Virtual Railfan Tour Bolivia - Potosi - Highest Railway in the World

 

I should mention right from the start that when I went over this line on 7 February 2002 this was the highest operating railway in the world.  A higher line in Peru had been closed (I believe it has now been reopened) while the Chinese were building a much higher line in Tibet.

We started off early from the hotel in Uyuni having slept under five blankets. It gets cold up there at night and the press of the bed clothes had me feeling like I had slept in a printing press.  The line from the Chilean border through Uyuni was well used by freight trains and much of it was being relaid with better rail. The first part of the journey was to run back towards Oruro as far as Rio Mulatto where the line to Potosi branches off.  We experienced the new rail earlier than expected.

We were approaching a road crossing at a good clip when we lurched to a sudden stop with a loud bang. It appeared that new rails had been laid out along the line ready to be installed but one had been placed too close to the highway and it seemed that a truck had hit it and thrown the rail across the track.  Before we could proceed we had to move the rail. The rail was only 75 pounds to the yard but there were only five of us to lift it. We managed to lift and move the rail without dropping it - I was the only one in the party wearing safety boots.

We reached Rio Mulatto later than expected

Towards Potosi a work crew were welding rails. They were welding every three rails together.  This is a smart move as it reduces significantly the number of rail joints to be maintained

Preparing for the weld

Condor Summit at an elevation of 4786 metres or 15702 feet

The entire Bolivian Railway Inspectorate

Great opportunity for a photo - op

The highest switch stand in the world

The highest track car in the world

The altiplano at Condor

I looked at several crossings on the way to Potosi.  The sight lines were very poor

There was still a passenger service to Potosi at that time. The mountains in the background are Huayna Potosi

The ubiquitous llama

Another crossing with poor sightlines

At Potosi a freight train was ready to leave.

I have read that at one time Potosi was the third largest populated city in the world because of the silver mining. There are many signs of its early prosperity.

We had intended to take a look at the line between Potosi and Sucre which was not operated but was being considered for passenger service.  However there was a certain amount of civil unrest and roads were being blocked.  With a gringo (me) in the car it was decided not to risk it and we flew out to La Paz which is lower at 3640 metres. That was a good thing as I had only been in the country for three days and was feeling the effects of the altitude.