Servicios Ferroviarios del Chaco

Servicios Ferroviarios del Chaco S.A. (also known for its acronym SEFECHA) (in English language, English: "Chaco Railway Services") was a Government owned corporation, State-owned railway company which operated passenger rail services in the Chaco Province of Argentina.

These services had been previously been run by the state-owned company Ferrocarriles Argentinos since Railway nationalization in Argentina, railway nationalization in 1948.

History

As part of Railway privatisation in Argentina, railway privatisation carried out during the presidency of Carlos Menem, a concession to operate the services was granted to the government of Chaco Province in 1992, being later transferred to "Servicios Ferroviarios del Chaco" (also known for its acronym "SEFECHA") in August 1999.

The Government of Chaco carried out a plan to rehabilitate some branches within the Province, the first being the Cacuí-La Sabana line, which was re-opened in December 1997 running railcars by MAN.

In March 1998, another service was added, the Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, Sáenz Peña-Taco Pozo line, with 3 trains a week. The 319 km route covered the north of Santiago del Estero Province. That same year SEFECHA re-opened the 190 km long Sáenz Peña-Chorotis branch.

The Cacuí-Resistencia, Chaco, Resistencia-Barranqueras line (which service was named ''Metropolitano'') was re-established in August 1999, using re-modeled Ferrostaal railcars.

In May 2010, the Government of Argentina took over services previously operated by SEFECHA, which was dissolved."Sefecha pasó a la Nación"
''Diario Norte'', 5 May 2010 These services, together with those of Tren de las Sierras in Córdoba Province (Argentina), Córdoba Province, are the only ex-General Manuel Belgrano Railway passenger services in the interior of the country that are still in operation.

Services

Two services were run by SEFECHA until 2010:

See also

*Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano, Ferrocarril Belgrano
*Operadora Ferroviaria Sociedad del Estado, Trenes Argentinos

References

{{Railway Companies in Argentina

Defunct railway companies of Argentina
Railway companies established in 1999
Metre gauge railways in Argentina
1999 establishments in Argentina
Transport in Chaco Province