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For the freight railway operator, see Trenes Argentinos Cargas.

Operadora Ferroviaria S.E.
Trenes Argentinos Operaciones
Company type State-owned
Industry Railway
Predecessor
List
Founded2008; 16 years ago (2008)
Founder Government of Argentina
Headquarters
Buenos Aires
,
Argentina
Area served
National
Key people
Luis A. Luque (President)
Services Railway transport and maintenance
Owner Government of Argentina
Parent Ferrocarriles Argentinos S.E.
Website argentina.gob.ar/transporte/trenes

Operadora Ferroviaria Sociedad del Estado (SOFSE), trading as Trenes Argentinos Operaciones, is an Argentine state-owned company created in 2008 to operate passenger services in Argentina. It operates as a division of Ferrocarriles Argentinos S.E.. [1] [2]

Since March 2015 SOFSE has run the Buenos Aires commuter rail services Mitre, San Martín, Roca and Belgrano Sur lines [3] [4] previously operated by private companies.

History

Background

After the railway privatisation in Argentina at the beginning of the 1990s, the railway assets that had not been given in concession were taken over by Ferrocarriles Argentinos before being dissolved.

From 1996 to 2000 those assets were administered by "Ente Nacional de Administración de Bienes Ferroviarios" (ENABIEF) created through a National Decree promulgated by the Presidency of Argentina. On June 1, 2000, ENABIEF merged to Dirección Nacional de Bienes del Estado.

From then on, the "Organismo Nacional de Administración de Bienes" (ONABE) began its activities as an organisation created to manage the assets not directly affected by State activities. [5]

The first SOFSE logo (2008)

Law 26.352 promulgated in 2008 re-organized the railway operations in Argentina creating two State organisations, the "Administración de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias" (ADIF) and the "Operadora Ferroviaria" (SOFSE). Decree N° 752/08 regulated the activities by the recently established company since then.

Further operations

A CSR train running on Sarmiento line
SOFSE Materfer and CNR CKD8 rolling stock in Bragado

Although having been established in 2008, SOFSE became active two years later, when the organisation took over the railway services in Chaco Province left by Servicios Ferroviarios del Chaco (SEFECHA). In 2011 the organisation added the regional services of Salta and Buenos Aires Provinces. When the Ministry of Transport was created in 2012, SOFSE took over all the urban services not granted in concession of Greater Buenos Aires. The society also began to operate interurban services such as train services to Córdoba, Tucumán cities and other services previously operated by the Government of Entre Ríos Province.

In June 2013, SOFSE took over the Tren de la Costa when the Government decided the company would be managed by the Argentine State after revoking the contract with Sociedad Comercial del Plata. [6]

In September 2013, the Government of Argentina designed SOFSE to operate the Mitre and Sarmiento lines, after their contracts of concession were revoked to Trenes de Buenos Aires. This decision was officially promulgated through Resolution N° 1083/13. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

SOFSE temporarily operated the Mitre line until the Government of Argentina re-privatised it, giving the line concession to "Corredores Ferroviarios S.A." (a private company part of Emepa Group) on February 12, 2014. [12] [13] [14]

In December 2014, brand new trains acquired by the Government of Argentina from Chinese company CNR Dalian, started to run luxury services from Constitución to Mar del Plata. [15] [16] The classic service continued to be operated by Ferrobaires. [17]

In February 2015, services from Buenos Aires to Rufino, Santa Fe were reestablished after 22 years. The service runs with brand-new trains acquired from China on Ferrocarril San Martín tracks. Trains make stops at Chacabuco, Junín, Vedia and Alberdi, among other stations. [18] [19]

In March 2015, SOFSE started to run the CNR CKD8 trains from Retiro to Córdoba. Due to the poor condition of the tracks, trains took 19½ hours to run the 700 km (430 mi). This was more than twice the time that it took in 1938, when services operated by Central Argentine took 9 hours to connect both cities with two intermediate stops. [20] [21]

Commuter rail renationalisation

SOFSE took over Belgrano Sur and Roca (operated by Argentren) and Mitre and San Martín (operated by Corredores Ferroviarios) lines after the Government of Argentina rescinded the contracts signed with both companies on March 2, 2015. The contract terms specified that the concession could be cancelled with no right to claim compensation. [3] The agreements had been signed in February 2014, committing Argentren and Corredores Ferroviarios to operate the lines. [4] [22] [23]

Latest news

In January 2016, the Ministry of Transport ceased operations over services to La Pampa Province. The Government took the decision based on the low demand of the Santa Rosa– General Pico line and the poor conditions of some bridges that had deteriorated after the flooding in August 2015. [24] [25] [26]

In June 2016, the Buenos Aires–Rosario service extended operations to Rosario Norte Station (located at the north of the city, closer to the downtown) instead of Rosario Sur, which had been terminus until then. [27]

In March 2023, Trenes Argentinos announced the return of passenger services to Mendoza Province, [28] which had been interrupted since 1993 during the Carlos Menem presidency. [29] As the former Mendoza railway station had been converted into a tram stop and added to the Metrotranvía network, the terminus was set in Palmira, distant 5 km from the city of Mendoza. [28] A test ride was run in March, nevertheless it was severely criticized due to the excessive journey time (27 hours) alleging that in the 1960s the travel took only 13 hours. [30] [29] After a delay that took more than two months, [31] [32] the service (that had terminus in Justo Daract, San Luis Province) was finally reestablished to reach Palmira in June 2023. [33]

Services operated

The following is a list of services operated by Operadora Ferroviaria in Argentina. The list includes urban railways such as Mitre, San Martín, Roca and Belgrano Sur lines previously managed by private companies.

Metropolitan

Commuter rail services within the Buenos Aires Province: [34]

Keys
  •   Tourist service, run once a week
A Materfer DMU on the Mitre Line, 2015
Maipú station platforms in Olivos, Buenos Aires
University train of La Plata
Terminus cities Service Dist. Line
Once – Moreno Electric 45 Sarmiento
Moreno – Mercedes Diesel
62
 Sarmiento
Merlo – Lobos Diesel 90 Sarmiento
Constitución – Ezeiza Electric 35 Roca
Ezeiza – Cañuelas Diesel 35 Roca
Constitución – Alejandro Korn Electric 45 Roca
Alejandro Korn – Chascomús Diesel 93 Roca
Constitución – La Plata Electric 60 Roca
La Plata – Policlínico ( University train) Diesel 4 Roca
Constitución – Temperley Electric 19 Roca
Temperley – Haedo Diesel 30 Roca
Constitución – Bosques (via Quilmes) Electric 19 Roca
Constitución – Bosques (via Temperley) Electric 19 Roca
Bosques – Gutiérrez Diesel 7 Roca
Cañuelas – Lobos Diesel
37
 Roca
Dr. A. Sáenz – Villars Diesel
70
 Belgrano Sur
Dr. A. Sáenz – Marinos Cruc. Belgrano Diesel 43 Belgrano Sur
Retiro – Tigre Electric 30 Mitre
Retiro – B. Mitre Electric 15 Mitre
Retiro – José León Suárez Electric 27 Mitre
Victoria – Capilla del Señor Diesel 60 Mitre
Villa Ballester – Zárate Diesel 75 Mitre
Retiro – Doctor Cabred Diesel 70 San Martín
Maipú – Delta Electric 15 Tren de la Costa [n1 1]
Mercedes – Tomás Jofré [35] [36] Diesel
15
 Belgrano Sur
Notes
  1. ^ The original line became part of the General Mitre Railway after the 1948 nationalisation. The B. Mitre–Delta route (a part of the branch that had a similar path to the Retiro–Tigre line) was closed by the Arturo Frondizi's administration in 1961 to reduce costs. The service was put into operation again under the name "Tren de la Costa" in 1995, being run by private concessionaire Sociedad Comercial del Plata. Since the concession's revocation in 2013, the line has been operated by Trenes Argentinos, although the company has not included this service into the Mitre Line.

Long distance

Inter-city services along Argentina, as of January 2024: [37]

A CNR locomotive running express services to Mar del Plata
Train at Palmira, Mendoza, June 2023
Province/s covered Terminus Dist. Company/Line
Buenos Aires Constitución – Mar del Plata [38] [n2 1]
400
 Roca
Gral. Guido – Divisadero de Pinamar
98
 Roca
Once – Pehuajó
372
 Sarmiento
Retiro (SM) – Junín
254
 San Martín
Buenos Aires – Santa Fe – Córdoba Retiro (M) – Córdoba (M) [41] [42] [43]
695
 Mitre
Buenos Aires – Santa Fe Retiro (M) – Rosario Norte
315
 Mitre
Buenos Aires – Santa Fe – Santiago del Estero – Tucumán Retiro (M) – S.M. de Tucumán [41] [42]
1,170
 Mitre
Buenos Aires – Santa Fe – Córdoba – San Luis – Mendoza Retiro (SM) – Palmira
985
 San Martín
Notes
  1. ^ The service was inactive from August 2015 to July 2017 due to the poor condition of the rail tracks. [39] [40]

Regional

Regional services as of June 2023: [37]

Keys
  •   International service
Tren del Valle running on Neuquén bridge
Tren de las Sierras at Alta Córdoba station
Province/s covered Terminus Dist. Company/Line
Chaco R.S. Peña – Chorotis [44]
185
 Belgrano
Resistencia – Los Amores
162
 Belgrano
Córdoba Córdoba / Alta Córdoba – Valle Hermoso
( Tren de las Sierras)
66
 Belgrano
Entre Ríos Paraná – Jorge Méndez
16
 Urquiza
Neuquén – Río Negro Cipolletti – Plottier ( Tren del Valle) [45]
16
 Roca
Salta Gral. Güemes – Campo Quijano
85
 Belgrano
Santa Fe Rosario Norte – Cañada de Gómez [46]
72
 Mitre
Santiago del Estero La Banda – Fernández
71
 Mitre
Misiones –   Paraguay Posadas – Encarnación [n3 1] [n3 2]
8
 Urquiza
Notes
  1. ^ International service to Paraguayan city Encarnación.
  2. ^ Operated jointly with private company "Casimiro Zbikoski S.A.". [47]

Maps of services operated

As of February 2023

  • Metropolitan services (Buenos Aires)
    Metropolitan services (Buenos Aires)
  • Long distance services
    Long distance services

References

  1. ^ "Resolución 162/2015". InfoLeg (in Spanish). 26 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  2. ^ "Licitación Pública Nacional 05/2015" [National Public Tender 05/2015]. Operadora Ferroviaria Sociedad del Estado (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  3. ^ a b Alfie, Alejandro (5 March 2015). "Ya está lista la ley que prevé más control estatal sobre los trenes" [The law that provides for more state control over trains is ready]. Clarín (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Estado rescindió contrato de trenes a privados y avisó que no pagará indemnizaciones" [The State rescinds the private train contract and announced that it will not pay compensation]. Ámbito Financiero (in Spanish). 2 March 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  5. ^ "Historia del organismo". ONABE (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  6. ^ "Trenes: el Gobierno reestatizó una línea de carga y otra de pasajeros" [Trains: the Government renationalized a cargo line and another passenger line]. Infobae (in Spanish). 4 June 2013. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014.
  7. ^ "Transfirieron a SOFSE la Línea Mitre y Sarmiento" [The Mitre and Sarmiento Lines are transferred to SOFSE]. Rieles.com (in Spanish). 13 September 2013. Archived from the original on 16 January 2015.
  8. ^ "El gobierno nacional estatizó los ferrocarriles Sarmiento y Mitre" [The national government nationalized the Sarmiento and Mitre railways]. Infobae (in Spanish). 11 September 2013.
  9. ^ "Avanza la estatización de trenes: se suman Sarmiento y Mitre" [The nationalization of trains advances: Sarmiento and Mitre join]. Diario Popular (in Spanish). 12 September 2013.
  10. ^ "El Sarmiento ya es estatal" [Sarmiento is now state-owned]. Página 12 (in Spanish). 26 October 2013.
  11. ^ "Resolution N° 1083/13". Official Bulletin of Argentina (in Spanish). 11 September 2013.
  12. ^ "Trenes: le dan a Roggio el Mitre y el San Martín y a Emepa, el Roca y el Belgrano Sur" [Trains: they give Roggio the Mitre and the San Martín and Emepa, the Roca and the Belgrano Sur]. La Nación (in Spanish). 12 February 2014.
  13. ^ "Las privadas volverán a operar la mayoría de las líneas ferroviarias" [Private companies return to operate the majority of the railway lines]. Clarín (in Spanish). 12 February 2014.
  14. ^ "El Gobierno estableció un nuevo régimen de operaciones de las líneas ferroviarias" [The Government establishes a new operations regime for railway lines]. Télam (in Spanish). 12 February 2014.
  15. ^ "Los nuevos trenes a Mar del Plata funcionarán desde este viernes" [The new trains to Mar del Plata will run from this Friday]. Telam (in Spanish). 19 December 2014.
  16. ^ "Realizará su primer viaje el tren chino que unirá Buenos Aires con Mar del Plata" [The Chinese train that will connect Buenos Aires with Mar del Plata will make its first journey]. Minuto Uno (in Spanish). 21 November 2014.
  17. ^ "Horarios y Destinos: Plaza Constitución – Mar del Plata" [Schedules and Destinations: Plaza Constitución – Mar del Plata]. Satélite Ferroviario (in Spanish).
  18. ^ "Después de más de dos décadas volvió el tren de pasajeros a Rufino" [After more than two decades, the passenger train returns to Rufino]. Cronica Ferroviaria (in Spanish). 2 March 2015.
  19. ^ "Mañana vuelve el tren a Rufino" [Tomorrow the train returns to Rufino]. La Capital (in Spanish). 27 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  20. ^ "Un viaje interminable: El nuevo tren a Córdoba tardó media hora más que en 1890" [An endless journey: The new train to Córdoba took half an hour longer than in 1890]. Clarín (in Spanish). 11 March 2015.
  21. ^ "El nuevo tren a Córdoba tarda más del doble que en 1938" [The new train to Córdoba takes more than twice as long as in 1938]. Infobae (in Spanish). 12 March 2015.
  22. ^ "Buenos Aires commuter routes renationalised". Railway Gazette International. 3 March 2015.
  23. ^ "Resolution N° 171/2015". Official Bulletin of Argentina (in Spanish).
  24. ^ "La Pampa se quedó otra vez sin tren de pasajeros" [La Pampa is once again without a passenger train]. El Diario de La Pampa (in Spanish). 26 January 2016. Archived from the original on 4 February 2016.
  25. ^ Cabot, Diego (21 January 2016). "Trenes: una herencia precaria que dejó el kichnerismo y que el maquillaje no disimula" [Trains: a precarious legacy left by Kirchnerism and that makeup does not hide]. La Nación (in Spanish).
  26. ^ "En La Pampa ya dejaron de funcionar los trenes de pasajeros" [In La Pampa the passenger trains have already stopped working]. Diario Registrado (in Spanish). 26 January 2016. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
  27. ^ "El tren a Retiro llega ahora hasta la estación Rosario Norte, en pleno Pichincha" [The train to Retiro now arrives at the Rosario Norte station, in the heart of Pichincha]. La Capital (in Spanish). 16 June 2016.
  28. ^ a b Después de 30 años, volvimos a Mendoza on Trenes Argentinos, 23 Mar 2023
  29. ^ a b Volvió el tren a Mendoza, pero tarda 10 horas más que en 1910: la odisea de su construcción en el siglo XIX by Adrián Pignatelli on Infobae, 29 March 2023
  30. ^ Cruces entre el Gobierno y la oposición por las treinta horas que tarda el tren a Mendoza at Perfil, 24 Mar 2023
  31. ^ El radicalismo pide explicaciones por la demora de la llegada del tren a Mendoza on El Sol, 25 May 2023
  32. ^ Exigen explicaciones por la demora del tren entre Buenos Aires y Mendoza by Juan Stagnoli on Diario Mendoza, 24 May 2023
  33. ^ El primer servicio regular de tren de pasajeros llegó a Mendoza luego de 30 años on Télam, 3 Jun 2023.
  34. ^ Recorridos - Área metropolitana on Trenes Argentinos, 31 Jul 2022
  35. ^ Inauguraron un tren turístico en Mercedes, sin la presencia de Matías Lammens, Página/12, 27 May 2023
  36. ^ Tren turístico Mercedes-Tomás Jofré: cuáles son las estaciones y cuánto dura el recorrido on TN, 27 May 2023
  37. ^ a b Servicios regionales y de larga distancia on Trenes Argentinos, 22 Jan 2024
  38. ^ "Tras dos años sin funcionar, vuelve el tren a Mar del Plata y tendrá 12 paradas" [After two years without working, the train returns to Mar del Plata and will have 12 stops]. Clarín (in Spanish). 15 June 2017.
  39. ^ "Tren fantasma" [Ghost train]. Diario Hoy (in Spanish). 25 May 2016.
  40. ^ "Mar del Plata sin trenes: el puente del río Salado está listo, falta que unan las vías" [Mar del Plata without trains: the Salado river bridge is ready, the tracks need to be joined]. 0223 Noticias (in Spanish). 11 April 2016.
  41. ^ a b "Estatizaron los trenes de pasajeros de larga distancia" [They nationalized long-distance passenger trains]. Clarín (in Spanish). 8 November 2014. Archived from the original on 16 January 2015.
  42. ^ a b "Resolución 1093/2013 – Asignación de servicios y administración de infraestructura". Official Bulletin of Argentina (in Spanish).
  43. ^ "Horarios y Destinos: Retiro – Córdoba". Satélite Ferrovario (in Spanish).
  44. ^ "Horarios y Destinos: Roque Sáenz Peña – Chorotis". Satelite Ferroviario (in Spanish).
  45. ^ "Resolución 1281/2015 – Ministry of Transport". Official Bulletin of Argentina (in Spanish). 16 July 2015.
  46. ^ Servicio regional Rosario - Cañada de Gómez on Trenes Argentinos, 31 Jul 2022
  47. ^ Cortés, Elrafa (22 March 2019). "Tren a Posadas – Encarnación: con una escribana pública en la redacción de Misiones Online, la empresa Casimiro Zbikoski SA pidió derecho a réplica" [Train to Posadas – Encarnación: The company Casimiro Zbikoski SA requested the right to reply in the Misiones Online newsroom with a public notary present]. Misiones Online (in Spanish).

External links

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