The

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

n rail network has had a peculiar development throughout its history.

History

Gauges

All railways in Bolivia are now

Metre gauge Metre-gauge railways are narrow-gauge railways with track gauge of or 1 metre. The metre gauge is used in around of tracks around the world. It was used by European colonial powers, such as the French, British and German Empires. In Europe, la ...

. The Antofagasta to

Uyuni Uyuni (Aymara, ''uyu'' pen (enclosure), yard, cemetery, ''-ni'' a suffix to indicate ownership, "the one that has got a pen", "the one with a pen") is a city in the southwest of Bolivia. Uyuni primarily serves as a gateway for tourists visiting t ...

line was originally gauge.

Maps

File:Railway map of Bolivia 1942.JPG File:Ferrocarril-Arica-La-Paz.jpg

FCAB Line from Antofagasta

Rail link to Peru

Bolivia built a line to the shores of Lake Titicaca.

Lines in the south, east

A line from São Paulo, Brazil, enters Bolivia at Puerto Suarez and connects to this line at Santa Cruz. In the 1950s this last major rail system was completed. A line was intended to run from Santa Cruz to Trinidad (about 500 km) in the north center of the country, but never reached there, it ended north of Yapacani (150 km), from where since 2014 an industrial spur is under construction to the ammonia/urea factory near Bulo Bulo (60 km). Spur lines were run to mining districts and the regional capital of Cochabamba.

Mamore and Madeira Railway

Another railway was a local line in the Amazonian jungle. The

Madeira-Mamoré Railroad The Madeira-Mamoré Railroad is an abandoned railroad built in the Brazilian state of Rondônia between 1907 and 1912. The railroad links the cities of Porto Velho and Guajará-Mirim. It became known as the "Devil's Railroad" because thousands of ...

runs in a loop around the unnavigable section to Guajará-Mirim on the Mamoré River.

Steel lines to the Silver at Potosi

Rio Mulatos-Potosí line is a train line in Bolivia, containing Cóndor station, the world's second highest railway station (4,786 m).

Future plans

The government of Evo Morales has proposed a rail line uniting La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz, connecting onwards to Brazil and the Pacific coast. The department of Cochabamba and the national government are contracting design studies in 2011 for regional trains to run on two routes: Cochabamba-Caluyo- Tarata- Cliza-

Punata Punata is the capital of Punata Province and Punata Municipality in Cochabamba Department, Bolivia. At the time of census 2012 it had a population of 19,559 inhabitants and at the census 2012 the populations rose to 28.707 inhabitants. People ...

- Arani and

Sipe Sipe Sipe Sipe is a location in the Cochabamba Department in central Bolivia. It is the seat of the Sipe Sipe Municipality, the second municipal section of the Quillacollo Province Quillacollo is a province in the Cochabamba Department, Bolivia. ...

-Vinto-Cochabamba- Sacaba-Chiñata. A 180-day study on Sipe Sipe-Chiñata line is being carried out between August 2011 and February 2012. This project, known as

Mi Tren ''Mi Tren'' is a light rail network operating in the Bolivian city of Cochabamba Cochabamba ( ay, Quchapampa; qu, Quchapampa) is a city and municipality in central Bolivia in a valley in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Co ...

, is under construction and due for completion in 2020.

International rail links to adjacent countries

* Argentina – yes – both countries * Brazil – yes – gauge both countries * Chile – yes – gauge both countries * Peru – Shipping by car float from railhead in

Guaqui Guaqui is a railhead and port in Bolivia on Lake Titicaca. A ferry (a car float) connects with the Peruvian railhead and port on Puno. It served as location of Inca ruins prior to the arrival of the Spanish. The towns current church sites on what ...

to railhead in

Puno Puno (Aymara and qu, Punu) is a city in southeastern Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It is the capital city of the Puno Region and the Puno Province with a population of approximately 140,839 (2015 estimate). The city was establish ...

across Lake Titicaca

Incidents

In 2007 thieves had stolen 100 meters of Bolivian track overnight, and the morning freight had insufficient distance to stop. Photo of the site shows locomotives 1021 and 951 remained upright, but extensive damage ensued.

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

* Historia de los ferrocarriles en Bolivia
Ferrocarriles Bolivia. Del anhelo a la frustración. Desarrollo, producción, economía y dependencia.Empresa Ferroviaria Andina (FCA)Empresa Ferroviaria Oriental S.A.Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a BoliviaFerrocarril de Guaqui a La PazViaje en tren entre Sucre y Potosí
{{South America in topic, Rail transport in