebration of the Day  of Cultural Heritage in the Commune of Sierra Gorda in 2017 and later, as procedures before the Council of National Monuments with the aim of denouncing the abandonment and protecting the railway historical heritage. This small contribution to the memory and identity of the town of Estación Baquedano is part of these community actions that seek to contribute to the revaluation of our identity as an industrial town born under the effort of the State to Industrialize the country.

1802

The English engineer Richard Trevithick built a traction steam locomotive, which moved on rails by means of a gear.

1830

The first regular passenger train service begins in England and the United States.

1851

In Chile the private railway from Caldera to Copiapó was inaugurated, becoming the first railway in the country.

1870

Discovery of the Mineral de Caracoles in the Antofagasta Region, which generates a wave of immigration and financial speculation.

1871

In Tarapacá (Peru at that time) the  the Nitrate Railroad from Iquique to La Noria.

1888

All the railway concessions of the Huanchaca Company are transferred to  the  Antofagasta (Chili) and Bolivia Railway Co. Ltd.

1884

The Chilean State Railroad Company is officially formed.

1880

The Compañía de Salitres y Ferrocarriles de Antofagasta is associated with the Compañía Minera Huanchaca de Bolivia.

1879

The military conflict between Chile, Peru and Bolivia breaks out.

In Antofagasta the railway line extended to the salt flats in the central pampas.

1873

Inauguration of the Antofagasta Salitres and Railways Company Railroad.

This extended from the port to the tasks in the Salar del Carmen.

1908

The Government of Chile promulgates a law that allows the State to carry out actions for the construction of the Northern Network of the Longitudinal Railroad. Among these is to normalize the track of the FF.CC. private 1 mt.

1910

Chilian Longitudinal Railway Construction Company begins construction  of the section between  Pueblo Hundido station  Pintados station.

1913

Construction of the Baquedano Station Powerhouse.

 

On November 23, the work of the Northern Network of the Longitudinal State Railroad is completed and delivered.

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1914

on January 10 of this year  and the Longitudinal Norte or "Longino" as it was popularly known was born.

1917

Inauguration of the Railway from Antofagasta to La Paz, within the framework of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship signed in 1904 by Chile and Bolivia.

1951

The State acquires the Tarapacá Nitrate Railroad assuming the operation of the Iquique to Pintados, Pisagua Railroad and adjacent Saltpeter Offices.

1948

Inauguration of the Trasandino del Norte Railway, from  Antofagasta to Salta via Socompa.

1929

First trip  of direct passengers from Iquique to La Calera.

A trip with steam traction could last 3 and a half days.

1928

FCAB standardized  its tracks from 762 to 1000 mm. due to the promulgation of decrees and laws that forced the FF.CC. private to be annexed to the laying of the Northern Network of the Longitudinal Railroad. (FCLN)

1926

In June of this year,  the town of Estación Baquedano, popularly known as "El Pueblo" and that corresponds to the town adjacent to the Railway Complex.

1961

The FCAB ends its operation of the North Longitudinal Railroad network and the State begins its operation and administration.

1973

The Armed Forces and of Order give a coup to President Salvador Allende. A civic-military dictatorship is installed that establishes a neoliberal economic agenda by privatizing most of the state companies during the 17 years that he ruled the country.

1975

The last passenger train that circulated along the Longitudinal Norte departed from  Iquique station  on June 13, 1975.

1983

The Baquedano Railway Station and part of its rolling stock and some buildings are declared a National Historic Monument. This action stopped disarmament  of steam locomotives.

1988

The State Railways Company (EFE) transferred the Northern Railway Network to CORFO, who renamed it FERRONOR (Northern Railway).

2008

Part of the Railway Enclosure is used as a location for the James Bond 007 film production

Quantum of solace

2006

Due to the derailment of a Ferronor train in the Argentine section, the agreement between the companies of both countries ends.

2004

Rail América withdraws from Ferronor SA leaving APCO as the sole owner of this Railway Network.

2000

Signing of the Agreement between the Belgrano Company of Argentina that operated from Socompa to Salta and Ferronor to whom this section of the Trasandino del Norte belongs.

The transportation of liquefied gas from Argentina was the main activity of this agreement. 

1997

CORFO sells the Ferronor Railway Transportation Company to the APCO and Rail América consortium.

Privatizing what until then was  the Northern Network of the Longitudinal State Railroad.

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