RAILWAYMAN FROM CHILE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 259, 2 November 1931, Page 5

RAILWAYMAN FROM CHILE.

TO OBSERVE N.Z. SYSTEM.

LINES THROUGH THE ANDES.

The chief cashier of the Antofagasta (Chile)— Bolivian Railway Co., Ltd., Mr. F. Fawcett, arrived by the Ruahine from Panama yesterday, accompanied by his wife and two children. Mr. Fawcett is on six months' vacation, and will spend most of that time in New Zealand having a look at the country and inspecting the New Zealand railway system. The company which he represents is an English one, and its board of directors sits in London. The railway is of the metre gauge, and the company operateover a wide area of panipus and mountain country.. There are 2500 kilometres, of track,, which centre on the part of Antofagasta, on the coast of Chile. The longest.run, 1300 kilometres, is corera! by what is known as the International

Express train. It runs from Antofagasta to La Paz in Bolivia, a journey occupying 32 hours, during the course of which the express climbs up 12,000 feet into the Andes. Garrett engines, burning oil fuel, are the principal means of locomotion, and, unlike the three imported to NewZealand, have given entire satisfaction, where particularly heavy loads and heavy pulling have to be undertaken.

Most of the freight consists of hauling loads of copper, etc., from Bolivia, ami njtrates across Chile 'to Antofagasta. There are two administations opera-tins the one company's railway—one i* situated in Bolivia, and the other in Chile.' The two general managers have full and complete power in their respective epheres, but, of course, are under the board in London. Up till this year the railway has paid its shareholders well, but owing to the slump in tiii it is anticipated that the dividend will be reduced to about 5 per

cent. ' The oil fuel is imported from_ the United States, and although there is oil in the country, at Santa Cruz, GOO to SOO feet above sea level, a 12 days' muljourney over the roughest of country, has to'be undertaken to reach it.