Ferrocarril Central Andino

File:FCCA GE C30-7 Rio Blanco - San Mateo.jpg

The line starts at the port city of Callao and goes through Lima and the Desamparados station parallel to the Rímac River. It crosses into Junín state via the Galera Tunnel, the second highest railroad tunnel in the world. It reaches La Oroya, where it splits in two: the southern branch goes to Huancayo, while the northern branch (previously a line operated by a mining company) goes into Pasco region, through Cerro de Pasco (the regional capital) to the Goyllarisquizga coal mines. Formerly a branch split off at Cerro de Pasco and ran into Pachitea Province in Huánuco region. There are 27 stations.

In June 2006, the Peruvian government agreed that FCCA should go ahead with converting the {{Track gauge|914mm|lk=on}} gauge Ferrocarril Huancayo - Huancavelica to {{Track gauge|1435mm}} gauge. Estimated to take 16 months, the US$33m project was to be funded jointly by the government and CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.{{cite news|title=Huancavelica upgrade |publisher=Railway Gazette International |access-date=2007-09-08 |date=2006-06-01 |url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view/article/2006/06/3802/huancavelica_upgrade.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071127051154/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view/article/2006/06/3802/huancavelica_upgrade.html |archive-date=2007-11-27 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.trainsunlimitedtours.com/great-south-american-rail-adventure.html |title=Great South American Rail Adventure |access-date=2008-05-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513104123/http://www.trainsunlimitedtours.com/great-south-american-rail-adventure.html |archive-date=2008-05-13 |url-status=dead }} This project was finished by October 2010.Trains, March 2009, p68

RDC has suggested the building of a {{convert|23.2|km|mi|abbr=on}}, US$2 billion tunnel in the Andes, to reduce the total Lima to Huancayo journey from twelve hours to under five.{{cite web|url=https://www.railjournal.com/regions/central-south-america/peru-develops-plans-for-trans-andean-tunnel/|title=Peru develops plans for Trans-Andean rail tunnel|website=International Railway Journal|date=20 March 2015|access-date=30 December 2020}}

File:Ferrocarril Central del Peru.jpg

Image:Peru railroad steel bridge.jpg

In 1851, engineer Ernest Malinowski proposed to extend the newly opened Lima to Callao railroad as far as the valley of Jauja. Malinowski, a Polish expatriate, was voluntarily exiled in Peru by political problems in his country, occupied at that time by Germany, Russia and Austria.

The government commissioned Felipe Barreda, Mariano Felipe Paz Soldán, and Manuel Marrón to report in detail on the project. This commission devised a detailed plan for the railroad which, after approval by the Peruvian Congress, was integrated with the Malinowski proposal.

The Peruvian Congress named a new commission to make recommendations on alternate construction plans. This second commission delivered a meticulous report of the four possible routes that it had explored and evaluated:

• By the gorge of the Rímac River, starting in Lima and proceeding through Matucana, San Mateo and Tarma.
• By the gorge of the Chillón River, from Lima, through Horseman, Yangas, Obrajillo, Casachanca and Carhuacancha
• Along the Chancay River, from Lima, through Chancay, Macas, Huamantanga, Huaillay and Cerro de Pasco
• Along the Lurín River, from Lima, through Lurín, Sisicaya, Tupicocha, San Damián, Tuctucocha, Pumacocha, Basket, Tarma and Jauja.

According to the report, construction of the proposed line was possible but difficult by the Rímac gorge, almost impossible by the Chillón gorge, impossible by the Chancay, but very easy by the Lurín. This last option was the choice of engineer Gerrit Backus, reputed to be one of the most able professionals in the design and construction of railway routes. This third phase lasted until March 1866 when work stopped due to the war with Spain.

In the early phase of construction German-Lithuanian immigrant Felipe Westhoff was sent to find out railway sleeper for the railway.{{cite web |url=http://www.eldivisadero.cl/noticia-7782 |title=¿Quién era Felipe Westhoff Rodhius? |author= |date=July 28, 2012 |website=eldivisadero.cl |publisher=Diario El Divisadero |access-date=January 10, 2019|language=es }} Westhoff arrived this way to Guaitecas Archipelago in Chile where stands of Pilgerodendron uviferum ({{langx|es|ciprés de las Guaitecas}}) were logged. For the purpose of overseeing the business he founded the settlement of Melinka.

In 1868, Don Diego Masías brought in Henry Meiggs, an American who had been a contractor in both New Jersey and in Chile, who had been working in Chile. The audacious Meiggs, after some negotiation, appeared before the government on 21 September of that year proposing to design and construct a railroad between Lima and Jauja. Meiggs reportedly told the government, "I will place rails there, where the llamas walk." The studies were approved and, with a construction budget that had climbed to 27 million pounds, Meiggs' proposal was accepted. The contract specified that work had to be completed within six years and would be financed by the sale of special bonds, with an annual interest of 6% and amortization of 2% ten years after their sale. The contract was finalized and signed on December 23, 1869.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Construction began in January 1870 with an elaborate ceremony in which the first stone in the Monserrate station in Lima was placed. The work began under the direction of Malinowski, head of the Technical Body, and fellow Polish engineer Edward Jan Habich.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

The Callao, Lima & Oroya Railway opened to Chicla by 1878 and reached La Oroya by 1893 and Huancayo ({{convert|346|km|mi|abbr=on|disp=or}}) in 1908.{{cite book|last=Binns|first=Donald|title=The Central Railway of Peru and the Cerro de Pasco Railway|publisher=Trackside Publications|location=Skipton|year=1996|isbn=1-900095-03-3}}{{cite book|author=Whetham, Robert D.|title=Railways of Peru. Volume 2 – The Central and Southern Lines|publisher=Trackside Publications|location=Bristol|year=2008|isbn=978-1-900095-37-2}} It is the second highest railway in the world (following opening of the Qingzang railway in Tibet), with the Galera summit tunnel under Mount Meiggs at {{convert|4783|m|ft|abbr=on}} and Galera station at 4,781 m (15,681 ft), requiring constructional feats, including many switchbacks and around 69 tunnels and 58 bridges. In 1923 a branch was opened from Ticlio (making it the world's highest junction) to Morococha via La Cima ({{convert|4818|m|ft|abbr=on|disp=or}} above sea level), from where in April 1955 a spur line opened to Volcán Mine, reaching an (at the time) world record altitude of {{convert|4830|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Both branch and spur have since closed to traffic.{{Marshall-GuinnessRail}}{{page needed|date=October 2016}}

File:FCCA GE C30-7 Chinchan - Ticlio.jpg 1001 near the summit]]

In its early days, the line relied mainly on steam locomotives imported from the United States, but in the twentieth century the most characteristic type were the {{Interlanguage link|FCC Class Andes|lt="Andes" type|de|FCC-Klasse Andes|fr|FCC Série 140 Andes}} oil-fired 2-8-0s from Beyer, Peacock & Company of Manchester.{{cite book|last=Fawcett|first=Brian|title=Railways of the Andes|edition=2nd|publisher=Plateway Press|location=East Harling|year=1997|isbn=1-871980-31-3}} No. 206 of this type is retained for special workings. 1941 the company owned 47 steam locomotives, 13 railcars, 71 coaches and 978 goods wagons.{{cite book |title= Railways of Peru - Volume 2, East of Lima |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=V8rrJUTLR5gC&pg=PA35 |year=2008 |publisher= Rodrigue Lévesque |language=English |page=35 |isbn= 9780969036760}} The first diesels for road operations were delivered from Alco in 1963.{{cite journal|last=Thomson|first=Ian|title=The dieselization of the Central Railway of Peru|journal=Diesels & Electrics|volume=1|year=2003|pages=54–9}}

In 2006 FCCA began a program to convert five General Electric C30-7 locomotives and two GE C39-8 locos to run on compressed natural gas and diesel fuel.{{cite news|title=Climbing the Andes with dual fuel power |publisher=Railway Gazette International |author=Jack A. Roberson |access-date=2007-09-08 |date=2006-07-01 |url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view/article/2006/07/4428/climbing_the_andes_with_dual_fuel_power-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121111742/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view/article/2006/07/4428/climbing_the_andes_with_dual_fuel_power-1.html |archive-date=2007-11-21 |url-status=dead }}

Around 2020–2021, FCCA acquired two former CSX C40-8Ws numbered 7311 and 7374.

In 2024, FCCA picked up two GE C41-8Ws from Union Pacific, former UP 9532 and 9521. That same year, FCCA purchased 19 EMD F40PH locomotives from Caltrain along with 90 Nippon Sharyo Gallery Cars

Traffic includes minerals (mainly from La Oroya), fuels, cement and food products. The route runs through and is famous for the spectacular landscapes of the Peruvian Andes.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe/ourtravels.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-05-29 |archive-date=2018-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180601101045/http://www.ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe/ourtravels.html |url-status=dead }} Although there is now no regular passenger traffic, currently FCCA offers several tourist trips per month from Lima to Huancayo, according to a previously published schedule.{{cite web |url=http://www.ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe/en_turismo.html |title=Tourism - Ferrocarril Central Andino S.A |website=www.ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012024122/http://www.ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe/en_turismo.html |archive-date=2007-10-12}}

• Huancayo-Huancavelica Railway
• Rail transport in Peru
• Railway stations in Peru
• Transport in Peru

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.rrdc.com/op_peru_fcca.html Central Railway of Peru - RDC page in English]
• [http://www.ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe/ Central Railway - Official site - Spanish]
• [http://www.rrdc.com/images/map_fcca_new.gif Map, Callao - Huancavelica] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925140121/http://rrdc.com/images/map_fcca_new.gif |date=2021-09-25 }}
• [http://www.pearcedale.com/c&b/peruhistory.htm Brief historical summary of the railroads in Peru]
• [http://culture.pl/en/article/ernest-malinowski-the-19th-century-engineer-who-defended-peru Ernest Malinowski, the 19th Century Engineer who Defended Peru]

{{Authority control}}

Category:Railway companies of Peru