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Article: An ill wind blows for EFE: just 18 months ago the future for Chilean State Railways (EFE) looked rosy as it invested heavily in passenger services. But now passenger numbers are in freefall and after reporting its biggest ever loss, EFE is on the brink of collapse. Regional editor Ian Thomson examines EFE's fall from grace, and the prospects of a revival.(News analysis)
- Article from:
- International Railway Journal
- Article date:
- June 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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BY 2000, long-distance passenger trains had all but disappeared from South America. All that remained were some services supported by provincial governments in Argentina, a handful of operations in areas of Bolivia and Ecuador with poor road access, those run by iron-ore miner Companhia Vale de Rio Doce in Brazil certain tourist trains, but very little else.
The exception to the rule was Chile. EFE continued to run Intercity trains from Santiago to Concepcion and Temuco, as well as heavily-used suburban services in the Santiago and Valparaiso areas, and rural lines from Talca and Concepcion.
The government of ex-President Ricardo Lagos (2000-06) wanted ...