Virtual Railfan Tour of Bolivia - the line to Villazon on the border with Argentina

 

A freight train at a wayside station

This line branches at Uyuni from the "main line" to the Chilean border. I went over it twice, once right through to Villazon and a second time by track car. The area is high, but not as high as further north

One of the first things we came across on the track car was a boxcar occupying the main line without authority. The crew, with no radio were transferring from one box car to the other.  We helped them push the car by hand out of our way.  This line even had a passenger service although not on this day.

The terrain is pretty rough in parts

Even the llamas have trouble getting out of the way

In some parts the land is very unstable

A typical wayside station

A freight train approaches running north. We were expecting it and were in the clear.

Villazon is a little unpretentious for a border station

There were a lot of people waiting for the arrival of the train from Oruro and Uyuni

There was a mad scramble for some to get out and for others to claim a seat for the return

Meanwhile, in the town the government put on a show of strength

The northbound train is ready to depart

On one trip I stayed overnight in Turpiza where there was a small shed and a steam locomotive rusting in the weeds