The most important division of the government railway system in Chile,
however, because of its relation to the industrial and commercial
interests of the country, is the longitudinal line extending from Tacna
to Port Montt, a distance of over two thousand miles, and constituting
the great central artery of communication, uniting the mineral zones
of the north with the agricultural regions of the central valley
and the timber sections of the south. This road has as feeders over
thirty transverse lines of varying length connecting the productive
centers of the Republic with all the principal seaports of the coast.
Notwithstanding the fact that transport is maintained by sea along
the entire length of the territory constituting the Republic, a
north and south railway was felt to be a necessity. In addition to
commercial needs there are strategic reasons for a longitudinal line:
to facilitate the transportation of troops and armament from one end of
the Republic to the other in case of war.
As far back as Balmaceda’s time the building of this road figured among
the government’s projects, and in succeeding administrations plans
were made for the execution of the work. It was President Don Pedro
Montt, however, who took up the task of carrying out the idea and, with
characteristic perseverance, succeeded in getting the National Congress
to pass a law in 1908, authorizing him to call for public tenders for
contracts for the construction of the Longitudinal Railway. In 1909
contracts were let for the building of over eight hundred miles of the
road at a total cost of $35,000,000.
The completion of this longitudinal line leaves only the territory
lying south of latitude 42 degrees, and forming the greater part of
what is known as Chilean Patagonia without a railway.
The service on the railways in Chile is, as a rule, unsatisfactory,
and on some of the lines it may be designated as bad. This is due to
the fact that the management of the government roads is influenced by
politics. The compensation of government railway employés is very low,
and payment of salaries not infrequently long delayed and somewhat
uncertain. The tenure of service depends upon political influence,
and there is little in the system to encourage honest industry.
Employés feel no personal responsibility and to cheat the government,
particularly in the failure to render good service, is a common
practice that is not considered a crime.
First class fares correspond to those prevailing in the United States,
but second and third-class fares and freight rates are very low. The
express trains from Valparaiso to Santiago, and from the capital south
to Concepcion carry American chair cars in the day, and on the southern
section, Pullman cars on the night trains.
The lack of facilities for carrying freight, the unsatisfactory service
in cargo trains, and the slow method of unloading and loading cars, is
a serious handicap to business depending upon the prompt delivery of
merchandise and material. The freight service on the government roads
is generally bad. The yard and track facilities in all the important
commercial centers are wholly inadequate to the requirements. It is
frequently impossible to secure cars, and when once the freight is
loaded and accepted by the railway, there is much uncertainty as to
when it will be forwarded to its destination. If the freight consists
of perishable goods the chances are that it will be seriously damaged
or entirely destroyed before delivery. In either event there is no
recourse in law for damages.
In 1904 there was a great shortage of freight cars in Valparaiso.
Merchants and manufacturers were demanding cars in which to ship cargo
long overdue in delivery. When the manager of the State railways was
appealed to for relief, he stated that all freight cars on that section
of the road had been ordered to Santiago where a census of the rolling
stock was being taken. Complaint against abuses in the service is
useless.
One redeeming feature of the railway service in Chile, is the cheap
passenger fares for the poor people, who are ill able to pay high
rates, and who do not expect much in return for their money. Time is no
object to them, and if trains run slowly and not up to schedule, there
is no complaint.