Gran Ferrocarril de Santa Bárbara a El Vigía

Gran Ferrocarril de Santa Bárbara a El Vigía
Route length:	60 km
Gauge :	1000 mm ( meter gauge )
Maximum slope :	20  ‰
Minimum radius :	100 m
Legend Catatumbo River 0 Santa Bárbara del Zulia (en) 37 El Castillo 60 El Vigía (es)

The Gran Ferrocarril de Santa Bárbara a El Vigía was a 60 km long narrow-gauge railway in Venezuela , which was operated from May 1, 1893 until at least after the First World War .

Route

The route ran from Santa Bárbara del Zulia , at the end of the river navigation on the Río Escalante , to El Vigía .

Track construction

The track had a track width of 1000 mm. The rail weight per meter was 20 kg / m (40 pounds / yard), the greatest incline was 2 percent, and the minimum curve radius was 100 meters. There were 15 bridges with a total length of 138 meters.

history

The Ferrocarril de Santa Barbara a El Vigia was owned by the Venezuelan government, which took it over from the French company that started construction in 1892 after receiving a guarantee. The operation was taken over by the government in 1895.

In 1892 the route was partially destroyed by a flood of the Río Chama ^(en) . From that year on, the locomotives only drove up to kilometer 37, and the wagons were pulled by mules up to kilometer 47, where transport by pack donkeys to Mérida , the final destination of the route in the state of Mérida , began. In June and July 1915, further floods destroyed even more of the route. The government has earmarked its income for new construction work, and the track construction work progressed to the terminus at El Vigia, making a total of 60 kilometers.

Of the three government-owned routes, it was the only one that was profitable. It was not managed directly but was leased to JA Redondo in Santa Barbara.

Rail vehicles

There were 5 locomotives with an average weight of 25 tons, 6 passenger coaches, 12 flat wagons, 14 box vans and 1 animal transport wagon, although this equipment was sufficient for the traffic on the line.

Rates

The 1922 passenger rate was 6 cents / mile for first class and 4 cents / mile for second class. The freight rate was 39 cents per ton mile for import freight and 34 cents per ton mile for export freight.

financing

The investment and construction of the track were 3,021,880  Bolívar indicated (583,223 $). That cost was 50,365 bolívar ($ 9,720) per kilometer, the lowest cost of any railroad in Venezuela.

In 1911 and 1914, the line carried a total of more than 13,000 tons of freight. The highest total was reached in 1919 when 17,821 tons were transported, with the total income from all sources being 662,479 bolívar ($ 127,858) and spending 333,337 bolívar ($ 64,334).

Individual evidence

1. ↑ United States. Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce: Special Agents Series, Issue 212. US Government Printing Office, 1922. pp. 219-220.
2. ↑ Eudes J. Blanco P .: Inauguración del Ferrocarril Santa Bárbara - El Vigía.