Meter gauge in Bolivia

Here are few photos from a tour in July/August 2008 three week tour that started in Lima, Peru and ended in La Paz, Bolivia. The political climate is somewhat a problem with the privatized railroad operations of the Ferrocarril Central Andina (Bolivia). This is a division of Ferrocarril Antofagosta y Bolivia. FCAB picks up traffic at the Bolivian frontier and forwards it to Antofagasta, Chile. Likewise traffic from Chile must cross the Bolivian border to be handled onto to La Paz or other destinations in Bolivia.

If Evo Morales re-nationalizes the FCA or Ferrocarril Oriental (FO) a Genessee and Wyoming property. Transfer of traffic at the border might become a international incident. Since Chile would loose the contract to operate a new 65 Km. branch line to San Cristobal copper mine connecting to the FCA at Rio Grande, Bolivia. This is a new operation that has a dedicated train set and locos from both railroad companies that crosses the frontier to Antofagasta.

First photo- Loading FCA Ferrostall railcar #337 at El Alto, Bolivia. This was at the location of working wye that was once the FCG line to Guaqui, Bolivia. This location is in one of most depressed barrios of La Paz. Actually it is a independent city and often demonstrations against the ruling government often begin here. The trackage to La Paz from the El Alto station is abandoned and the Guaqui line to Viacha is lifted.


Former Guaqui and La Paz line to Lake Titicaca. Car 337 at station. A new once a month tourist train runs to Guaqui. It was snowing at Guaqui.



Former FCG 2-8-0 #6 at shops in Guaqui. This loco is operatable.



Dale Brown