In August 2015, one of the most scenic railways in Chile was damaged by heavy rain in the driest desert of the world. Different issues, not yet explained, forced the closure of this historical line. Six years before, the SQM owners invested heavily on line improvements including a completely new locomotive fleet, which was designed and built in Chile.
A Brief History
Early in 1886 Mr. William Stirling, of Tacna, made a survey and report, which led to the formation in London of The AngloChilean Nitrate and Railway Company (ACNRC), for the construction of a railway from Tocopilla to Toco, and the erection of works (called Oficina) for dealing with the nitrate in the grounds they proposed to acquire.
The railway was designed by William Stirling of Lima, a son of the famous Robert Stirling. The work was begun at Tocopilla in August 1888, but little progress was made until the following January. The railway was completed in March 1890. The line was 3’6” gauge, a dimension best adapted for a rugged country, and was laid using flat-bottomed rails weighing 40 lbs per yard, spiked to native oak sleepers, 8 inches by 49 inches, varying between 7 and 9 feet in length, 2,420 in one mile.
Starting from the port, the line climbed steeply with a ruling gradient of 4.1% up the steep sides of the coastal hills, bordering the ravine leading to Toco, winding in and out from one ravine to another, to reach Barriles (km 27.7) at the level of the pampa or plain. In order to minimize works such as bridges, tunnels, cuttings, and embankments, and thus the cost of construction, the alignment comprised a reverse and 211 curves with a minimum radius of
